Anthony or
Anthony the Great or Anthony of the Desert was a Christian monk from Egypt, who is known as the Father of All Monks. His feast day is celebrated on January 17 among the Orthodox and Catholic churches.
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Painting of Saint Anthony by Piero di Cosimo, c. 1480 |
Anthony was born in Coma in Lower Egypt in AD 251 to wealthy landowner parents. When he was about 18 years old, his parents died and left him with the care of his unmarried sister. Shortly thereafter, he decided to follow the Evangelical counsel of Jesus which reads, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven."
Anthony gave away some of his family's lands to his neighbors, sold the remaining property, and donated the funds thus raised to the poor, He then left to live an ascetic life,
Anthony wanted to be away in the desert alone with God but after 13 years in the desert he couldn't get away from people so he went to an abandoned tomb. However after a few years later the crowds found him so he decided to go and live in an old Roman fortress where he ate insects but they found them there too.
Filled with serenity, St Anthony of the Desert ended his existence on January 17, 356, at the age of 105 in a cave on Mount Colzin."