What's so GREAT about Antony the Great?
Summary
TLDRThis script delves into the life and influence of St. Anthony the Great, exploring his significance in Christian monasticism and spirituality. It examines the historical context, his teachings on demonic warfare, and the profound impact of his obedience to scripture. The narrative also reflects on the portrayal of St. Anthony in art and literature, highlighting his unwavering devotion to God and the spiritual insights that emerged from his lived experiences in the desert.
Takeaways
- 🎨 The video script explores the life and influence of St. Anthony the Great, focusing on his significance in art, monasticism, and Christian spirituality.
- 📚 It delves into the historical sources about St. Anthony, including 'The Life of Anthony' by Athanasius of Alexandria, his letters, and the 'Sayings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers'.
- 🖌️ The script discusses the evolution of St. Anthony's portrayal in art, from Michelangelo to modern interpretations, and how artists have been captivated by the theme of his temptations and spiritual battles.
- 🙏 The importance of St. Anthony's teachings on demonic warfare and the use of prayer, fasting, and faith as defenses against evil is highlighted, showing his impact on Christian practices.
- 🌱 The script emphasizes St. Anthony's obedience to the Bible and his embodiment of its teachings, illustrating how his life and writings are deeply rooted in scripture.
- ⛰️ It describes St. Anthony's progression from living on the outskirts of a village to the inner desert, reflecting the growth of monasticism and his role as a spiritual guide for others.
- 🕊️ The message of virtue and the pursuit of purity of heart as taught by St. Anthony is underscored, revealing his belief in the inherent goodness of the soul and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.
- 🔗 The script connects St. Anthony's life and teachings to the broader context of Christian history, heresies, and the development of monastic communities, particularly in Egypt.
- 👥 The influence of St. Anthony's disciples and how they carried on his legacy is mentioned, showing the far-reaching effects of his spiritual mentorship.
- 🌐 The video script also contemplates the parallels between St. Anthony's time and the modern world, suggesting that his teachings on virtue, spiritual warfare, and the pursuit of God remain relevant today.
- 🎭 Finally, the script reflects on the personal journey of the creator in understanding St. Anthony, emphasizing the importance of looking beyond the surface to grasp the true essence of his saintliness.
Q & A
Why is St. Anthony referred to as the 'Father of Monks'?
-St. Anthony is often called the 'Father of Monks' not because he was the first monk, but due to his significant influence and the widespread popularity of the biography written about him by St. Athanasius, which helped shape the monastic movement.
What is the significance of St. Anthony's response to the biblical call to sell all possessions and follow Christ?
-St. Anthony's response to this biblical call is significant as it marked a radical life change, leading him to give away his wealth, care for his sister, and pursue a life of asceticism and devotion to Christ, which became a defining characteristic of monasticism.
How did St. Anthony's life influence the growth of monastic communities?
-St. Anthony's life, particularly his move into the desert and the establishment of a monastic community there, inspired others to follow his example. This led to a surge in monasticism, with thousands of people pursuing a similar life of asceticism and devotion.
What are the three main written sources that tell us about St. Anthony?
-The three main written sources about St. Anthony are 'The Life of Anthony' by Athanasius of Alexandria, the 'Letters of Anthony', and 'The Sayings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers'.
What impact did the story of St. Anthony have on the Roman official who later influenced Augustine's conversion?
-The Roman official experienced an inner transformation after reading a Latin translation of 'The Life of Anthony'. This transformation was shared with Augustine, playing a significant role in Augustine's eventual conversion to Christianity.
How did St. Athanasius's portrayal of St. Anthony in 'The Life of Anthony' influence later works?
-St. Athanasius's portrayal of St. Anthony as an ideal to emulate, with detailed accounts of his struggles against demons and heresies, set a template for monastic life and spiritual warfare that influenced thousands and was reflected in later writings and art.
What is the significance of the 'Sayings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers' in understanding St. Anthony's teachings?
-The 'Sayings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers' provide a collection of adages, maxims, and teachings that were passed down verbally and later written down, offering a more direct insight into St. Anthony's spiritual guidance and wisdom.
How did St. Anthony's letters contribute to the understanding of his spiritual teachings?
-St. Anthony's letters, which likely postdate his visit to Alexandria, provide a more personal and intimate look into his spiritual teachings, focusing on inner warfare, self-knowledge, and the work of the Holy Spirit in the pursuit of virtue and union with God.
What role did St. Anthony play in the development of Christian spirituality regarding demonic warfare?
-St. Anthony's experiences and teachings on demonic warfare provided specific insights and strategies for dealing with demonic temptations and attacks, influencing later Christian spiritual practices and writings on the subject.
How did St. Anthony's life and teachings emphasize the importance of scripture in Christian spirituality?
-St. Anthony's life and teachings are deeply rooted in and frequently reference scripture, demonstrating the importance of biblical principles in guiding spiritual practices, understanding virtue, and achieving self-knowledge and union with God.
Outlines
🤔 The Quest for St. Anthony's Greatness
The script begins with a personal reflection on the speaker's decade-long artistic tribute to St. Anthony, questioning the significance of their work. It delves into the historical and spiritual significance of St. Anthony, often referred to as the 'father of monks,' and the quest to understand his greatness. The speaker embarks on an intellectual journey, exploring various sources including 'The Life of Anthony' by St. Athanasius, to uncover the true essence of St. Anthony's legacy, which has influenced art, history, and Christian spirituality.
