250-Born Middle Egypt
Hermit and first Christian monk who was to become the founder and father of Christian monasticism. A disciple of Paul of Thebes.
270-Anthony began to practice an ascetic life.
285-Withdrew to a mountain by the Nile called Pispir (now Dayr al-May-Mun).
305-He emerged from his retreat to instruct and organise the monastic life of the hermits who imitated him and had established themselves nearby.
The early monks who followed St Anthony into the desert considered themselves the vanguard of Gods Army, Fasting and performing other ascetic practices, they attempted to engage hosts of demons who often appeared as temptresses in various sensual guises. Rejecting the visual or auditory temptations, the monks believed that they were helping to defeat the forces of evil.
313-When Christian persecution ended in the Edict of Milan, he moved to a mountain in the Eastern Desert, between the Nile and the Red Sea, where the monastery Der Mar Antonios still stands.
Here he remained, receiving visitors and , on occasion, crossing the desert to Pispir. He ventured Twice to Alexandria.
Anthony's spiritual combats with the hosts of evil made his life one long struggle with the devil. St Athanasius of Alexandria, says that Anthony was first tempted by thoughts of family joys and duties and of the difficulty of his chosen life, but the devil, finally finding argument useless and hoping to arouse Anthony the pride of success, appeared as a cringing black boy admitting that he had been defeated by the Saint. At times the devil appeared in the guise of a monk bringing bread during his fasts, or in the form of wild beasts, women, or soldiers, sometimes beating the saint and leaving him in a deathly state. Anthony endured many such attacks, and those who witnessed them were convinced they were real. Every vision conjured up by Satan was repelled by Anthony's fervid prayer and penitential acts. So exotic were the visions and so steadfast was Anthony's endurance that the subject of his temptations has often been used in literature and art, notably in the paintings of Hieronymus Bosch, Matthias Grunewald, and Max Ernst.
From these psychic struggles Anthony emerged as the sane and sensible Father of Christian monachism. The monastic rule that bears his name was compiled from writings and discourses attributed to him in the life of St Anthony (by Athanasius) and the Apophthegmata patrum.
350-Went for the second and last time to Alexandria, to preach against Arianism, a heretical doctrine teaching that Christ the Son of God is not of one substance as God the Father.
355-Died probably January 17th.at the Der Mar Antonios hermitage near the Red Sea. On his death bed he claimed he had never eaten anything he had not grown.
The rule is still observed by a number of Coptic Syrian and Armenian monks. Anthony's feast day is January 17th.
In the Priory Church at Penmon Anglesey can be found a Tenth Century Cross carved with the figure of the third- century Anthony of Egypt, the first hermit saint and taken as a model by the monks and abbots of the Celtic church.