St. Anthony the Great, known as the "Father of monasticism", was born in Egypt in the year 251. One day Anthony (Antonius) decided to distribute all his possessions among the poor and then he departed to the desert. While living in the Thebaid desert, Anthony had a revelation from God concerning a man named Paul. Anthony thought that there was no other desert dweller such as him. Then God said to him, "Anthony, there is a servant of God more excellent than you, and you should go and see him."
Anthony walked in the desert and came to the cave of Paul the Hermit. Paul was a man who had fled to the desert to escape the persecution against the Christians under Decius (251). Since then, Paul lived as a desert hermit in a cave, surviving off fruit and water, and with the bread sent from God by a raven. When Anthony found Paul's cave he fell to the ground at the entrance and asked to be admitted. The two Elders introduced themselves, and then embraced one another. During the visit, a raven brought the two saints a loaf of bread. Paul explained to his guest that it usually brought just a half of a loaf, "but at your coming Christ has doubled his soldier's rations."
The next morning, Paul spoke to Anthony of his approaching death, and instructed him to bury his body when the time came. He also asked Anthony to return to his monastery and bring back the cloak he had received from Patriarch Athanasius. Paul did not really need a garment, but wished to depart from his body while Anthony was absent. Anthony went to Athanasius for the cloak. On his way back, Anthony saw the soul of Paul carried by the angels up to heaven. When he arrived to the cave, he found that Paul had departed from this world. He kissed him, weeping, and clothed him in the cloak that he asked for, taking his tunic made of palm tree fiber.
When Antony wanted to bury Paul, he wondered how he could dig the grave. Two lions entered the cave, bowed their heads before the body of Paul, then dug the grave with their claws according to Anthony's directions. The body was then buried. Anthony eventually came to dwell in a mountain cave in the desert near the Red Sea, where he passed the remaining part of his life. Through prayer and self-control he was able to fight temptations. Anthony became an example of virtue and a rule for monastics. He reposed in the year 356, having lived 105 years.
The "Life of St. Anthony" was written by St. Athanasius the Great who knew him personally. The "Life of St. Paul the First Hermit" was composed in Latin by St. Jerome around the year 376.
The body of St. Anthony reposes underneath one of the ancient churches of his monastery. The Monastery of St. Anthony (pictured here) is located along the Red Sea Mountains in Egypt, about 208 miles from Cairo. This monastery was founded in the 4th century just after St. Anthony's death and it is one of the oldest active monasteries in the world. St. Anthony's Cave (also pictured here), where he lived as a hermit, is a 2 km hike from the monastery and 680 meters above the Red Sea. Also along the Red Sea Mountains is the Monastery of St. Paul of Thebes, located about 96 miles from Cairo. This monastery was founded in the 5th century over the cave where St. Paul lived for 80 years.
St. Paul of Thebes is commemorated on 15 January and 2 Amshir (Coptic Church). St. Anthony the Great is commemorated on 17 January and 22 Tobi (Coptic Church).
"This is the great work of man: always to take the blame for his own sins before God and to expect temptation to his last breath." — Abba Anthony
"The person who wants to live in the desert is freed from three temptations: hearing, speech, and sight, but there is one temptation left for him to deal with and that is his heart." — Abba Anthony
For more sayings: www.stantonymonastery.com/
For more photos: www.flickr.com/photos/marco_roma/sets/72157623814951357/with/4555654829/
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