📚 Historical Sources and Influences on St. Anthony's Perception
This paragraph discusses the various sources that have shaped the perception of St. Anthony, including the 'Life of Anthony,' the 'Sayings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers,' and the 'Golden Legend.' It highlights the influence of St. Athanasius' writings on the spread of monasticism and the impact of St. Anthony's life on figures like Augustine and Marcella. The speaker also explores the different portrayals of St. Anthony in these texts, from a heroic figure combating heresies to a more grounded and relatable spiritual leader.
🎨 The Artistic Legacy of St. Anthony
The speaker examines the influence of St. Anthony on art, particularly the numerous depictions of 'The Temptation of St. Anthony' by various artists across different periods. The paragraph highlights how artists were drawn to the dramatic and surreal elements of St. Anthony's battles with demons, leading to a rich visual legacy. It also touches on the evolution of St. Anthony's symbolism, including the introduction of elements like the pig, the cross, and the bell, which became associated with the Order of St. Anthony and their charitable work.
🏞️ St. Anthony's Spiritual Journey and Monastic Impact
This paragraph focuses on St. Anthony's gradual move towards deeper monastic life, beginning with living on the outskirts of his village and eventually retreating into the desert. It discusses the growth of monasticism in Egypt following St. Anthony's example and the significant increase in the number of monks in the region after his death. The speaker also explores the impact of St. Anthony's disciples, such as Bishop Sarapion and St. Paul the Simple, on the spread of monasticism and their adherence to St. Anthony's teachings.
🛡️ St. Anthony's Role in Christian Spiritual Warfare
The speaker delves into St. Anthony's teachings on spiritual warfare and how they have influenced Christian practices for dealing with demonic forces. It highlights the detailed accounts in 'The Life of Anthony' of how demons can appear and tempt, and the strategies for defending against them. The paragraph also discusses how St. Anthony's insights may have inspired later Christian writers and the importance of his teachings in shaping the understanding of demonic warfare in Christianity.
🌅 The Spirituality of St. Anthony and the Pursuit of Virtue
This paragraph explores St. Anthony's perspective on virtue and the spiritual life, emphasizing the idea that virtue is within us and accessible through our will. It discusses how St. Anthony viewed fasting, prayer, and asceticism as means to purify the body and prepare the soul for the work of the Holy Spirit, leading to self-knowledge and union with God. The speaker also reflects on St. Anthony's teachings on the nature of virtue and vice, and how turning to God allows the spirit to burn away impurities and reveal the virtuous soul.
🔍 A Reflective Conclusion on St. Anthony's True Greatness
In the concluding paragraph, the speaker reflects on the journey of understanding St. Anthony's life and legacy. They acknowledge the complexity of capturing the essence of such a multifaceted historical figure and the challenge of distinguishing between the various portrayals of St. Anthony in different sources. The speaker contemplates the significance of St. Anthony's devotion to God and the profound impact of his life on monasticism, spirituality, and art, suggesting that his greatness lies in his genuine obedience to Christ's commandments and the scriptures.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡St Anthony
💡Monasticism
💡Demonic Warfare
💡Scripture
💡Asceticism
💡Desert Fathers and Mothers
💡St Athanasius
💡Heresies
💡Virtue
💡Spiritual Discernment
💡Iconography
Highlights
The artist's quest to capture the essence of St. Anthony's greatness in a carving, reflecting on a decade of creating art for his feast.
The exploration of why St. Anthony is called the father of monks, despite there being monks before him.
The deep dive into historical texts and months of contemplation to understand St. Anthony's influence and legacy.
A summary of St. Anthony's life, from his wealthy upbringing to his dedication to a life of monasticism and spiritual warfare.
The influence of 'The Life of Anthony' by Athanasius of Alexandria, a best-selling biography that shaped perceptions of St. Anthony.
The role of St. Anthony's letters and the sayings of the desert fathers and mothers in shaping Christian monasticism and spirituality.
The impact of St. Anthony's life on figures like Augustine and the spread of monasticism through Athanasius's teachings.
The portrayal of St. Anthony's battles with demons and his unwavering faith in the face of temptation.
The examination of the authenticity of the letters attributed to St. Anthony and the insights they provide into his spiritual teachings.
The reconciliation of the different portrayals of St. Anthony in various texts, suggesting a multifaceted view of his character.
The discussion on the significance of St. Anthony's teachings on demonic warfare and their influence on Christian practices.
The exploration of St. Anthony's impact on art and culture, from medieval Europe to modern times.
The depiction of St. Anthony in various forms of art, reflecting the artists' interpretations of his spiritual battles.
The cultural significance of St. Anthony's Cross and its association with the Order of St. Anthony.
The examination of St. Anthony's role as an intercessor for 'St. Anthony's fire', a historical disease that affected Europe.
The concluding thoughts on St. Anthony's greatness, emphasizing his devotion to God and the scriptural basis of his teachings.
