Life of St. Anthony

This book is a biography of Antony the Great, an Egyptian Christian saint who is considered the father of organized monasticism. Written by Athanasius of Alexandria, it details Antony's journey from a wealthy young man to a revered ascetic who spent decades in the desert in prayer and spiritual warfare. The text serves as both a historical account and a spiritual guide, outlining Antony's teachings on discipline, the nature of temptation, and the path to virtue, establishing his life as the quintessential model for Christian monks.

Early Life and Renunciation of the World

Born to a wealthy Christian family in Egypt, Antony was a quiet youth who, after the death of his parents around the age of twenty, felt a profound call to a more perfect Christian life. Inspired by the Gospel passages about selling all possessions and following Christ, he gave away his vast inheritance, entrusted his younger sister to a community of virgins, and began a life of asceticism near his village. He sought out older hermits, learning from their virtues and dedicating himself to prayer, fasting, and manual labor. During this early period, the devil began his assaults, tempting Antony with memories of his former wealth, worldly pleasures, and, most intensely, with lust. Antony countered these spiritual attacks with fervent prayer, fasting, and unwavering faith in Christ, successfully overcoming these initial trials.

Life in the Desert and Combats with Demons

Seeking greater solitude, Antony moved to a tomb far from his village. There, he endured a severe physical beating from a multitude of demons that left him nearly dead. Undeterred, he returned to the tomb and challenged them, leading to a series of terrifying apparitions where demons took the forms of wild beasts. Antony withstood these assaults through faith, mockery of the demons' powerlessness, and the sign of the cross, until a vision of divine light drove them away. He then retreated further into the desert, sealing himself in an abandoned fort for twenty years. When followers broke down the door, he emerged not as a withered recluse but as a man spiritually renewed and calm. He began to teach the crowds, heal the sick, and cast out demons, always attributing the power to Christ. His example inspired so many that the desert began to fill with monastic communities, with Antony serving as their spiritual father.

Ministry, Teaching, and Miracles

Antony's life became a balance of solitary discipline and public ministry. He delivered extensive teachings to his fellow monks, providing practical advice on perseverance, humility, and the methods of spiritual warfare. He gave detailed instructions on how to discern between holy visions and demonic deceptions, emphasizing that demons are fundamentally weak and rely on fear, lies, and elaborate displays to trick the faithful. His wisdom attracted not only monks but also philosophers, whom he confuted not with complex rhetoric but by demonstrating the superior power of faith through exorcisms and simple, direct reasoning. He traveled to Alexandria to publicly denounce the Arian heresy, strengthening the faith of the people, and performed numerous miracles of healing, always insisting that the power was God's alone, accessible through prayer.

Final Years and Legacy

Antony lived to be 105 years old, remaining physically and mentally strong. Foreseeing his own death, he gave his final instructions to his disciples, urging them to remain steadfast in their discipline and to shun heresy. His most specific request was that his body be buried in a secret, unmarked grave to prevent it from being turned into an object of veneration, a common practice he opposed. After bequeathing his simple garments to his friends, the bishops Athanasius and Serapion, he died peacefully. Though his life was spent in hidden prayer, his fame spread throughout the Roman Empire, proving, as Athanasius concludes, that God makes his faithful servants known to the world as a lamp to guide others to virtue. His life became the foundational pattern for Christian monasticism.