Tabenna (also Tabennae, Tabennisi; ) is considered the first

cenobitic Cenobitic (or coenobitic) monasticism is a monastery, monastic tradition that stresses community life. Often in the West the community belongs to a religious order, and the life of the cenobitic monk is regulated by a Monastic rule, religious ru ...

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...

. It was a community founded during the

4th century The 4th century (per the Julian calendar and Anno Domini/Common era) was the time period which lasted from 301 (Roman numerals, CCCI) through 400 (Roman numerals, CD). In the West, the early part of the century was shaped by Constantine the Grea ...

by Saint

Pachomius the Great Pachomius (; el, Παχώμιος ''Pakhomios''; ; c. 292 – 9 May 348 AD), also known as Saint Pachomius the Great, is generally recognized as the founder of Christian cenobitic monasticism. Coptic churches celebrate his feast day on 9 May, ...

in the modern hamlet of Al Rahmaniya Qebli (formerly Al Dabbah)Jalal Ahmed Abu Bakr: ''المتوارث في مصر الفرعونية'', Dar Al Maaref, Cairo 2014, , p. 74 near

Chenoboskion Chenoboskion (Koine Greek, Greek "geese pasture"), also called Chenoboscium , Chenoboskia ( el, Χηνοβοσκία) and Sheneset ( cop, Ϣⲉⲛⲉⲥⲏⲧ ''Šénesēt''),John Gardner Wilkinson, Wilkinson, John Gardner, Sir is the name of an ...

which is about 5 km east of

Nag Hammadi Nag Hammadi ( ; ar, نجع حمادى ) is a city in Upper Egypt. It is located on the west bank of the Nile in the Qena Governorate, about north-west of Luxor. It had a population of close to 43,000 . History The town of Nag Hammadi is name ...

Upper Egypt Upper Egypt ( ar, صعيد مصر ', shortened to , , locally: ; ) is the southern portion of Egypt and is composed of the lands on both sides of the Nile that extend upriver from Lower Egypt in the north to Nubia in the south. In ancient ...

References

Populated places in Egypt Coptic settlements {{Christian-monastery-stub