Transcripts
on a cold Canadian winter day I sat down
to draw St Anthony while sketching it
got me thinking I've made art for his
Feast for a decade now but it doesn't
feel special these are all fairly Bland
with nothing to say this year I want to
capture the essence of his greatness in
a carving but what's so great about
Anthony the great let's start with the
obvious why do we call St Anthony the
father of monks cuz he was the first
monk right wrong the there were ones
before him it's in the life of Anthony
the biography that St athanasius wrote
so why do we call him the father of
monkss was it just because this book got
popular or was it his direct influence
why do we call him Anthony the great
with this question in hand I did what
any reasonable well adjusted person
would do take a deep dive inhaling every
book I can and thinking about this every
waking moment for months if you're
thinking this is an easy one to answer
then welcome to my mind State several
months ago the legacy of Anthony runs
deep in history arts and Christian
spirituality but I'm getting ahead of
myself let me summarize the life of
Anthony in under 2
[Music]
minutes Anthony was born in Egypt to a
middle class family his parents died and
left him their wealth and his sister to
take care of but he had another Focus he
often reflected on how the apostles
lived then one day at church he heard if
you want to be perfect go and sell all
your possessions and give them to the
poor and come and follow me as a rich 20
Old Orphan instead of becoming Batman
Anthony answered God's call he gave away
his riches and moved to the edge of The
Village Learning from Elders who
practiced the atic life seeing his
immense love for Christ the demons
attacked suggesting memories of
delicious food a comfortable home and
even thoughts of lust but Anthony
wouldn't budge from there he went to
live in a literal tomb yet they couldn't
break his resolve so the demons attacked
him physically the tenacious Anthony
took it on the chin and returned the
demons were Furious and came came back
as various vicious animals again the
holy man prevailed through Christ he
then ventured into a fortress and stayed
there for 20 years others heard of his
Holiness and gathered around him as that
Community grew Anthony traveled deeper
into the desert and lived on a mountain
near the Red Sea he would travel on
occasion to Alexandria once to take care
of the persecuted Christians and another
to refute Aryan heresy at the end of his
life he gave one of his cloaks to
sarapion his disciple and another to
athanasius his friend the monastic
community near the Red Sea flourished
where it still exists this
[Music]
day so how do we know this from three
main written sources the life of Anthony
by one of the old world's bestselling
authors athanasius of Alexandria I'll
sometimes refer to this as the life then
there are the letters of Anthony and the
saying of the desert fathers and mothers
which I refer to sometimes as the
[Music]
sayings the story of Anthony would go on
to influence thousands of people to
pursue a life of
aism even before St athanasius put pen
to paper or quill to parchment it had
started moving the hearts of people
athanasius fled to Rome during one of
his Exiles that's where he met a
17-year-old Widow called Marcel and
shared with her the story of an
after hearing the story she turned her
Mansion into an aesthetic center for
women to pray and to study the Bible in
another ancient Story one Roman official
read a Latin translation of the life of
Anthony it filled him with Holy Love and
sobering shame he experienced an inner
transformation and shared this with
Augustine which played a big part in
Augustine's conversion before St
athanasius died it was already
translated into two different Latin
copies the life of Anthony is a
biography that reads like a hero's
journey it tells of Anthony's Early days
and builds up to his eventual move into
the mountains it doesn't shy away from
detailing visions and demonic attacks
and apparitions in it Anthony has back
and forth conversations with his
attackers and even gets physically
assaulted by the demons it paints
Anthony as an ideal that we should all
strive to emulate and curiously enough
it mentions his stance against several
heresies that athanasius the writer
opposed let's take a glance at them
ladies and gentlemen hello and welcome
to Christianity Feud the show where we
read up and sumarized church heresy so
you don't have to first up to dat is
aryanism a heresy led by Aras who
believed that the sun was created by the
father I know this idea spread with his
latest drop there was a time where the
sun was not topping the charts with his
catchy but erroneous song he believed
that if we draw closer to God we can
become exactly ly like Christ you know
with power over demons and sin I know I
know next up we got the malians a tough
as Nails group of believers they refused
to accept Christians into the faith
after the early wave of persecution they
went rogue and made their own Bishops
and seems like they also made their own
bet lastly we got the manans they made a
real fruit solid of beliefs combining
various religions and I couldn't tell
you what they believe luckily these were
all contending against the best of the
best Athan
Anthony sarion all I can say is they
messed with the wrong fathers that's all
we have for tonight see you next time on
Christianity
[Applause]
Feud other sources that we have that
tell us about St Anthony are the sayings
of the desert fathers and mothers also
known as aatham patum I'm 90% positive I
butchered that it's this book this one
right here the name comes from aatham
meaning MTO or adage or Maxim or saying
and patum means father sayings of the
fathers monks passed these down verbally
passing them from one generation to
another in a holy game of telephone
until they wrote them down in the year
399 the book is also known as the
alphabetical sayings of the desert
fathers but that's a confusing name for
several reasons for starters the book
also includes sayings of three Desert
Mothers Theodora Sarah and syncletica it
also contains more than just sayings
they're more like stories the alphabet
IAL sayings are organized Loosely
following the Greek alphabet if we take
a look under a or Alpha we'll find
Anthony on arenus come first and other
fathers who should be before them
alphabetically come after this
interesting editorial Choice by the
monks who wrote them down highlights the
importance of Anthony his sayings come
