During the first centuries of monasticism in Egypt, tens of thousands of minks inhabited monastic settlements throughout the Egypt, and around 550, prior to the fourth sack of the Wadi, John of Petra claims there were some 3,500 monks living in the various monasteries in the area. However, because of a poll tax which was imposed on the monks from 705 onward, monasticism began to decline. The Coptic historian Mauhub ibn Mansur ibn Mufarrig states that there were only 712 monks at Wadi Habib (Wadi al-Natrun) in 1088, divided among seven monasteries, consisting of:

400 Monks in the Monastery of St. Macarius
156 Monks in the Monastery of John the Little
60 Monks in the Monastery of the Syrians
40 Monks in the Monastery of Anba Bishoi
25 Monks in the Monastery of John Kame
20 Monks in the Monstery of Al-Baramus
2 Monks in the Cave of Moses

Bron: touregypt.net

Bron: touregypt.net