Saint Anthony the Great: Life, Monastic Order, and Prayers
"Let us strive to possess nothing but what we will take with us to the grave—that is, charity, gentleness, and justice... Trials are, in fact, beneficial to us. Remove temptation, and no one will be saved."
Saint Anthony the Great is also known as Anthony of Egypt, Anthony the Hermit, or Saint Anthony of the Desert. He is considered the father of Christian monasticism. It is thanks to Athanasius of Alexandria that we know his story, recounted in a work written around 360. A wealthy man and landowner from Upper Egypt, Saint Anthony renounced all his possessions after hearing the Gospel of Saint Matthew (19:16–22), in which Jesus says to a rich young man: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you possess, give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Following this, he devoted himself to the Lord, living the life of an ascetic and a hermit. Saint Anthony is an example of resilience,devotion to God, and holiness. He is celebrated on January 17 and is thepatron saint of many trades andbrotherhoods. Notable examples include soldiers of the Foreign Legion, paper makers, and brush and basket makers.
The Life of Saint Anthony of Egypt
Saint Anthony is believed to have been born in Egypt, in Heracleopolis Magna, around 251, and to have died on January 17, 356, at the age of 105. After distributing all his possessions to the poor, Saint Anthony entrusted his sister, in accordance with her wishes, to a community of women as a “consecrated virgin.” He then began his life as an anchorite (a person who has withdrawn from secular life for religious reasons) in an isolated place. He divided his time between prayer and work. Around 285, he went to live as a hermit in Pispir, deep in the desert, in an abandoned Roman fort. It was during this twenty-year period that he endured numerous temptations from the devil and attacks by various demons. But, with God’s help, Anthony resisted them all.
Saint Anthony, the “father” of all monks
Gradually, many disciples gathered around Saint Anthony to follow his teachings. Living nearby in caves, they came to hear him preach and joined him in prayer. Over the years, the disciples organized themselves into different groups, electing one of the elders to lead them, while keeping Saint Anthony as their spiritual guide. Around 307, Hilarion of Gaza came to see Saint Anthony to ask for his advice: he wished to found a monastery in what is now the Gaza region. This monastery is considered one of the earliest in Christendom.
In 312, Anthony once again distanced himself from these new communities to seek greater solitude. He therefore withdrew to Mount Qolzum in the Thebaid. The Monastery of Saint Anthony has stood there ever since. Once again, many visitors came to see him, seeking his advice. Saint Anthony encouraged them to pray and to live out Christ’s teachings in their daily lives.
Upon his death, Saint Anthony left behind many monasteries modeled after his hermitic way of life. His tomb was discovered around 561 in a palm grove near the Red Sea. His relics were brought back by a Christian knight to the Dauphiné region in the 11th century, to La Motte-Saint-Didier, which became La Motte-Saint-Antoine after the construction of the Abbey of Saint Anthony.
Three Beautiful Prayers to Saint Anthony the Great
Praying to Saint Anthony to heal a skin disease
“Saint Anthony, you who drove out the devil by singing psalms
Help me drive out the evil fire that burns my body
Saint Anthony, wipe away from my skin this affliction that gnaws at it
Just as sin gnaws at the soul
You who never ceased to purify your body
Help me to purify mine
Send the demon back with his itching
And transform my suffering into hope.
Amen”
Praying to Saint Anthony for healing
“Anthony, true servant of God
Who restores health to those who are afflicted,
heal us and pray to the Lord for us.
And you, Lord, who grant through the prayers of Blessed Anthony
the healing of the sick,
we implore You at the same time
to protect us from temptation and guide us to You.
Amen.”
Praying to Saint Anthony for His Protection
“Glorious Saint Anthony, you whom God has chosen
to be the Guardian and Protector of our temporal interests,
We now turn to you for your powerful protection.
Obtain for us from God our daily bread
and the necessities of life.
Pray to the Lord to grant the earth
According to the seasons
May it receive the life-giving rain,
Or the light and warmth of the sun.
May He deign to bless our fields and our harvests,
Our homes and our orchards.
Through you and by you
May He bless the seeds and our gardens,
The humble produce of our farmyards and all our animals.
Great Saint Anthony, heal all the ailments
That so often weigh upon our bodies
Give us the strength to bear them with faith and resignation
So that one day we may attain the happiness of Heaven.
Amen’
Continue your prayer with Saint Anthony the Great thanks to Hozana!
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