What's so GREAT about Antony the Great?

Summary

This 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

00:00

🤔 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.

05:02

📚 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.

10:04

🎨 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.

15:06

🏞️ 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.

20:08

🛡️ 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.

25:10

🌅 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.

30:10

🔍 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.

Keywords

💡St Anthony

St Anthony, also known as Anthony the Great, is a central figure in the video, celebrated as the father of monks and a significant influence in Christian monasticism and spirituality. He is depicted as a man who deeply embraced the teachings of the Bible, lived a life of asceticism, and contended with demons, becoming a symbol of spiritual warfare and virtue. The video explores his life, teachings, and the impact he had on art and monastic practices.

💡Monasticism

Monasticism refers to the religious practice of living as a monk, typically in a monastery, and is a key theme in the video. It is exemplified by the life of St Anthony, who chose to live in solitude and seclusion to focus on his spiritual journey. The video discusses the growth of monasticism following Anthony's example and how it became a widespread movement with deep roots in Christian tradition.

💡Demonic Warfare

Demonic warfare is a concept that describes the spiritual struggle against evil forces or temptations, as depicted in the video through the life of St Anthony. It is a significant aspect of his narrative, illustrating the battles he faced against demons in his quest for spiritual purity. The video also explores how Anthony's experiences and teachings on this topic influenced later Christian thought and practice.

💡Scripture

Scripture, in the context of the video, refers to the Holy Bible and its profound influence on St Anthony's life and teachings. The video emphasizes how deeply embedded scripture was in Anthony's writings and actions, and how he used biblical references to guide his spiritual journey and to instruct his followers. His obedience to biblical commandments is highlighted as a cornerstone of his spiritual life.

💡Asceticism

Asceticism is the practice of self-denial and is a key aspect of St Anthony's life as portrayed in the video. It involves rigorous discipline and often withdrawal from worldly pleasures to focus on spiritual growth. Anthony's move to the desert, his fasting, and his renunciation of material possessions exemplify the ascetic lifestyle that he embraced and that became a hallmark of Christian monasticism.

💡Desert Fathers and Mothers

The Desert Fathers and Mothers were early Christian hermits, anchorites, and monks who lived in the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, and Syria. The video mentions the 'Sayings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers,' a collection of wisdom and teachings passed down from these spiritual figures, highlighting their influence on Christian monasticism and the legacy of St Anthony.

💡St Athanasius

St Athanasius is a significant figure in the video, known for writing the biography 'Life of Anthony,' which became instrumental in spreading St Anthony's teachings and influence. The video discusses how Athanasius' portrayal of Anthony as a heroic figure battling demons and heresies contributed to Anthony's legacy and the perception of monastic life.

💡Heresies

Heresies, in the context of the video, refer to beliefs or views that are contrary to the orthodox teachings of the Christian church. The video mentions several heresies, such as Arianism, that St Anthony and St Athanasius opposed. Anthony's stance against these heresies is part of his legacy as a defender of Christian orthodoxy.

💡Virtue

Virtue, as discussed in the video, is a moral quality considered to be inherently good and is something that St Anthony emphasized in his teachings. He described virtue as something that is within us and can be cultivated through our will and the work of the Holy Spirit. The video highlights how Anthony's understanding of virtue was rooted in the belief that our true nature is virtuous and that sin is the deviation from this norm.

💡Spiritual Discernment

Spiritual discernment is the ability to distinguish between good and evil, truth and deception, especially in matters of the spirit. The video illustrates how St Anthony developed this gift through his deep faith and contemplative life, enabling him to see through the deceptions of demons and to guide others on their spiritual journeys.

💡Iconography

Iconography in the video refers to the artistic representation of religious figures, such as St Anthony, in icons or paintings. The video discusses various depictions of St Anthony in art, from the vivid and chaotic scenes of his temptations to the serene and prayerful poses that emphasize his spiritual victory and devotion.

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

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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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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