The Paradise or Garden of the Holy Fathers
Stories, teachings, and sayings from the earliest Christian monks of the Egyptian desert
The complete public-domain English edition translated and edited by E. A. Wallis Budge, published in 1907.
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What is this book?
The Paradise or Garden of the Holy Fathers brings together biographies, stories, and teachings associated with the founders of early Christian monasticism in Egypt and neighboring regions. It includes the Life of Saint Anthony, histories collected by Palladius, accounts of the monks of Tabenna, and extensive sayings and questions and answers.
In 1888, E. A. Wallis Budge encountered a large Syriac manuscript of these works in Mosul and arranged for a copy to be made. He later translated and edited the collection; this site presents his two-volume English edition of 1907.