Schenute

Schenute (also Sch(e)nudi or Saint Shenouda) was a Coptic abbot.

The years 332-33-34 and 350 are mentioned as the date of his birth, and the years 451-52 and 466 as the date of his death, all authors agreeing that he lived about 118 years. He was born at Schenalolet in the district of Akhim, and died in his monastery, which still exists under the Arabic name of Deir-el-Abiad (White Monastery), near the ruins of the village of Atripe. In 371, he became a monk at this large double monastery, which was then ruled by his uncle Bgol, whom he succeeded as abbot in 388. St. Cyril of Alexandria, whom he accompanied to the First Council of Ephesus in 431, appointed him archimandrite during that council. The Copts honour him as a saint and as the Father of the Coptic Church.

The monastic rule of Pachomius underwent various modifications and was made more severe under the abbacy of Bgol and Schenute. Perhaps the most important modification was the introduction of vows into the monastic life. Each monk made a solemn profession in the church, that he would faithfully observe the rule of the monastery. The formula of this vow, as prescribed by Schenute, was published by Leipoldt (loc. cit. below p. 107), and by Leclercq in "Dictionnaire d'Archéologie chrétienne" s. v. Cénobitisme. It is as follows: "I vow [homologein] before God in His holy place as the word of my tongue is my witness: I shall never sully my body in any way; I shall not steal; I shall not take false oaths; I shall not lie; I shall not do evil secretly. If I transgress what I have sworn [homologein] I shall not enter the kingdom of heaven, for I know that God before whom I pronounce the formula of this pledge [diatheke] will thrust me body and soul into hell-fire, for I shall have transgressed the formula of the pledge [diatheke] have pronounced" (op. cit.) It is the first monastic vow of which we have any knowledge. Another modification of the rule of Pachomius was a combination of the cenobitic (communal) with the anchoretic (eremitic) life.

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