Many texts have been written about this ancient Christian holy father, but the work of Athanasius the Great “The Life of Anthony the Great” occupies a special place. This work is considered one of the best thanks to instructive descriptions of the ascetic life of the holy ascetic.
The Monk Anthony became the founder of Christian hermit monasticism. This is when several hermits led by the Ava (one mentor) live in caves (hermitages) or huts separately from each other and constantly indulge in prayer, fasting and labors. Several monasteries under the control of the Ava were called the Lavra, hence the name survives so far: Kiev-Pechersk, Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, etc.
Before understanding what St. Anthony the Great helps, we will plunge into the history of his life, since it is there that we will find all the answers to questions of interest.
Life
The Monk Anthony was born in Egypt, in the village of Coma, near Heliopolis, in 251. His family is from a noble family, his parents were Christians, so he was brought up according to the commandments of Christ. All his childhood passed in the parental home. Closer to adolescence, they wanted to give him to read and write, but the young lad refused to leave his father's house. And he practically did not communicate with peers.
Anthony grew up as an obedient son and loved to go to the temple of God with his father and mother. Everything that was read and preached there, he listened carefully. Despite the fact that his family was rich, the boy was modest and did not require exquisite clothes, dishes and other excesses, everything was moderate, for pedagogical purposes.
Fate
When the parents of St. Anthony the Great died, he stayed behind the elder and began to take care of a large household and his younger sister. By that time he was about twenty years old. After some time, an incident happened to him, which determined his whole future fate.
Once, as usual, he did this, Antony prepared to go to the temple. He was always thinking along the way. The apostles and believers came to his mind, who, selling their possessions and leaving all that was worldly, laid before the disciples of the Lord all their means and followed Him.
God's providence
Having crossed the threshold of the temple, a rich young man heard the words from the Gospel addressed to him (Matthew 19:21). He immediately had the impression that it was as if the Savior himself spoke to him.
It was an excerpt from the Gospel, where Jesus Christ speaks with a young man who fulfilled the precepts of Christ, but still wanted to know what else he lacks in spiritual life. Jesus replied that if he wants to be perfect, let him sell all his property, distribute the money to the poor and then have all the blessings in heaven, and then let him come and follow him. Hearing these words, the young man was saddened and went away, because he had a large estate, and he was not going to sell it.
In this gospel passage, the Lord speaks of one of the most important vows of monks — non-possession. Anthony took these words to heart. As if it were said to him personally. In the life of St. Anthony the Great it is written that he immediately sold the estate and dozens of hectares of fertile land. He handed out one part of the proceeds to local people so that they would not bother him, and the other part to the poor. The third part was received by a sister who was given in the care of virtuous maidens living in the monastery. Anthony himself indulged in a solitary prayer not far from his father's house.
Monasticism
Starting his hermitage, Anthony began to realize that he lacked a spiritual mentor, so he sometimes left his solitary place and went in search of wise people in order to receive wise instruction from them. But then he again returned to his former place. So, step by step, he enriched his ascetic path with the light of divine service and prayer.
The future saint did not forget about physical labor, as he tried to earn his living, and he donated the remains of his belongings to destitute people.
Difficulties
All residents of the vicinity saw the good deeds of Anthony and were very respectful of him. But this interested him least of all, since he constantly indulged in a more difficult feat - a prayer vigil that he could spend all night. He ate once a day - after sunset. He had the simplest food — bread and salt and plain water.
The holy hermit slept mainly on bare earth, and a matting served as a blanket to him. Then he decided to aggravate his ascetic feat and retired to the tombs. In one of them he imprisoned himself and blocked the entrance with a large boulder, having agreed in advance with his acquaintance that he would bring him bread.
In the tomb, the saint experienced many temptations, but all this he withstood with dignity and only strengthened in spirit. About fifteen years, St. Anthony spent in his voluntary confinement. Then in 285 he retired east of the Nile River and found a mountain there to retire for prayer. There he spent another twenty years.
A new place for hermitage
He soon found a place where people had not lived for a long time, but it was filled with all sorts of earthly reptiles. However, as soon as the reverend settled in him, they disappeared somewhere, as if some powerful force had expelled them. Antony, having prepared for himself a six-month supply of bread (he obtained water in his home), took refuge inside. Bread was brought to him twice a year.
Sometimes people came to him to talk with him, but he did not allow anyone to his fence. But if he understood that this was the will of God, then he spoke with this man through a small window of his, as it were, reclusive cell.