first before all the others there are
about 38 entries for ABA Anthony in the
sayings it's up there in terms of number
with only a few other other fathers like
pambo Arcus John the short and shashy
having bigger entries I read this book
almost every day and if I let myself go
will take a 5H hour Deep dive into this
book alone to stop my Onslaught on your
free time and save you from boredom I'll
share some of my favorite sayings by St
Anthony ABA Anthony said I no longer
fear God no I love God because love
casts out fear oh okay fine let's do
another one without
Temptations no one can be saved all
right I'll move on before I get carried
away an honorable mention aside from
these three is the golden legend it's a
collection of Stories of the Saints by
yakobus deag likely compiled in the 12th
century and we have more than a thousand
manuscripts of it you'll see the impact
of this split book in the next section
then there are the letters of Anthony
yep you can read the words of the man
himself seven letters likely written
after his visit to Alexandria addressed
to different man IC groups since some of
the letters have overlapping themes and
messages in the letters St Anthony
unpacks deep spiritual lessons we don't
see epic and outward altercations with
the demons we don't read about visions
and apparitions but a more subtle
mention of inner Warfare the kind that
you and I experience on a daily basis
this in my view is a much more relatable
Anthony than the one we can read about
in the life of Anthony by St athanasius
in these letters Anthony writes wait
hold on a minute pull up the life of
Anthony there stop it says he had not
learn to write how did he write these my
understanding is that the the the
unlettered in aanas really refers to
most likely Anthony not having been able
to read that that's most likely what the
actual word refers to this is
Christopher snook a lecturer at delh
House University he wrote an invaluable
research paper on the letters of Anthony
I mean it's clear that Anthony comes
from a family that would have had the
sort of uh resources for him to receive
a kind of some form of interor Education
might prioritize that so that seems
clear it's clear that he's in and out of
Alexandria and the catechetical schools
already I would be under would sort of
have been underway by the time yeah
before he's engaging with Alexandria the
kak school there is already working in
An Origin framework so here's the thing
if the life of Anthony is the only one
with epic demon battles and support for
athanasius's views on the various
heresies of the time then really the
greatness of Anthony is just a good book
that took off the letters show a
different image of Anthony instead of
the heroic demon fighting perfected
monastic Pioneer shown in the life these
capture a more grounded one in one he's
fighting literal demons going toe-to-toe
with actual IRL beatings contending with
visions and in the other he's talking
about internal turmoil and unseen
Warfare the kind of stuff that you want
would experience in our daily life does
this prove that athanasius exaggerated
the life to push anti- arianism and
whatever other political agenda he has
the way that Anthony is presented is
sort of meant to kind of position us in
a particular way relative to aryanism
but that's not a move that seems
divorced from Anthony in other moments
like so for example in the letters
Anthony says very clearly I think the
letter four I mean it's kind of an
amazing statement he says you know if
you're more or less I'm paraphrasing
says if your brother Falls you pray to
God to restore
but to whom do you pray if your brother
sins against God like who do you and
he's referring directly to
Aras he's talking about this part of
letter 4 where ABA antthony first speaks
on how we draw near to God through both
the work of virtue and the spirit and
about how Drawing Near to God we gain
not only knowledge of God but also self-
knowledge this is the letter with the
famous saying he who knows himself knows
God at the end though this is what he
says in regard to Aras who has risen up
in Alexandria and spoken strange words
about the only begotten giving a
beginning to him who has no beginning
and an end to him who is ineffable among
men and motion to him who is without
motion if one man sin against another
they entreat God for him but if a man
sin against God whom will they entreat
for him that man has taken upon himself
a great matter and a wound
incurable for if such a one had known
himself his tongue wouldn't have spoken
that of which he had no knowledge but it
is Manifest that he did not know
himself okay so Anthony is consistently
anti- Arian in both the letters and the
life of Anthony maybe that's not
something athanasius added in but what
about the different antonies that each
work presents how can we reconcile them
as both genuine and true representations
of the same person there is a sense in
which to capture the life of
Anthony we sort of see a multiplicity of
anthonies and when we look at the source
materials that's not entirely different
from the way we might think about Christ
as portrayed in the various gospels it's
not that there isn't one Christ but
there but the portrayer is we tend to
sort of see there's something different
between John's mode of thinking Christ
and his ministry and Luke's for example
there sort of some difference there and
so I think I think in a way um maybe
that's what we see in the portrayals of
kind of difference in a way it's sort of
like standing on different sides of a
statue but I think he is embodied in the
various exual representations we have
whether whether by him or about
him reasonably harmonious way uh and and
and that's to say in those
representations I think what we find is
theologically astute which is reasonable
to assume from him it's spent much of
his life in contemplation so a
theologically astute heer of Souls heer
of souls like I really think that's the
tining that we discover in your
[Music]
text all right I've had a lot of coffee
and time to think about this and here's
where I'm at the life as written by St
athanasius is an ideal but that doesn't
make it any less true and in a way the
question doesn't matter this is the
template from man life and monks are
using it today as the example to follow
if we have to ask how exaggerated the
life is we can't forget that St
athanasius is writing about a person
that he's met a real person that he's
met he's writing to people who may have
