Paromeos Monastery

Paromeos Monastery

Location within Egypt
Monastery information
Other names	Monastery of the Roman Saints Maximus & Domitius
Established	335
Dedicated to	Virgin Mary
Diocese	Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
People
Founder(s)	Saint Macarius the Great
Important associated figures	Saint Isidore Saint Moses the Black
Site
Location	Wadi El Natrun
Country	Egypt
Coordinates	30°21′26″N 30°16′14″E / 30.35713°N 30.27059°E / 30.35713; 30.27059
Public access	Yes

The Paromeos Monastery (Coptic: ⲡⲁⲣⲟⲙⲉⲟⲥ), also known as Baramos Monastery (Arabic: البراموس‎‎), is a Coptic Orthodox monastery located in Wadi El Natrun (the Nitrian Desert), Beheira Governorate, Egypt. It is the most northern monastery among the four current monasteries of Scetes, about 9 km northeast of the Monastery of Saint Pishoy. Ecclesiastically, the monastery is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and carries her name.

The Paromeos Monastery is probably the oldest among the four existing monasteries of Scetes. It was founded c. 335 A.D. by Saint Macarius the Great. The name Pa-Romeos or that of the Romans may refer to Saints Maximus and Domitius, children of the Roman Emperor Valentinian I, who had their cell at the place of the modern monastery. According to Coptic tradition, the two saints went to Scetes during the time of Saint Macarius the Great, who tried in vain to dissuade them from staying. Nevertheless, they stayed and attained perfection before dying at a young age. A year after their departure, Saint Macarius the Great consecrated their cell by building a chapel, and told the monks "Call this place the Cell of the Romans". Another theory holds that the name refers to the Roman Emperors Arcadius and Honorius, disciples of Saint Arsenius. The latter was himself a Roman monk who established himself in Scetes, and it is possible that the two emperors had visited their teacher in his seclusion, thus giving to the monastery its name.