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 Saint Francis of Assisi Scott 607 (1977) The feast of Saint Anthony of Egypt is celebrated on the Liturgical Calendar on January 17. No Vatican City stamps have been issued in his honor, but he is often compared to the great Saint Francis of Assisi, as both lived lives of Christian monasticism. The stamp above of Saint Francis, issued in 1977 on the 750th anniversary of his death, fittingly depicts an image of solitude and prayer, cornerstones of the monastic life. Saint Anthony is not to be confused with Saint Anthony of Padua. He is primarily known as Anthony of Egypt, but he is also remembered as Anthony the Great, Anthony the Abbot, Anthony of the Desert, Anthony the Anchorite, and Anthony the Hermit. All these names provide hints about his life and his impact on Christianity. Born in Greece in 251 AD, Anthony moved towards the Christian faith early in life. By age 20, he sold off his large inheritance and began an ascetic life of solitude and prayer. He has been called the Father of Monasticism and the Father of All Monks, although he was not the first Christian to take up a monastic life. However, he can be traced back to the early Desert Fathers or Desert Monks, who formed the basis for all those following the monastic life throughout the history of the Church. The biography of his life, written by the great Eastern Doctor of the Church, Athanasius of Alexandria, helped to further spread the concept of Christian monasticism. Upon escaping to the desert, Anthony took up a life of solitary asceticism, mortification, and prayer. But many people followed him, looking for spiritual healing and guidance. At age 54, he founded a sort of monastery of scattered cells for his followers. At age 60, he hoped to be a martyr by exposing himself to the Roman persecutions of 311 AD, and, at 88, he fearlessly fought the growing heresy of Arianism. As he would have wished, he eventually died in solitude on January 17, 356 AD, at the old age of 105. Saint Anthony is often compared to Saint Francis of Assisi as both cherished lives of personal sacrifice and prayer. Like Francis, Anthony feared "stately buildings and well-laden tables". Unlike Francis, most of Anthony’s life was spent in solitude, although he was no less influential, both during his life and after. REFERENCES: |
