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The Desert Mothers (there were also Desert Fathers) were women Christian ascetics living in the desert of Egypt, Palestine, and Syria in the 4th and 5th centuries AD. They typically lived in the monastic communities that began forming during that time, though sometimes they lived as hermits. Moreover, archeological evidence would suggest that the desert community were not completely isolated as they were a part of the general economy.〔Women as Teachers and Disciples in Traditional and New Religions|page=19〕 Other women from that era who influenced the early ascetic or monastic tradition while living outside the desert are also described as Desert Mothers. The Desert Fathers are much more well known because most of the early lives of the saints "were written by men for a male monastic audience"—the occasional stories about the Desert Mothers come from the early Desert Fathers and their biographers. Despite this fact, many desert women had leadership roles within the Christian community. Scholars, like Cameron, believe that there was little to no difference between the roles of desert mothers and desert fathers. The ''Apophthegmata Patrum'', or ''Sayings of the Desert Fathers'', includes forty-seven sayings that are actually attributed to the Desert Mothers. There are several chapters dedicated to the Desert Mothers in the ''Lausiac History'' by Palladius, who mentions 2,975 women living in the desert. Other sources include the various stories told over the years about the lives of saints of that era, traditionally called ''vitae'' ("life").〔 The lives of twelve female desert saints are described in Book I of the so-called ''Vitae Patrum'' (''Lives of the Fathers''). According to Cameron, women were quite prominent in the desert tradition. It is however significant to note that the accounts in possession often leave women nameless, even those with significant leadership roles. In Cameron’s opinion there is no distinction between the men’s wise sayings and that of Abba Sarah and Amma Syncletia. In fact, the monks and nuns seem to have interacted frequently. There is a text referring to Theodora who supposedly had monks listen and ask her questions, as if in a lecture. Some women converting their houses into religious establishments and there are additionally accounts of gender mixed social/religious groups. Moreover, there was still a divide in that women could not obtain positions as a deacon or a priest. ==The Desert== The physical space (the desert) seems to have an impact on the practices of this particular religious group. It is an obscure place where demons breed. The desert was also believed by these people to be cursed due to the lack of water. The Christian ascetics believed the desert was a space where one could directly face oneself and temptation without the possibility of hiding. It was considered a sacred space as Moses encountered God in the desert, Jesus’ ministry was created in this space, and it is where Jesus would retire to pray. Contrary to popular conception, the desert is considered a “place full of action”, according to Swan, as the desert created opportunity for a divination experience. The desert seems to directly influence the ascetic practices of these communities. The desert mothers (as well as the desert fathers) would attempt transfiguration in order to prove themselves worthy of their religion. The desert was an important part of this process because it was considered to be a holy place wherein the process was believed to come naturally. Some considered the desert to be an essential stage to one’s spiritual journey. Moreover, Swan observes that in some cases the desert takes the form of an experience of suffering, which brings one closer to God. This point supports Amma Synclesia idea that there is no difference between the desert people and the city people. She is credited for stating in reference to the one’s individual religious ambitions “()he goal is the same for all even if the way differs for some.” Moreover she does make a distinction between the life style of the desert people and the city folk. Amma Synclesia seems to suggest that the ultimate goal is to maintain moderation, balance, and perfect temperament. As an ascetic she does not think it proper to indulge in luxuries, and thus practices fasting and lives in poor living conditions. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Desert Mothers」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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