Eremitism, from Greek erēmos, desert, is the life of the hermit. Antony the Great is its founding figure in Christianity. Hermits have continued in many forms, from the Carthusians and Camaldolese to modern solitaries, and every contemplative tradition has its forest-dwellers and cave-dwellers.
Eremitism
The solitary life of the hermit, devoted to prayer in withdrawal from society.
Also: hermit