Writings On African Literature

“Patericul” – (Romanian translation) – is a singular book. Most probably written in the 4th to 5th centuries, to it’s content have contributed – in one way or another - hundreds, maybe thousands of Christian monks. The religious special awakening and movement towards the desert of Egypt has begun with the first desert dweller, the first monk, Anthony – born in 251 AD and reposed in 356 AD. “The Pateric” to which we refer to is also called “The Egyptian Pateric”; this is the oldest writing bearing this title and the most valuable. As the Romanian monk Teofil Pârâianu said: “Deci noi, când vorbim acum despre "Ce învãtãm din Pateric", ne gândim la un Pateric anume, la Patericul egiptean, care este Patericul clasic, Patericul care a existat înainte de a fi alte Paterice.” (Archimandrite Teofil Pârâianu – “Ce învăţăm din Pateric?”) It is not an hazarduous accident that we have quoted the Archimandrite.