Antony of Egypt

Posted on by

Antony of Egypt, Saint, Many early Christians, wanting to develop a deeper relationship with Christ, renounced their worldly life and embraced monasticism. They lived a spiritual life by practicing extreme self-denial. Among those early monks, Saint Antony was a prominent one who led a life of seclusion, self-denial, and prayer and inspired many people to lead a Godly life.

Biography:
Birth: 251 AD
Death: 356 AD
Native Place: Koma
Country: Egypt
Place of Vision: –

Born into a wealthy family in Egypt, young Antony inherited his parents’ wealth after their death. Around the same time, Antony also happened to listen to a reading from Matthew’s Gospel in which Jesus tells a rich young man to sell everything he possessed and give them to the poor to be perfect.

Antony believed he was that rich young man and immediately did exactly as Jesus instructed.

Antony of Egypt surrendered to Christ

Antony left his home and village and stayed in a remote area where he spent sleepless nights praying and fasting. He denied himself the pleasures of the body so that his soul will be strengthened in Christ. His life was a battlefield where he was in the constant attack by the evil forces. He fought and endured the vicious attacks of the devil on his spirit and body and emerged victoriously.

Antony, now filled with God’s strength and wisdom, started sharing the spiritual secret for victorious spiritual life with the people. He trained several others to lead a monastic life like himself. When the Roman Emperor Diocletian was persecuting the Christians in Egypt in 303 AD, Antony went to Alexandria to comfort the persecuted families.

He served among them, evangelized the people, and called them to love Christ above everything in this world. Many people accepted Christ and took up solitary life. Antony also played an important role in defending the Truth against Arianism’s teachings, which had misled many of the early Egyptian Christians.

Beloved, what is your heart after? The pleasures of this world or the communion with the Heavenly Father?

Take away from the article

“Lord, help me to emerge victorious in the spiritual battle. Amen!”

Word of Prayer