known about anony personally he couldn't
have made it up or embellished too much
or they would have called him out on it
based on what I've seen I can conclude
that it's not page Turners and
best-selling propaganda that propelled
them to Greatness the sources are
legitimate they show Anthony from
different angles together painting a
complex image of an experienced father
who cares for his children that begs the
question what do these writings say he
did what greatness did he accomplish to
be put in the saintly Hall of Fame and
what was his impact well as it turns out
God is in the details I'm going to use
my son's strain set for this because
it's fun and he's not here to stop me I
don't have a model for St Anthony so
froto will have to fill in by the time
Anthony was 20 years old there were
already Village Aesthetics it seems like
they provided their communities with
spiritual guidance and prayer it's how
young Anthony knew to seek them out and
learn from them and let's not forget the
nuns he left his sister with those
Elders lived on the outskirts of the
city and broke social patterns they
didn't get married lived in celibacy and
poverty in St athanasius's own words
there were not yet many monasteries in
Egypt and no monk knew at all the great
desert but each of those wishing to give
give attention to his life disciplined
himself in isolation not far from his
own village what St Anthony added is the
physical separation from the city St
Antony's move was gradual baby steps
first he was in the Tomb on the
outskirts of the city okay maybe not
baby steps but then he stayed in the
Fortress only after that did he go to
the inner desert at that point St
athanasius says from then on there were
monasteries in the mountains and the
desert was made a city by monks who left
their own people and registered
themselves for the citizenship in the
heavens in 390 about 34 years after ABA
Anthony's death the historian palladius
wrote about the monks of Egypt he
mentioned 5,000 monks in nitria and
2,000 in Alexandria 4 years after seven
monks from Palestine visited Egypt and
wrote about it sort of like a travel
blog believe it or not they visited a
city called
oxy rinkus oxy rinkus they said the city
is so full of monks that the walls are
bursting with them so many are the
Brethren and there are so many other
monasteries around you'd think there
were another city on their own and the
city itself is full of Brethren one
would think that the monks were much
fewer than the ordinary inhabitants of
the city they went on to say that there
were 5,000 monks inside the city and
another 5,000 outside died I know what
you're thinking and I was thinking the
same thing that it's a boost to look at
the number of monks after Anthony's
death and say it was all Anthony's doing
that the greatness of Anthony's The
Surge of monasticism after his time so
let's not do that let's do the opposite
let's sck a look at his circle of
disciples and see the impact that he's
had on their lives some of the ones we
know are Bishop sarapion Paul the simple
abronius AB Isaac and Pyon the first two
we know most about Bishops are sarapion
is mentioned twice in the life of
Anthony first as a close friend who
stayed with him on the mountain Anthony
shared his Visions with sarapion which
is kind of a big deal Anthony later
shared his sheep skin with sarum before
he passed which is also kind of a big
deal the second sheepkin went to St
athanasius which tells you how close
these two were to Aba Anthony sarapion
is mentioned by the historian paladius
among the monks of nitria he also
mentions abronius and confirms that they
were alive during Anthony's time he's
also mentioned in Jerome's life of
illustrious men which is just an
excellent name for a book sarapion was
noted for his genius and given the
surname scholasticus sarapion
scholasticus we're about to go full
circle on this are you ready sarapion
wrote a book against the
manans yeah the same ones that St
athanasius and St Anthony opposed it's
like they were three close friends who
loved God very much and thought
similarly now let's move on to St Paul
the simp Le his life is incredible he
caught his wife cheating on him and then
he said okay peace I'm moving to the
desert and he looked for ABA Anthony and
when he found him he asked him to be his
spiritual guide and a Anthony laughed at
him because Paul was almost 60 years old
at the time and the desert is a harsh
place and it could be very difficult at
that age to acclimate to that but Paul
outright refuses to leave and he shows
incredible obedience and tenacity and so
he does eventually become a disciple of
ABA Anthony and he learns a ton in the
most epic story a man possessed by a
powerful demon comes to Aba Anthony for
help St Anthony says this one's not for
me go to Paul they take him to St Paul
the simple and St Paul asks the demon to
leave but the demon wouldn't and so Paul
stands on a rock and says I'm not coming
down until you leave this man and the
demon wouldn't budge St Paul said my ABA
asked me to remove this demon so I'm not
coming down and so the demon left
affected by the humility and the
tenacity of St Paul the simple and these
were just two of ab Anthony's disciples
St Paul and San if you can judge a tree
by its fruits you can definitely learn a
lot about ABA Anthony from his
disciples if we include indirect
disciples we suddenly have hundreds of
figures to choose from Saints Jerome
Augustine Benedict John Cassian soain a
sixth Century Bishop named John of shmon
said at best for who among the
historians hasn't spoken about Anthony
who among the writers to whom Anthony
hasn't inspired or who is there among
the fathers who has not praised that
blessed old man athanasius said it's a
great prophet for me merely to remember
Anthony if basil of cesaria wishes to
list the names of monks he says the name
of Anthony first if Gregory venis wants
to name athanasius he introduces Anthony
too if John cries zust wants to
characterize those who have renounced
the world he says like Anthony the great
if sirel of Alexandria wants to praise
the monks of Egypt he says emulate
Anthony if Sav of Antioch wants to give
an example of those who have conducted
themselves well in the sensible world he
says like Anthony the great and above
all these abash shanut the truth tell
said if you gathered together all the
monks in the world there wouldn't be a
single Anthony among them Mike dro
he didn't say that last part well now
I'm informed but uninspired I've seen a
lot of different depictions of St
