Beautiful Egypt 192 – The True Sage – February 5, 2017

   In the previous article, we started tackling the life of St. Anthony who was the first to set the rules of monasticism. Ever since, his life has become a role model for everybody to follow. St. Anthony became the Father of Monks of the whole world.

   Anthony was born in Beni Sweif. Before he was twenty, he decided to go to the wilderness. For a while, he lived in a tomb. Then, he went to a deserted fortress where he spent twenty years.

   As the Romans persecuted the Copts, St. Anthony yearned for martyrdom. So, he went to Alexandria to stay with the tortured as well as those who plunged into martyrdom for Christ. He kept saying, “We struggle with those who were called, and experience death with strugglers.” At that time, he yearned for pain and martyrdom. So, he used to serve the tortured, especially the guardians of the quarries.

   Likewise, he used to hurry to the martyrs to strengthen them during their trials. He would accompany them until their martyrdom. Many a time was he warned by rulers and judges against staying with the martyrs. Pope Athanasius the Apostolic writes, “St. Anthony never heeded those warnings: for no monk was allowed to attend trials or stay in the city. He seemed sad for not attaining martyrdom. But God preserved him for our and others’ benefit.”

   However, his martyrdom wish was not fulfilled. So, he returned to his cell after the bitter persecution which ended in the martyrdom of Pope Peter (Botrous), the 17th patriarch who was also known as the “Seal of Martyrs”. It is said that during that era, St. Anthony was hosted by his friend, the scholar, Didymus the Blind, the head of Alexandria Theological Seminary.

Back to the Wilderness

   St. Anthony returned to his ascetic life. He was stricter than ever in his fasting and prayers which he never ceased to practice. He dressed up very simply. At that time, he was visited by many people who yearned to listen to his teachings. Also, the sick came over to seek healing. St. Anthony thought these matters swayed him from his prayers. They also had the threat of vanity due to healing the sick. So, he decided to go farther in the eastern desert with some nomads. Then, he reached a high mountain which had fresh water and some palm trees. He stayed there, and the nomads used to bring him bread.

   After a while, his children got to know where their father Anthony was. They brought him some bread at that place. Seeing how weary they were, he planted some wheat to make bread with. He also planted some legumes for the monks who used to visit him to seek some rest as well.

Leaving the Wilderness Once More

   During the tenure of Pope Athanasius the Apostolic, St. Anthony went to Alexandria, escorted by some monks, to support the Pope, declaring the falsehood of Arius’ doctrines and calling for the correct teaching. In Alexandria, Egyptians and Greeks crowded to see St. Anthony, having heard of his piety and virtue. How virtuous he was! However, he hurried to the mountains.

Wisdom

   St. Anthony was not that well-educated. He never spoke but Coptic. Yet, he was very wise. Many philosophers tried to test his wisdom and understanding, only to discover his great wisdom and true humility. It came to pass that two Greek philosophers tried to test him and know his potential. So, they went to him. No sooner had he met them than he asked them (through a translator), “Why should you exhaust yourself that much for an ignorant man?” They answered, “It’s not an ignorant man, but a true sage.”

Fame

   St. Anthony forsook worldly glory, considering himself dead and seeking seclusion. However, his story and fame became known to kings and renowned people, among whom was Emperor Constantine and his sons who sent him a message asking for his prayers. He replied to the message, advising them to seek salvation, forsake worldly glory, remember that the wicked will be condemned, and care for the pious and the needy. Kings used to rejoice with St. Anthony’s writing to them.

Courage

   Having forsaken the world to inhabit the wilderness, he never feared saying the truth. There was a cruel commander called Vlacius who persecuted the Copts for rejecting Arius’ teachings. St. Anthony sent him a message, telling him. “I saw your wrath. Do stop persecuting Christians, for you will soon make amends for your cruelty.” The commander tore up St. Anthony’s message, threw it on the floor, and swore at the messenger. Then he sent St. Anthony a threat, saying, “I’ll come to you for you care about monks.” However, he never did so, as he died eight days later!

   St. Anthony cared for all the souls that resorted to him, even those who came from foreign countries, seeking his help and guidance. He was a true father who loved everybody. In fact, whoever looked at him felt comfortable. One day, three brothers visited him. Two kept asking him questions, while the third remained silent. When St. Anthony asked him about the reason for his silence, the latter answered, “It is enough to look at your face, father.” Also, while he was talking to Didymus the Blind, St. Anthony asked him thrice, “Aren’t you sad for your blindness?”

   St. Didymus answered, saying that he was sad indeed. However, St. Anthony said, “I am surprised at your sadness for what you have in common with lowliest animals which sense nothing except through eyesight. You are not happy for the insight which God does not grant, save to His cherishers. He granted you two spiritual eyes like the angels’ which with you see spiritual things. Even more, through them, you recognize God’s greatness. His light shines before you and annihilates any darkness in your heart.” These words comforted Didymus throughout his life.

   All what was said of him was true: “He used to give advice to the troubled, and warn whoever sat to him against condemnation. He would encourage them to beatify whoever forsook the world. He used to protect the wronged for he felt he was pained, not they. Everybody benefited by him. So much so that many rich people and soldiers forsook the burdens of life and became monks. It was as if he was the physician sent by God to Egypt: He used to comfort sad people so they return happy. He would condole whoever mourned a dead person. He would also convert people’s wrath to love, their misery and poverty to disdain for riches and pride in poverty. Any monk who was remiss and visited St. Anthony became stronger than ever. Any youth who saw him denied himself and sought chastity. Any person tortured by demons was relieved by St. Anthony. Any frustrated person would be pacified by St. Anthony. Any person troubled by evil thoughts would be calmed down by St. Anthony.”

   St. Anthony met St. Paula, the first hermit before his departure. St. Paula enshrouded and buried him. He also transferred his biography to us.

His Departure

   Before his departure, he told his disciples to hide his body and give St. Makarius his staff, Pope Athanasius his cloak, and bishop Serapion his leather cloak. As for his hair cloak, he bequeathed it to his two disciples. His departure made everybody feel they lost their caring father. The mere mention of his name, however, comforted them. They kept his advice in their minds: for he used to motivate them to live piously and righteously. All the world’s churches celebrate St. Anthony in January.

   Throughout history, Egypt has given the world all sorts of knowledge. By the end of the third century, she gave it the rules of monasticism which flourished in the fourth century with the spreading of hundreds of monasteries and thousands of cells and caves therein. Indeed, stories never end in Beautiful Egypt.

General Bishop

Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center