St. Anthony of Egypt

Anthony of Egypt, also known as Anthony the Abbot, and Anthony of the desert, was born about 251 in Egypt. At the age of twenty, after death of his parents, he made provision for the education of his sister and retired to the outskirts of the city to live a life of prayer. After fifteen years, he left his refuge for a more solitary inhabitance in an abandoned fort in the desert. He fasted on bread and water and is known for his struggles with the devil. After twenty years of solitude, he emerged to found a loosely organized community of hermits in the desert with a rule. Each monk lived as a hermit, but the community gathered regularly for worship. In 311, Anthony left his monastery to console the persecuted Christians of Alexandria. When the persecution subsided he organized a monastery at Pispir, but later retreated to Mount Kolzim with one disciple. Around 355, Anthony returned to Alexandria to help St. Athanasius combat Arianism. Anthony died at Mount Kolzim on January 17, 356. Much of what we know about him comes from the biography written by St. Athanasius. St. Anthony of Egypt is considered the founder of Christian monasticism. His feast is January 17.