Anthony what did other artists find
great about him maybe what moved their
hearts and shifted their brush would
move mine
[Music]
too far away from the Red Sands of the
Eastern desert something more colorful
was during an Italian prior by the name
yakobus deagan sat down to write a book
the golden legend was the flutter of a
butterfly that started a cultural storm
the book with over 170 stories of the
Saints became one of the most popular
Works in medieval Europe it gave common
folk and especially artists an
accessible source of inspiration let's
jump to Florence sometime in the 15th
century Master Dominico asked a young
Prodigy at his Workshop to copy a
carving by Martin shanga
by Young I mean real young like 12 years
young this kid painted his heart out and
with this piece his immense Talent was
on full display this kid was
Michelangelo and this was his first
painting that we know of he brought the
torment of St Anthony to life with
intense vibrant colors he rendered the
demons in most Sinister shapes and
grotesque Expressions they pull Anthony
Every Which Way but he remains
unbothered unbothered as if mocking them
unbothered like they have no power over
him well all right I get so
uncomfortable staring at this one so
let's move on artists rushed to paint
the temptation of Anthony like moths to
a flame who can blame them it offered a
close look at what demonic warfare could
look like and it's the perfect subject
matter for artists to let their
imaginations run wild ones like
Michelangelo Bosch DeVos Caldo Ceta
Karachi asck varoni BOS Bosch gralt
hisani leaden Giovani Manuel mcis to
name just a
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few St Anthony's popularity continued to
searge and his imagery evolved you'll
see new symbols in this example that we
haven't seen before the pig the cross
the Bell and the fire this is the TOA
Cross or St Anthony's cross it echoes
the an or key of life and looks like an
elder staff it became associated with
the order of St Anthony a group known
for their hospitals and treatment of
disease the sign of this order is the
gold Taho with a small Bell suspended an
imitation of the nodded waste Court of
St Anthony they raised pigs to help fund
their service to feed them they let the
pigs loose on the streets and put bells
around their necks to differentiate them
it was even seen as a blessing to feed
them now the most common disease they
treated was St Anthony's fire a plague
that broke out across Europe in the 11th
century onward the horrific symptoms
include agonizing intestinal pain
hallucinations muscle spasms and violent
contortions the name comes from the
burning sensation it caused the most
extreme treatment was amputation which
which explains the cut limbs you can see
here St Anthony became the usual
intercessor for this emic his popularity
in arts and culture didn't stop there
the temptation of Anthony continued to
be a popular theme in art well into
modern times with Impressionists like
Dolly Abraham Ratner and countless
artists illustrating it it even crossed
over to film with filmmakers Eugene Peru
followed by George millier tackling the
topic making the temptation of Anthony
among the first religious stories on
film
the subject matter allowed them to
explore the limitations of visual
effects for the time with demons
appearing and disappearing out of th air
it seems no matter the medium or age the
Temptation taale gripped artist's
imaginations it gives them a chance to
get creative with demonic and surreal
imagery was he great because of the
Temptation subject matter that appealed
to artists and was widely
adapted honestly looking at some of
these you'd think the demons defeated
Anthony right after wait stop are you
seeing this at this point is it even a
drawing of St Anthony this is a painting
of demons that briefly features St
Anthony maybe this was the artist's way
of putting you in the same spot as St
Anthony or the same perspective do the
demons catch your attention are they
pulling you in a thousand directions
attracting you with colorful details or
do you shift your gaze to the Discerning
Elder so it's no surprise to me that
every artist who's ever stumbled upon
that story has said I need to paint this
this is caros K an immensely talented
iconographer and illustrator and a dear
friend of mine when you look at a lot of
these different depictions of the
temptation of St Anthony which are so
wild and chaotic and often the demons
and the Temptations become the focus of
these huge magnificent paintings and you
almost have to do a little like where's
Waldo to find St Anthony in the painting
I think when I painted the temptation of
St Anthony it was important for me to
show that this aspect of victory was
still there so the Temptations are
present and they're they're they're
strong and and difficult but in the end
Anthony is unmoved and unshaken and he
stands looking towards the the the Light
of Christ in Orthodox tradition and I
think specifically in in Coptic
tradition the focus is not on the evil
but on the victory of St Anthony and I
think the reason for that is something
that we can find in a really good story
about ABA Moses and ABA Isidor ABA Moses
is struggling with his
Temptations and he goes to abidor in
despair
and he's going to his ABA looking for
some hope so he has him go up on a high
place and look up you know in in heaven
towards the west and when he looks to
the West he sees all of the hosts of the
demons and they're there to fight and
destroy the monks but then he tells him
to raise up his eyes and look towards
the east and he ends up in the same
situation as Elisha's servant you know
this this like Lord open his eyes that
he may see and St Moses looks towards
the east and sees the the choirs and
armies of the Angels who are fighting
Victorious over over the demons and so
by looking towards the east ABA Moses
learns the the truth which is that those
who are with us are more than those who
are against us and this idea of looking
towards the east is really interesting
because if you can imagine attending
liturgy in the ancient Church of St
Anthony you walk into the space and
you're surrounded by all of these Saints
and assuming that you know the community
that uses this church is a bunch of
monks so you're a monk and you walk into
the church and you're surrounded by
monks who are painted on the walls who
look just like you and they've gone
through the same stuff that you went
through and they've now attained victory
