Uomini e donne nei monasteri: la genesi tardo-antica di un equivoco

The history of the interpretations of Christian monasticism reveals what are universally considered salient features of the monastic-ascetic life shaped on the sequela Christi: the rejection of private property, of the institution of marriage, and of carnal family ties. One of the most interesting cases related to the management of virginity/celibacy/relationships between men and women in monasticism is that of cohabitation. The term refers to a closeness of male/female in the so-called mixed/doubles/twin monasteries where monks and nuns are located within the same monastery, and it is coined as such because there is no precise terminology, but only described situations of cohabitation regulated by sources. This present article reveals the results of an investigation into ancient monasteries, conducted over a lengthy period of time with the instruments that the historian possesses in order to show that the concept of “double monasteries” is a stretch, if not a juridical invention. It aims to unveil if and under what circumstances these mixed/double/twin/symbiotic monasteries have existed since the dawn of monasticism (consider 4th century Egypt and Cappadocia) and still continued to exist, despite official prohibition (imperial and canonical). The research focuses on Orthodox monasticism, particularly the Orthodox-Byzantine monastic tradition and is the result of methodological experimentation: a diachronic analysis conducted through the historical-critical method, based on literary and documentary sources, produced by and on ancient monasticism.