St. Anthony, known by various names such as Anthony of Egypt, Anthony the Abbot, and Anthony the Great, established communities for men who shared his desire to seek God by stepping away from worldly distractions. He was born in Egypt on Jan. 12, 251, into a family of wealthy farmers in the Heracleopolis Magna, which was a part of Egypt that was assimilated into the Roman Empire.
At around 18 or 19 years old, Anthony attended Mass and was inspired by the reading from the Gospel of St. Matthew, where Jesus said, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all that you have and give to the poor” (Mt 19:21).
When he turned 20, Anthony lost his parents and chose to follow Jesus’ command. He shared his inheritance with the needy and went into the desert, where he lived alone, focusing on prayer and penance.
For many years, he resided in a hermitage he built near a cemetery, which he saw as being close to death. This environment led him to reflect deeply on the life of Jesus, the conqueror of death. Some of his thoughts were written down and have survived through the years.
Known by various names including Anthony of Egypt and Anthony the Great, he established communities for men who sought God and renounced worldly life. Many monks embraced the same ascetic lifestyle in the desert, making St. Anthony a key figure in the beginnings of monasticism. The monastic way of life he developed spread widely during the early centuries of Christianity, greatly influencing the Church’s history. St. Jerome even mentioned that Anthony had met St. Paul the Hermit, another desert dweller.
Today, desert monasticism continues in different parts of the world. Alongside St. Athanasius, Anthony was a strong defender of Christian beliefs against Arianism, a heresy that challenges the divinity of Jesus.
St. Athanasius noted that Anthony prayed often and understood the importance of solitude for constant prayer. He became so knowledgeable from reading that he seemed to remember everything without needing books. People admired him and considered him a friend of God.
St. Athanasius also highlighted that Anthony worked with his hands, following the scripture that says, “He who does not work, let him not eat” (2 Thes 3:10). Anthony shared what he earned both for his own needs and to help the poor. In Christian belief, work promotes dignity and connects people to God’s creation. Anthony truly embraced this idea.
If you feel lost or think you’ve missed God’s presence, take heart. He is reaching out to you in ways you can understand. Like Bartimaeus, you can respond and approach Him with faith.
St. Anthony died in 356, on Mount Colzim, near the Red Sea, at the age of 105. He is venerated as the patron saint of basket weavers, brush makers, and butchers as well as of cemeteries.
Not well known to many regarding animals (as St Francis of Assisi is known), he is also known as the “co-patron” of animals, sharing the title with St. Francis of Assisi. For a long time at the Vatican, a blessing of animals has been celebrated on Anthony’s feast day of Jan. 17.
Two stories support this patronage: At the death of Paul the Hermit, Anthony was the only one there who could bury him; however, conditions were difficult and he had no one to help him. Suddenly, in the middle of the desert, two lions appeared, accompanied by other animals that helped the saint dig the hole where he would place the remains of St. Paul.
The second story has to do with a wild pig that he found near his hermitage whose offspring were all born blind. After St. Anthony took pity and cured them, the mother pig followed him everywhere as a faithful guardian and never left his side.
These stories inform a rich iconographic tradition that often depicts St. Anthony accompanied by a wild boar. Brilliant painters such as Michelangelo, Tintoretto, Teniers, Bosch, Cézanne, and Dali made St. Anthony the subject of many magnificent works.