The Monastery of Saint Anthony is a Coptic Orthodox monastery standing in an oasis in the Eastern Desert of Egypt, in the southern part of the Suez Governorate. Hidden deep in the Red Sea mountains, it is located 334 km (208 mi) southeast of Cairo. It is one of the oldest monasteries in the world. The Monastery of Saint Anthony was established by the followers of Saint Anthony, who is considered to be the first Christian monk. The Monastery of St. Anthony is one of the most prominent monasteries in Egypt and has strongly influenced the formation of several Coptic institutions, and has promoted monasticism in general. Several patriarchs have come from the monastery, and several hundred pilgrims visit it each day.
Life of Saint Anthony
Main article: Saint Anthony the Great
Saint Anthony is a Christian saint who was born to a wealthy family in Lower Egypt around 251 C.E. He was orphaned by his parents at the age of eight years. Most of what is known about him comes from the biographical work of St. Athanasius, Vita Antoni. This biography depicts Anthony as an illiterate and holy man who through his existence in a primordial landscape has received an absolute connection to the divine truth. The moment that St. Anthony dedicated his life to God and the church was due to the words he heard from Matthew in which he was told to give up all of his belongings and seek God. At the age of 34, Anthony gave away or donated to charity all of his property and worldly possessions; he ventured into the Eastern Desert to seek a life of humility, solitude, and spiritual reflection. Saint Anthony took the words he heard in a literal sense and that is what caused him to venture into the desert to live a life of ascetism. He made his abode in a small cave where he devoutly practiced an ascetic life. Although St. Anthony was not the first monk, he attracted many followers and disciples, and is one of the fathers of modern Christian monasticism.