Shenoute

Shenoute was the leader of a federation of three monastic communities in Upper Egypt, consisting of two monasteries for men and one for women. He was a strict reformer of monastic life, a fiery preacher, and a defender of orthodoxy. He was also the first outstanding writer of the Egyptian language in its Coptic form, and his literary works include sermons, letters, rules, and polemics. He is considered a saint by the Oriental Orthodox Churches and is one of the most renowned saints of the Coptic Orthodox Church. He is also known for his opposition to the traditional Egyptian religion and his involvement in the destruction of some of its temples. He is said to have lived a very long life, from 348 to 465 CE, and to have attended the Council of Ephesus in 431 CE. He was succeeded by his disciple Besa, who wrote a spiritual biography of him.