Ethiopian Monks

Monasticism spread rapidly up the Nile into Ethiopia, and gained as strong a hold there as in Egypt or Syria, if not a stronger. All the monasteries in Ethiopia professed to obey the so-called "Rule of Antony," but with different observances. An attempt at reformation, such as invariably recurs in the life of a monastic order, was made in the 7th century; Tecla- Haimanot being the second founder or Benedict of Ethiopian monasticism. He endeavored to consolidate the system under a superior-general, second in ecclesiastical rank only to the patriarch of Ethiopia, who was to visit and inspect the monasteries personally or by proxy. Several of them, however, preferred to retain their independence, like Congregationalists. Monks swarmed in Ethiopia long after the first fervor of asceticism; and the constitution of the Ethiopian Church was monastic. The story of a military order of monks, like the knightstemplar, originating in the 4th century, is purely fabulous. See Helyot, Diet. des Ordres Religieux, 2:222 sq.