Images The site of Saint Simeon

The anchorite experience developed mainly in Syria in the first centuries after Christ and was inspired by the pagan culture, even if there is no tangible proof of this. Theodorus called the Anchorites the “Athletes of God”: they were indeed pushing the limits of their bodies, inflicting on themselves incredible hardships, thus entering in direct communication with God. At that time, Christianity was not persecuted anymore, it was a diffused reality and the need was felt to stick to the ideas of the origin. The radicalism of this movement has to be read in this context.