Anthony the Great

Saint Anthony the Great was born around 251 in Koma in Lower Egypt to wealthy Christian parents. Orphaned in his early twenties and entrusted with the care of his sister, he heard the Gospel call to sell what he had, give to the poor, and follow Christ. Anthony distributed his inheritance, provided for his sister by placing her among consecrated virgins, and began a life of prayer and ascetic discipline under the guidance of a local hermit. Seeking deeper solitude, he withdrew into the Egyptian wilderness, where his long years of fasting and vigilance became famous—especially the accounts of fierce temptations and spiritual battles that he overcame through steadfast prayer. After years enclosed near Pispir, disciples gathered around him, and Anthony emerged to guide them, helping shape the life of the Desert Fathers and earning the title “Father of Monasticism.” During persecution he visited imprisoned Christians in Alexandria, and even emperors sought his intercession. He is invoked against infectious and skin diseases, once called “Saint Anthony’s fire.” His feast day is January 17.