Intrigues of enemies
Visitors sometimes heard strange sounds from his room, similar to screams, roars, groans and moans, someone obsessively asked the reverend to leave this place. People wondered what was going on there. Closing closer to the window, they saw screaming demons. Out of fear, people began to scream and call Anthony. Having approached the door from the inside, he immediately recommended that they leave this place as soon as possible and, relying on the will of the Lord, not to be afraid of anything.
Saint Monk Anthony the Great spent twenty years of his life in this cell. Gradually, the people again paved the way for him, because some of them wanted to imitate him.
Once people who were eager to see the holy hermit decided to knock out his doors. The saint immediately went to them. Through the prayers of St. Anthony the Great, then many of those present were healed of their ailments, and demons were expelled from some.
Maximian
St. Anthony the Great was able to make inspired speeches and thereby comforted the afflicted, reconciled the warring, and some of them embarked on a monastic path. Other monks began to settle next to the hermit’s cell. And listening to the will of God, he became their spiritual mentor. Monasteries at that time were arranged in the likeness of such monasteries.
But in 308, Emperor Maximian organized the brutal persecution of Christians, whose blood flowed rivers. The holy martyrs were sent to court in Alexandria, and Anthony followed them to participate in a dispute with the Arians. He wanted to die for Christ, but he did not want to specifically provoke rulers to execution. And this was contrary to the providence of God.
During this period he helped, as he could, with courageous confessors imprisoned in dungeons. But the main thing - he supported them spiritually, called for perseverance of faith.
Revenge
This behavior of Anthony and the monks surrounding him really did not like the judge, and then he ordered them to leave the city. Some of his wards decided to leave, but the next day, after washing his clothes, in all that was clean, he again appeared before the hegemon, defiantly challenging the torturers. For this, an imminent death threatened him, but this was not pleasing to God.
When Bishop Peter of Alexandria died a martyr, St. Anthony left this unfortunate city and returned to his monastery to retire in prayer again.
New Hermit Shelter
The prayer of St. Anthony the Great was so strong and divinely inspired that people, feeling her, did not leave the monk alone and in crowds came to him. And again he comforted them, gave instructions and healed. From this people more and more began to come to him. Not wanting to be highly thought of, he decided to go to Upper Thebaid, where he was not known. But while waiting for the ship, sitting on the shore, he heard the words of the Lord, so that he would go into the inner desert. The saint did not know the way there, but the Lord told him to stick to the Saracens. After spending three days on the road, Anthony saw a mountain surrounded by a plain with several palm trees and a cool spring flowing at its foot. He immediately realized that it was about this place that the Lord spoke to him.
In the rock he found a small cave and indulged in divine thought. This mountain subsequently became known as Anthony. The Saracens, sometimes visiting this area, brought him bread. In order not to burden them, he found a piece of land and sowed it with wheat. However, the people again found him, and then he realized that it was impossible to hide from people, and began to grow vegetables in order to strengthen the strength of his wards.
Fighting Wild Beasts
Uninvited guests - wild animals immediately began to come to the garden to St. Anthony the Great. Once, having caught one of them, he mercifully asked him to tell all the other brothers that they would not visit this place and not harm the beds. And so it happened - more wild animals did not appear here.
Time passed, and Anthony grew old. Due to poor health, the monks asked him for permission to bring him vegetables, olives and firs. And he gave them in return hand-woven baskets (so he wanted to repay them for their care).
New challenges and wonders
Once a pious brethren asked Anthony to visit their monastery, and he agreed. On the way, they ran out of water, and they began to die of thirst, but by the miraculous prayer of the monk the source of pure water suddenly broke out of the earth.
After spending some time with the monks, the holy righteous man returned to his inner mountain to again perform his prayers in complete humility and silence.
But people still did not leave him alone, and so the wave of rumors about the miracle worker reached even Tsar Constantine the Great and his sons, who wrote him a letter. The pious old man did not accept him, explaining to the messengers that he should not be surprised at the attention of the king, but rather, to God who was revealed through His only begotten Son.
But then other monks intervened and told how these kings help and protect Christianity, and if their messages are ignored, they may be tempted.
Departure to another world
St. Anthony the Great knew the day of his death in advance. Before that, he visited the monks on the outer mountain and warned that he would soon leave this world. Frustrated by this news, the monks began tearfully asking him to accept death in their monastery. But he refused, giving them parting words.
Several months passed, and Anthony fell ill. Before the day of his death, he called two monks who lived with him and helped him because of his old age, said goodbye to them and bequeathed to bury his body in the ground.
