stylitism

/ˈstaɪlɪtɪzəm/
noun
  1. The practice or way of life of a stylite; living on a pillar as a form of religious asceticism.
    • Modern scholars debate whether stylitism was a sincere spiritual practice or a form of public spectacle.
    • The book explores the history and meaning of stylitism in the ancient world.
    • Stylitism was a rare and extreme form of Christian monasticism in the early Byzantine period.
Synonyms
What does "stylitism" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean