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[[Saint]]s and [[Mysticism|mystics]] in a variety of religious traditions often voluntarily keep long vigils for the purpose of self-denial of the body, and to seek visions of transcendent reality or personal experiences and revelations of God. The [[India]]n prince [[Siddhartha Gautama|Siddhartha Gautama the Buddha]] in his search for enlightenment repeatedly kept extraordinarily extended vigils, and [[fasting|fasted]] to such an extreme over a period of years that his spine was visible through the skin in the front of his abdomen. He reached the conclusion that such severe methods do not bring one closer to spiritual freedom or enlightenment.

[[Saint]]s and [[Mysticism|mystics]] in a variety of religious traditions often voluntarily keep long vigils for the purpose of self-denial of the body, and to seek visions of transcendent reality or personal experiences and revelations of God. The [[India]]n prince [[Siddhartha Gautama|Siddhartha Gautama the Buddha]] in his search for enlightenment repeatedly kept extraordinarily extended vigils, and [[fasting|fasted]] to such an extreme over a period of years that his spine was visible through the skin in the front of his abdomen. He reached the conclusion that such severe methods do not bring one closer to spiritual freedom or enlightenment.

St. Paul cautioned against such practices in his letter to the [https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Colossians%202%3A23 Colossians (2:23)]. He himself frequently kept vigils of prayer for the church ([https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/2Corinthians%2011%3A27 2 Corinthians 11:27 "''sleepless''", "''watchings''"]).

St. Paul cautioned against such austere practices in his letter to the [https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Colossians%202%3A23 Colossians (2:23)]. He himself frequently kept vigils of prayer for the church ([https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/2Corinthians%2011%3A27 2 Corinthians 11:27 "''sleepless''", "''watchings''"]).

Many devout Christian [[Fundamentalism|fundamentalists]] and churches reject the ancient Christian practice of religious vigils as unwitting participation in the pagan worship mandated and imposed by [[Constantine]] in a [[Syncretism|syncretistic]] corruption of true worship which is against Christ ([https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/1Timothy%204%3A1 1&nbsp;Timothy 4:1]). This teaching is disputed as having no historical basis.<br>See [[''The Two Babylons'']] and [[Great Apostasy]].

Many devout Christian [[Fundamentalism|fundamentalists]] and churches reject the ancient Christian practice of religious vigils as unwitting participation in the pagan worship mandated and imposed by [[Constantine]] in a [[Syncretism|syncretistic]] corruption of true worship which is against Christ ([https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/1Timothy%204%3A1 1&nbsp;Timothy 4:1]). This teaching is disputed as having no historical basis.<br>See [[''The Two Babylons'']] and [[Great Apostasy]].