Vigilius the Deacon

Vigilius the Deacon mentioned in Gennadius, De Viris Illustribus, No. 51, was doubtless resident in Gaul, and lived in the second or third decade of the 5th century. A monastic rule, based upon traditions and read in the conventual assemblages, is mentioned as his only literary production. Holsten has published such a rule, based substantially on Pachomius, in the Codex Regularum, 1 (Migne, Patrol. 50, p. 370-380). Vigilius must accordingly be regarded as one of the promoters of monasticism upon the basis of the experiences obtained by the Oriental Church, of which that age furnished so many. See Cave, Script. Eccles. Hist. Lit. ann. 402; Herzog, Real- Encyklop. s.v.