Anthony: Name Day and Patron Saint

St Anthony the Great is honoured as the father of monks. He was born in 251 in the village of Coma in Egypt, to pious Christian parents. When he was about twenty his parents died, leaving him to care for his younger sister. Soon afterwards he heard in church the Lord’s words to the rich young man, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give it to the poor,” and he took them as spoken to himself. He sold his inheritance, gave the money to the poor, entrusted his sister to a community of devout virgins, and began a life of prayer and work. For many years he struggled against temptation, first among the tombs and then alone in an abandoned fort in the desert, driving off the demons with the sign of the Cross and trust in the Lord. When he came out, disciples gathered around him and monasteries grew up in the desert under his guidance. In the persecution of 311 he went to Alexandria to strengthen the martyrs, and later he returned to the city to denounce the Arian heresy. He died in peace in 356, at the age of 105, and his life was written by his friend St Athanasius. The Church keeps his feast on 17 January (30 January on the Old Calendar). The faithful ask his prayers for strength in temptation and for a heart given wholly to Christ.

What the faithful pray for

• strength against temptation and the attacks of the evil one
• monks, nuns and all who seek a life of prayer
• the courage to let go of riches for the sake of Christ
• steadfastness in the Orthodox faith