<P> Another option for becoming a solitary monastic was to become an anchoress . This began because there were women who wanted to live the solitary lifestyle but were not able to live alone in the wild . Thus they would go to the Bishop for permission who would then perform the rite of enclosure . After this was completed the anchoress would live alone in a room that typically had a window that opened into a church so they could receive communion and participate in church services . There were two other windows that allowed food to be passed in and people to come seek advice . The most well known anchoress was Julian of Norwich who was born in England in 1342 . </P> <P> While the earliest Desert Fathers lived as hermits, they were rarely completely isolated, but often lived in proximity to one another, and soon loose - knit communities began to form in such places as the Desert of Nitria and the Desert of Skete . Saint Macarius established individual groups of cells such as those at Kellia (founded in 328 .) These monks were anchorites, following the monastic ideal of St. Anthony . They lived by themselves, gathering together for common worship on Saturdays and Sundays only . </P> <P> In 346 St Pachomius established in Egypt the first cenobitic Christian monastery . At Tabenna in Upper Egypt, sometime around 323 AD, Pachomius decided to mold his disciples into a more organized community in which the monks lived in individual huts or rooms (cellula in Latin,) but worked, ate, and worshipped in shared space . The intention was to bring together individual ascetics who, although pious, did not, like Saint Anthony, have the physical ability or skills to live a solitary existence in the desert . This method of monastic organization is called cenobitic or "community - based". In Catholic theology, this community - based living is considered superior because of the obedience practiced and the accountability offered . The head of a monastery came to be known by the word for "Father;" - in Syriac, Abba; in English, "Abbot". </P> <P> Guidelines for daily life were created, and separate monasteries were created for men and women . St Pachomius introduced a monastic Rule of cenobitic life, giving everyone the same food and attire . The monks of the monastery fulfilled the obediences assigned them for the common good of the monastery . Among the various obediences was copying books . St Pachomius considered that an obedience fulfilled with zeal was greater than fasting or prayer . </P>

Who is credited with the establishment of the earliest monasteries