in Christ and while you're in church in
the Liturgy the Deacon commands you to
look towards the east and we can see
that idea of looking towards the east as
the invitation that ABA Isidor made to
St Moses it's look towards the east so
that you can see that those who are with
us are more than than those who are
against us and I think I think that's
really powerful and if I were to sum it
up I'd say that the Coptic iconographic
tradition is informed by this thing that
ABA Isidor taught ABA Moses which is
always
always to look towards the east and in
the East is the Saints
and Christ and the victory that we have
in him exemplified in the person of in
this case of Anthony but of any of the
Saints with all of their different
stories and and and lives you know and
you don't get all these details in the
icon of St Anthony it's just his person
he is standing and he is raising his
hands to Heaven as a person who has
become entirely prayer this is the icon
carus is talking about it's how an
iconographer named Theodore painted St
Anthony in his own Monastery St Anthony
is in the oron's pose standing with
hands stretched in prayer this is
another early monastic portrait from the
monastery of Apollo abait painted around
the 6th or 7th Century oddly enough
those are not the most common depictions
of St Anthony this is where the Elder
Anthony holds a staff or a cross and
parchment on it you'll sometimes find
one of the sayings but often it's the
life-changing verse from Matthew if you
want to be perfect go sell what you have
and give to the poor at this point I
should be inspired Anthony is great many
over the course of history found him
great and he's had great impact on Art
and
monasticism but but I still feel like
something's missing I should just go
forward and make the carving
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now okay new plan maybe the question
isn't what made him great but what made
him
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saintly let's get the obvious out of the
way a lot of what we know about demonic
warfare and how to deal with it comes
from San Anthony even the small stuff
that you likely take for granted like
doing the sign of the cross one under
attack are you tired of those pky demons
wreaking havoc in your life well threat
not dear listeners introducing the
ultimate defense against the forces of
Darkness the ancient ant tested methods
of prayer fasting and clinging to
Christ before the life of Anthony
knowledge of demonic warfare was a vague
topic without specifics the life of
Anthony has more than a handful of
visions that detail how the demons can
appear in tempt it also has a huge
section in the middle specifically on
demonic warfare Anthony tells his
disciples how demons try to deceive us
he shares how we can defend ourselves
and how they're quite powerless if
you're armed with strong faith in the
Lord other writers who came after and
talked about this topic like John
Cassian and evagrius were likely
inspired by the Insight of ABA antthony
this is a big deal in terms of his
influence on Christian spirituality but
to me it's still a surface level lesson
from St
Anthony it's not a stretch to say
Anthony is one of the greatest examples
in Christianity in contending with
demons and while we all have Warfare
we're not all experiencing it at the
same level he is and while I was tempted
to find other things that he invented or
created or things he came up with what
got my attention was the exact opposite
it's the fact that all of his
spirituality leads back to scripture s
Anthony may have popularized monastic
living in the desert but the concept
itself is strongly rooted in the Bible
in scripture Elijah Ventures into the
desert and the Lord provides for him to
eat in scripture Moses meets God in the
desert it's also where Christ starts his
ministry and confronts the devil and
it's where John the Baptist goes to
start preaching the coming of the
lord it's no secret that Antony's
response to the Bible verse is
exceptional it's one of the first
lessons that will pop out at you when
you hear the life but at face value it
seems less impressive someone listens to
a verse and changes their entire life
okay A bit extreme and so what in a
vacuum it's it's actually a bit OD but
when you throw in the life of Anthony
his letters and sayings this response to
scripture H very different life of
Anthony is about 94 written paragraphs
those contain 400 references to the
Bible his seven short letters too have
over a 100 biblical
references this is me highlighting
verses in one of his letters I can't
even string two verses in a given
sentence and still keep it coherent and
this is during a time when having a
printed Bible was a very rare privilege
he likely only had access to a book or
two of the Bible but look out how deeply
entrenched scripture is in his writings
never mind that look at how alive and
impactful it is in his day-to-day his
actions speech and thoughts this all
it's hardest when you consider that you
and I have the entirety of the Bible at
our fingertips at all times the Bible
wasn't just a book for these desert
Aesthetics they quite literally lived it
and to them true understanding of
scripture comes from practice and lived
experience
and that's why something even as simple
as the question novice asked their ABA
what can I do to be saved Echoes the
same question the Young Rich Man asked
Christ in Matthew 19 which is exactly
what a few monks asked St Anthony how
are we to be saved the old man said
you've heard the scriptures that should
teach you how but they insisted we want
to hear from you too father his response
is hilarious he says the gospel says if
anyone strikes you on One Cheek turn to
him the other also they said we can't do
that he said if you cannot offer the
other cheek at least allow one cheek to
be struck we can't do that either so he
said if you're not able to do that don't
return evil for evil and they said we
can't do that either then the old man
said if you can't do this or that what
can I do for you what you need is
prayers when asked to give wisdom
outside of the Bible Anthony just
casually recited the Bible as if to
subtly say say this is the way
everything he did stemmed from that
obedience obedience to the Commandments
of God revealed in the Bible to him the
ultimate goal was friendship and Union
with God in his first letter he says
first the body is purified by much
fasting by many vigils and prayers and
by the service which makes a man to be
