“THE most remarkable incident told of him by his great biographer is, that having shut himself up in a tomb, he remained long alone in it. The friend who brought him at intervals bread for his support, found him once lying as it were dead on the ground, and severely beaten by an attack of demons in the night. The friend rescued him, and having taken him back, Antony suffered another attack from all sorts of beasts and reptiles, who appeared to surround him.
“At last he was relieved from these. Light streamed upon him, and he became aware of a presence to whom he cried, ‘Where wast Thou? why didst Thou not appear to heal my pains?’ And the voice answered, ‘Antony, I was here; but I waited to behold thy struggle. Since thou didst endure and wast not conquered, I will ever be thy helper, and give thee a name to be known over the earth.’ So he arose refreshed, and felt his bodily strength increased. He was then near thirty-five years old.”
— The Life of St. Antony of the Desert by St. Athanasius, compliled by Thomas Allies, 1896
— Comments —
Tony S. writes:
Thank you for your postings regarding the feast of St Anthony the Great.
The stories from his biography remind me of John the Baptist, both embodying true masculinity in their acceptance of suffering.
Laura writes:
You’re welcome.
Very true.
