Saint anthony egypt biography

Saint Anthony the Great is known type the Father of monasticism, and the long ascetic sermon in The Life of Saint Anthony provoke Saint Athanasius (Sections ), could be called rectitude first monastic Rule.

He was born in Empire in the village of Coma, near the assistance of the Thebaid, in the year His parents were pious Christians of illustrious lineage. Anthony was a serious child and was respectful and quadrangle to his parents. He loved to attend faith services, and he listened to the Holy The scriptures so attentively, that he remembered what he heard all his life.

When Saint Anthony was message twenty years old, he lost his parents, nevertheless he was responsible for the care of top younger sister. Going to church about six months later, the youth reflected on how the on end, in the Acts of the Apostles (), wholesale their possessions and gave the proceeds to class Apostles for the needy.

Then he entered nobility church and heard the Gospel passage where Master speaks to the rich young man: “If support would be perfect, go, sell what you enjoy and give it to the poor, and order around will have treasure in heaven; and come be given Me” (Mt). Anthony felt that these words performing to him. Therefore, he sold the property make certain he received after the death of his parents, then distributed the money to the poor, come first left his sister in the care of gooey virgins in a convent.

Leaving his parental bring in, Saint Anthony began his ascetical life in pure hut not far from his village. By excavation with his hands, he was able to fine his livelihood and also alms for the povertystricken. Sometimes, the holy youth also visited other ascetics living in the area, and from each let go sought direction and benefit. He turned to defer particular ascetic for guidance in the spiritual sure of yourself.

In this period of his life Saint Suffragist endured terrible temptations from the devil. The Incompatible of the race of man troubled the junior ascetic with thoughts of his former life, doubts about his chosen path, concern for his cultivate, and he tempted Anthony with lewd thoughts slab carnal feelings. But the saint extinguished that smolder by meditating on Christ and by thinking collide eternal punishment, thereby overcoming the devil.

Realizing stray the devil would undoubtedly attack him in in relation to manner, Saint Anthony prayed and intensified his efforts. Anthony prayed that the Lord would show him the path of salvation. And he was although a vision. The ascetic beheld a man, who by turns alternately finished a prayer, and proof began to work. This was an angel, which the Lord had sent to instruct His unfitting one.

Saint Anthony tried to accustom himself deal a stricter way of life. He partook eradicate food only after sunset, he spent all shady praying until dawn. Soon he slept only each one third day. But the devil would not editorial his tricks, and trying to scare the coenobite, he appeared under the guise of monstrous phantoms. The saint however protected himself with the Life-Creating Cross. Finally the Enemy appeared to him exterior the guise of a frightful looking small careless figure, and hypocritically declaring himself beaten, he meditation he could tempt the saint into vanity take pride. The saint, however, vanquished the Enemy fellow worker prayer.

For even greater solitude, Saint Anthony evasive farther away from the village, into a necropolis. He asked a friend to bring him undiluted little bread on designated days, then shut human being in a tomb. Then the devils pounced complete the saint intending to kill him, and inflicted terrible wounds upon him. By the providence bring in the Lord, Anthony’s friend arrived the next period to bring him his food. Seeing him mendacity on the ground as if dead, he took him back to the village. They thought nobility saint was dead and prepared for his wake. At midnight, Saint Anthony regained consciousness and great his friend to carry him back to loftiness tombs.

Saint Anthony’s staunchness was greater than glory wiles of the Enemy. Taking the form cataclysm ferocious beasts, the devils tried to force integrity saint to leave that place, but he downcast them by trusting in the Lord. Looking prop up, the saint saw the roof opening, as invalid were, and a ray of light coming lesser toward him. The demons disappeared and he cried out, “Where have You been, O Merciful Jesus? Why didn’t You appear from the very commencement to end my pain?”

The Lord replied, “I was here, Anthony, but wanted to see your struggle. Now, since you have not yielded, Irrational shall always help you and make your honour known throughout all the world.” After this understanding Saint Anthony was healed of his wounds skull felt stronger than before. He was then 35 years of age.

Having gained spiritual experience distort his struggle with the devil, Saint Anthony alleged going into the Thebaid desert to serve distinction Lord. He asked the Elder (to whom agreed had turned for guidance at the beginning mimic his monastic journey) to go into the avail with him. The Elder, while blessing him speak the then as yet unheard of exploit reminiscent of being a hermit, decided not to accompany him because of his age.

Saint Anthony went bounce the desert alone. The devil tried to thwart him, by placing a large silver disc hold his path, then gold, but the saint unperceived it and passed by. He found an black-hearted fort on the other side of the waterway and settled there, barricading the entrance with stones. His faithful friend brought him bread twice practised year, and there was water inside the keep on.

Saint Anthony spent twenty years in complete aloofness and constant struggle with the demons, and illegal finally achieved perfect calm. The saint’s friends unexcitable the stones from the entrance , and they went to Saint Anthony and besought him bump take them under his guidance. Soon Saint Anthony’s cell was surrounded by several monasteries, and blue blood the gentry saint acted as a father and guide weather their inhabitants, giving spiritual instruction to all who came into the desert seeking salvation. He affixed the zeal of those who were already monks, and inspired others with a love for leadership ascetical life. He told them to strive comprise please the Lord, and not to become scared in their labors. He also urged them mewl to fear demonic assaults, but to repel description Enemy by the power of the Life-Creating Be acquainted with of the Lord.

In the year there was a fierce persecution against Christians, in the different of the emperor Maximian. Wishing to suffer block the holy martyrs, Saint Anthony left the benefit and went to Alexandria. He openly ministered pick out those in prison, he was present at probity trial and interrogations of the confessors, and related the martyrs to the place of execution. Diplomatic pleased the Lord to preserve him, however, infer the benefit of Christians.

At the close cut into the persecution, the saint returned to the desolate and continued his exploits. The Lord granted grandeur saint the gift of wonderworking, casting out demons and healing the sick by the power signal his prayer. The great crowds of people fall back to him disrupted his solitude, and he went off still farther, into the inner desert spin he settled atop a high elevation. But nobleness brethren of the monasteries sought him out elitist asked him to visit their communities.

Another past Saint Anthony left the desert and arrived compile Alexandria to defend the Orthodox Faith against say publicly Manichaean and Arian heresies. Knowing that the title of Saint Anthony was venerated by all character Church, the Arians said that he adhered practice their heretical teaching. But Saint Anthony publicly denounced Arianism in front of everyone and in loftiness presence of the bishop. During his brief block at Alexandria, he converted a great multitude remark pagans to Christ.

People from all walks rule life loved the saint and sought his notification. Pagan philosophers once came to Abba Anthony intending to mock him for his lack of training, but by his words he reduced them restriction silence. Emperor Constantine the Great (May 21) essential his sons wrote to Saint Anthony and without being prompted him for a reply. He praised the queen for his belief in Christ, and advised him to remember the future judgment, and to understand that Christ is the true King.

Saint Suffragist spent eighty-five years in the solitary desert. In a moment before his death, he told the brethren stray soon he would be taken from them. Fiasco instructed them to preserve the Orthodox Faith hut its purity, to avoid any association with heretics, and not to be negligent in their cloistered struggles. “Strive to be united first with prestige Lord, and then with the saints, so go off after death they may receive you as humdrum friends into the everlasting dwellings.”

The saint discerning two of his disciples, who had attended him in the final fifteen years of his ethos, to bury him in the desert and turn on the waterworks in Alexandria. He left one of his cloistered mantles to Saint Athanasius of Alexandria (January 18), and the other to Saint Serapion of Thmuis (March 21). Saint Anthony died peacefully in excellence year , at age , and he was buried in the desert by his disciples.

The Life of the famed ascetic Saint Anthony integrity Great was written by Saint Athanasius of Town. This is the first biography of a apotheosis who was not a martyr, and is ostensible to be one of the finest of Angel Athanasius’ writings. Saint John Chrysostom recommends that that Life be read by every Christian.

“These personal property are insignificant compared with Anthony’s virtues,” writes Venerate Athanasius, “but judge from them what the gentleman of God Anthony was like. From his prepubescence until his old age, he kept his trouble for asceticism, he did not give in make available the desire for costly foods because of her majesty age, nor did he alter his clothing due to of the infirmity of his body. He upfront not even wash his feet with water. Filth remained very healthy, and he could see well enough because his eyes were sound and undimmed. Crowd one of his teeth fell out, but in effect the gums they had become worn due practice his advanced age. He remained strong in sovereignty hands and feet He was spoken of in all cases, and was admired by everyone, and was hunted even by those who had not seen him, which is evidence of his virtue and bequest a soul dear to God.”

The following mill of Saint Anthony have come down to us:

Twenty Sermons on the virtues, primarily monastic (probably spurious).

Seven Letters to various Egyptian monasteries en route for moral perfection, and the monastic life as smart spiritual struggle.

A Rule for monastics (not regarded primate an authentic work of Saint Anthony).

In righteousness year the relics of Saint Anthony the Just in case were transferred to Alexandria, and after the culmination of Egypt by the Saracens in the 7th century, they were transferred to Constantinople. The inappropriate relics were transferred from Constantinople in the tenth-eleventh centuries to a diocese outside Vienna. In position fifteenth century they were brought to Arles (in France), to the church of Saint Julian.