Today, the 17th of January, is the feast day of St Anthony. St Anthony is a fairly important saint in my own research (medieval monasticism) as he was one of the founding fathers of the monastic lifestyle.
Alive in Egypt between 251-356 AD, his life was recorded by St Athanasius (296-373 AD).
The son of wealth parents, he inherited their wealth following their death when he turned 20. His desire to imitate the life of Christ's disciples convinced him to surrender his worldly possessions and devote his life to worship.
At this point aspects of Christianity such as asceticism, fasting, chastity, piety, and prayer had been undertaken as part of every day but there was a shift amongst the particularly religious to retreat to huts on the outskirts of settlements. When Anthony gave up his possessions, this was widely spread and he began his new life by seeking other ascetic and studying the way they lived before retreating himself to live in a tomb near his original village.
During his time in the tomb it is recorded that he faced "strange conflicts with demons in the shape of wild beasts, who inflicted blows upon him, and sometimes left him nearly dead" (Catholic Encyclopedia). After 15 years of this, he decided to retreat from life even further and he lived alone in an "old fort" on a mountain with food being delivered to him over the wall.
As a result of this lifestyle, pilgrims came to see him and eventually, a number of followers accumulated in the area around his self-imposed prison.
Anthony eventually yielded to the pressure of these followers to teach them and he emerged and devoted himself to the instruction and organisation of what were to be the first monks. These monks were eremitic (hermits basically). It would be St Pachomius who would established the more easily recognised coenobitic monks (Monks that live communally, you'll have to wait until the 9th of May to read more about Pachomius).
Anthony established the first monastery, Der Mar Antonios, at his mountain retreat before retreating himself to the desert between the Red Sea and the Nile. This was where he remained for the last 45 years of his life but this time he allowed visitors and according to his biography, he helped support martyrs during the persecution of Christians in 311 and preached against the Arians close to his death.
For trainspotter info, his is the protector of butchers, salami makers, domestic animals and basket makers and is depicted dressed as "a hermit, with a T-shaped staff, a bell, and a pig" (Giorgi)
Notes
British Library, MS Harley 1251, f. 39v
Catholic Encyclopedia:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01553d.htm
Giorgi, R. Saints, A year in faith and art (New York, Abrams: 2005) p. 42
The son of wealth parents, he inherited their wealth following their death when he turned 20. His desire to imitate the life of Christ's disciples convinced him to surrender his worldly possessions and devote his life to worship.
At this point aspects of Christianity such as asceticism, fasting, chastity, piety, and prayer had been undertaken as part of every day but there was a shift amongst the particularly religious to retreat to huts on the outskirts of settlements. When Anthony gave up his possessions, this was widely spread and he began his new life by seeking other ascetic and studying the way they lived before retreating himself to live in a tomb near his original village.
During his time in the tomb it is recorded that he faced "strange conflicts with demons in the shape of wild beasts, who inflicted blows upon him, and sometimes left him nearly dead" (Catholic Encyclopedia). After 15 years of this, he decided to retreat from life even further and he lived alone in an "old fort" on a mountain with food being delivered to him over the wall.
As a result of this lifestyle, pilgrims came to see him and eventually, a number of followers accumulated in the area around his self-imposed prison.
Anthony eventually yielded to the pressure of these followers to teach them and he emerged and devoted himself to the instruction and organisation of what were to be the first monks. These monks were eremitic (hermits basically). It would be St Pachomius who would established the more easily recognised coenobitic monks (Monks that live communally, you'll have to wait until the 9th of May to read more about Pachomius).
Anthony established the first monastery, Der Mar Antonios, at his mountain retreat before retreating himself to the desert between the Red Sea and the Nile. This was where he remained for the last 45 years of his life but this time he allowed visitors and according to his biography, he helped support martyrs during the persecution of Christians in 311 and preached against the Arians close to his death.
For trainspotter info, his is the protector of butchers, salami makers, domestic animals and basket makers and is depicted dressed as "a hermit, with a T-shaped staff, a bell, and a pig" (Giorgi)
Notes
British Library, MS Harley 1251, f. 39v
Catholic Encyclopedia:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01553d.htm
Giorgi, R. Saints, A year in faith and art (New York, Abrams: 2005) p. 42
No comments:
Post a Comment