Pambo of Nitria[note 1] (died c. 390) was a Coptic Desert Father of the fourth century and disciple of Anthony the Great.

Much of the biographical information about Pambo is related through Palladius' Lausiac History and briefer mentions by Jerome and Tyrannius Rufinus.

[2] This began early in his monastic life after receiving the opening of Psalm 39 from his spiritual father: "I said, I will watch my ways so as to be unable to sin with my tongue.

"[8] A particular account relates Melania gifting Pambo several hundred pounds of silver, which he promptly distributed to poor monasteries without acknowledging her.

[13] He personally knew Bessarion, Isaiah, Paësios, Arsisius, Serapion the Great—fellow monks of the Egyptian deserts—and is quoted speaking with several of them in collections of sayings.

[16] At the hour of his death, he reportedly said, "From the time that I came into this place of solitude and built my cell and dwelt in it I do not call to mind that I have eaten save what my hands have toiled for, nor repented of any word that I spoke... And so I go to the Lord as one that has not yet made a beginning of serving God.

He reportedly opposed women's involvement in liturgical singing and is said to have told a younger monk that troparia and echoi have a corrupting influence.

[26] James McKinnon says bluntly, "The story...of how Abba Pambo reproaches a young monk for being impressed with the 'canons' and 'troparia' of the Alexandrian churches, is apocryphal...and has the appearance of being from the sixth century.

"[27] The 19th century writer, Robert Browning wrote a poem titled "Pambo" based on the saint's first lesson from Psalm 39.