FROM The lives of the Fathers of the Eastern Deserts, or, The wonders of God in the wilderness by Richard Challoner:

“AFTER this, being desirous of advancing still more in Christian perfection, he took a resolution of retiring into the desert, and of withdrawing himself altogether from the conversation of men. This resolution he communicated to the old monk his friend, of whom we spoke above, proposing that he should accompany him; but the old man excused himself, alleging his advanced age, and the novelty of such an enterprise. Antony, however, no way discouraged, set out upon his journey towards the heart of the wilderness, at that time utterly uninhabited, arid lying at a very great distance from any town or village. As he walked along, he saw a large dish of silver with which the enemy sought to interrupt his journey, lying on the ground; but he easily discovered the artifice, and cried: ‘This is a trick of thine, Satan; thou shalt not divert me from my resolution; keep thy silver to thyself, and let it perish with thee.’ At which words the dish was immediately dissolved into smoke. Afterwards a large lump of true gold was flung in his way; but this was no more capable of interrupting his journey, than the glittering appearance of the silver dish: for as soon as he perceived it, he flew from it with as much speed, as if he were flying from a devouring fire; and proceeded on his way until he came to a mountain, where he found an old desolate castle, full of serpents and venomous creatures, which had taken up their abode therein by reason of the length of time it had remained uninhabited. This place he made choice of for his dwelling; taking in with him his provisions of bread, which with a little water, according to his scanty allowance, might suffice him for six months.

At his coming to take possession of this castle, all its old inhabitants, the serpents and other venomous creatures, having fled away, he shut up the entrance with stones, and during the twenty years that he dwelt therein, he neither went out at any time himself, nor suffered any one to enter, not even those who brought him, at the end of every half year, a fresh provision of bread, which they conveyed to him by getting up to the roof and letting it drop down.

(pp. 56-57)

Please follow and like us: