Anachoreticism, is a form of religiosity known in Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam.
The Anachorets were hermits living in seclusion, devoting themselves to asceticism and prayer. The most famous hermits of early Christianity are St. Paul of Thebes, St. Anthony the Hermit, St. Ammonas and St. Macarius of Egypt. The Anachoretic movement was particularly popular in early and medieval Christianity and gave rise to the oldest form of monastic life. The Anachorean communities in Cappadocia functioned under the spiritual leadership of St. Basil - the bishop of Caesarea.
