Pachomian monasticism, the first to have an organized form, made an essential contribution to the beginnings of an original Coptic literature, starting with Archimandrite Shenoute of the famous White Monastery near Sohag. In fact, Shenoute used all other Greek literary genres in addition to the epistolary style and that of the Rules. Greek patristic texts were thus translated in this sort of context. The division that arose after the Council of Chalcedon between the Christian regions of Egypt and the stances of Rome and Byzantium led them to find their national identity in the Monophysite position and their defender in Athanasius, as we see in the anonymous work Historia Ecclesiastica . Towards the end of the sixth century, before the Arab invasion, the Coptic cultural circle centred on Patriarch Damian asserted itself, producing an abundance of mostly liturgical literature.
Coptic literature extols the holiness of a land, Egypt, in close connection with monasticism.
Monks are its heroes and. The Coptic monk received elementary instruction which enabled him to read and memorize texts of Sacred Scripture. If he does not know how to read, at prime, terce and sext he will go to someone who can teach him and who has been appointed for this purpose. He will remain with him and learn with the greatest attention and all gratitude. He will then write the alphabet, syllables, verbs and nouns, and even if he does not want to, he will be forced to read.