straightened in body cutting off from
himself all the lust of the Flesh and
the spirit of repentance has made his
guide in these things and test him by
means of them lest the enemy should turn
him back again then the spirit that is
his guide begins to Open the Eyes of his
soul to give to it also repentance that
it may be purified he's saying things
like fasting prayer vigils and
aestheticism are not the goal they never
are on their own they don't lead to
Union with God what they do is purify
the body and prepare the soul for the
work of the holy spirit this work leads
to self- knowledge and Union or
friendship with God the work of the
spirit is how he also receed the gift of
discernment it's how Anthony was able to
overcome the demons and see through
their trickery in one story he was
walking through the desert and saw a
tray of gold laying on the sand anyone
else would have checked it out maybe
even picked it up and used the gold to
help the poor even but Anthony saw right
through it he knew that this was a
vision from the demons a trick a
Temptation because who would leave a
tray of gold neatly laid in the sand in
a way s Anthony's entire life as a
testament to the work of the spirit in
us but I found the most interesting part
in anony spirituality is how he
described virtue in the life of Anthony
he says when you hear virtue mentioned
don't be afraid of it nor treat it as a
foreign word really it's not far from us
nor is its home apart from us no the
thing is within us and its
accomplishment is easy if we but have
the will Greeks go abroad and cross the
sea to study letters but we have no need
to go abroad for the Kingdom of Heaven
Nor to cross the sea to obtain virtue
the Lord has told us in advance the
Kingdom of Heaven is within you virtue
therefore has need only of our will
since it's within us and Springs from
us he goes on to say that virtue by
Nature belongs to the soul it's Vice
that's foreign to us in letter five he
says
unless each one of you hate all Earthly
possession and renounce all its works
with all your heart and stretch out the
hands of your heart to heaven to the
father of all you can't be saved if you
do what I've said God will have pity
upon your labor and grant you that
invisible fire which will burn up all
impurity from you and your principal
spirit will be purified and then the
holy spirit will dwell in you and Jesus
will abide with you and so you shall be
able to worship God as you ought this
point of view was eye opening for me on
the outside all we see is the ugliness
of sin we think we have to paint it
beautifully as we become more loving or
work against our Humanity to gain more
patience but it's the opposite if we
turn to God the spirit Works in us to
burn the ugly exterior The Old Man and
reveal the beautiful virtuous nature on
the inside you are kind honest humble
patient
it's who you really are what Anthony is
doing is not something that is
impossible he's not proposing something
that's
not and that in the sayings he himself
is Mindful and he's actually reminded by
God that the particular character of his
life as a monastic is not even
necessarily the highest life so um as
he's told you know there's a doctor in
Alexandria who you know sits with the
angels every day um but is engaged in
the most intense practical work of so um
one of the things that I think can be
very compelling for people is to is to
abandon the idea that there is simply a
radical um dissociation between the
world of say late Antiquity and the
world of the 21st century in fact if it
if if anything the world seem to be
paralleling one another more and more
intensely in terms of political
instability certainties things that we
thought were certain no longer being
certain gnosticism I think our
relationship to the body in the 21 Cy to
Echo in many ways I think a lot of the
things that that I actually think
certainly PA but I but I think enony is
actually very much working against
Athletics I've read s Anthony's life his
letters his sayings I looked at every
art piece and icon I can find of him all
to try and discover who Anthony really
is but I was looking at it from the
wrong perspect
perspective been making this video for
about a year now I know but the more I
look at the big picture the simpler the
answer
becomes Anthony is
Anthony he was just being himself he
wasn't driven by Ambitions of founding
monasticism or claiming a fatherhood of
monks he just obeyed the Commandments of
Christ in the quiet Whispers of
scriptures he found purpose that's why
was able to weave it into his writings
with depth matching theological giants
like origin and
athanasius he didn't set out to be the
example of contending with demons but by
being true to himself he grew a spirit
of discernment drawing the attention of
the very forces he contended with he was
an anti- Aran to establish himself as an
authority in the church or as a favor to
his friend
athanasius he knew God from personal
experience and understood that Aras did
not he knew God he knew that his victory
in that empty tomb was Christ's he knew
that only God can descend into the abyss
of our souls and bind the demons that
plague us truth is it wasn't from any
writings letters teachings or art that
Anthony became known it was from his
devotion towards God that is the
greatest thing about St
Anthony
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oh
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if you've stuck around this far thank
you thank you I really appreciate it if
you enjoyed it share it with a friend
share it with your Sunday school chat
group clergy any servant you have in
mind and anyone who might find it useful
this documentary took a long time to
make hundreds of hours and a lot of love
it takes a lot of time and resources to
craft something like this so please
support if you'd like to see more of it
I'm thinking we do the history of
monasticism next throw pom and macaris
into the fault if you'd like to buy the
ascent of Anthony limited print the
desert father's shirt or my St Anthony
book for children head over to the store
every dollar you spend on Creative
Orthodox items goes right back into
telling stories I've got lots of people
think for this one my wife and family
for putting up my random deep Dives my
friend Tony for countless of hours
working on the content and structure
Christopher KIRO and many more pray for
me and I'll see you next
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time
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