In the life of St. Anthony the Great it is written that he lived for almost 106 years, and in 356 the reverend appeared before the Lord.
Persecution of the devil
Amazing things really happened in his life. The devil himself entered into a fight with him, who began to repair all sorts of intrigues, expelling him from these places and arranging his vile networks.
At first, he tempted the monk with memories of a careless past, of wealth, of his sister left, delights in food and amenities, aroused the fear of body weakness and difficulties on the path of monastic life.
But the holy hermit knew how to deal with such temptations. His weapon in business was faith, strong spirit, heartfelt prayer, love and hope in the Lord.
Passion Test
It is in these passages from his life that one can understand what St. Anthony the Great helps. Then the evil one decided to act in a different way. He took on a female form and in the night came to Anthony. But the prodigal passion did not quench the zealous faith of the holy monk in the Lord, who brought to mind the thoughts of fire in hell. And then the heat of satanic seduction went out.
Seeing that this monk was a zealous ascetic, Satan called his mortal and evil spirits. At night they came and beat the monk to death. According to the testimony of St. Anthony, the pain he experienced was impossible, it could not even be compared with the pain caused by people. But the gracious God did not leave without the comfort and help of Anthony, whom He healed and put on his feet.
Uninvited visitors
And again, the flattering Satan was angry, did not leave the poor monk alone and again subjected him to a terrible ordeal. The cunning one wanted to break the will of the saint and longed to bring him to complete despair. At night, such thunder struck from which the walls of the monk’s retreating cell trembled and almost fell apart. And then, from all sides, the servants of Satan rushed to him in the form of wild animals. They growled, howled and hissed, and everyone wanted to pounce on Anthony to tear to pieces. The lion was ready to rush at any moment and froze in a jump, the wolf bared, the snake wriggled, and the ox butt.
Wounded by the attacks of uninvited visitors, Anthony writhed from excruciating pain, because it was unbearable, but he did not feel fear. He began to denounce evil spirits and told them that if they really were strong and possessed of power, then even one could cope with it, but there are many of them, which means that the Lord took everything from them. Then, under the shield of divine faith, he added that they should not scare him, but attack faster, but if they don’t have such power, then it’s not worth trying. And the hermit surrendered to prayer.
Another rescue
After these bold words, the roof of his cell seemed to have opened, and a light ray penetrated the freed space. The demons immediately disappeared, the pain ceased, and the dwelling became the same. Anthony continued to pray, encouraged by the Lord, and all this evil scattered like black smoke.
But again, the devil did not calm down, and this time he decided to test the monk for loving money, serving him a silver dish. But when the monk understood why all this was being done, he thought that the dish itself would be destroyed by the devil. And it really did disappear right away.
Blessed faith
The next time Satan called himself God and the providence of God (so cunningly he wanted to break the spirit of the reverend). But he did not succeed in doing this. Then he sent to the holy fierce hyenas. But even then the holy hermit did not flinch, and the Lord saved and sent evil to where it came from.
The enemy arranged for him many, many insidious trials, but thanks to his unwavering faith, the saint never gave up, as his reliable weapon was a prayer to the Savior, who always guarded his righteous servant.
Now, on January 30, the church commemorates Anthony the Great. Anthony the Great left many of his teachings for Christians, but they were composed of various ambitious people, since he himself was not a church writer. In the teachings of St. Anthony the Great there is a whole charter of hermit life and its external orders.
Icon of Anthony the Great (photo)
An interesting fact is that the saint looked quite youthful to a very old age, even though they depict him as an old man on the icons. On the icon of Anthony the Great, you can see that he has a thick, broad beard and a piercing look. On icons, he can be depicted waist-high or in full growth.
On the icon of St. Anthony the Great, you can also see that in his hands he holds a staff in the form of a cross and Holy Scripture. Sometimes bells may be shown nearby to scare away demons and a pig.
By the way, the oldest monastery and temple of St. Anthony the Great is still preserved in Egypt. It is located in the northern Arabian desert and belongs to the Coptic Orthodox Church.
In front of the icon of St. Anthony the Great, they pray for the mental and physical health of their loved ones. An interesting fact is that the saint himself had amazing health, despite his difficult ascetic life.
Many are interested in questions about what St. Anthony the Great helps in and how to pray to him. They pray to the reverend old man so that he will strengthen in the faith, teach humility, save from demonic attacks, save from all kinds of temptations: dependence on drunkenness and smoking. They say that it helps to tolerate age-related diseases easier and people praying to him live longer.
Prayer to Anthony the Great begins with the words "Oh, great saint of God, reverend Anthony!"