{"id":42777,"date":"2017-02-05T11:06:02","date_gmt":"2017-02-05T09:06:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/site\/?p=42777"},"modified":"2017-02-09T09:58:13","modified_gmt":"2017-02-09T07:58:13","slug":"%d9%85%d8%b5%d8%b1-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ad%d9%84%d9%88%d8%a9-192-%d8%ad%d9%83%d9%8a%d9%85-%d8%ac%d8%af%d8%a7%d9%8b-522017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/%d9%85%d8%b5%d8%b1-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ad%d9%84%d9%88%d8%a9-192-%d8%ad%d9%83%d9%8a%d9%85-%d8%ac%d8%af%d8%a7%d9%8b-522017\/","title":{"rendered":"Beautiful Egypt 192 \u2013 The True Sage \u2013 February 5, 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u00a0 \u00a0In the previous article, we started tackling the life of St. Anthony who was the first to set the rules of monasticism. Ever since, his life has become a role model for everybody to follow. St. Anthony became the Father of Monks of the whole world.<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0Anthony was born in Beni Sweif. Before he was twenty, he decided to go to the wilderness. For a while, he lived in a tomb. Then, he went to a deserted fortress where he spent twenty years.<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0As the Romans persecuted the Copts, St. Anthony yearned for martyrdom. So, he went to Alexandria to stay with the tortured as well as those who plunged into martyrdom for Christ. He kept saying, \u201cWe struggle with those who were called, and experience death with strugglers.\u201d<\/span> At that time, he yearned for pain and martyrdom. So, he used to serve the tortured, especially the guardians of the quarries.<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0Likewise, he used to hurry to the martyrs to strengthen them during their trials. He would accompany them until their martyrdom. Many a time was he warned by rulers and judges against staying with the martyrs. Pope Athanasius the Apostolic writes, \u201cSt. Anthony never heeded those warnings: for no monk was allowed to attend trials or stay in the city. He seemed sad for not attaining martyrdom. But God preserved him for our and others\u2019 benefit.\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0However, his martyrdom wish was not fulfilled. So, he returned to his cell after the bitter persecution which ended in the martyrdom of Pope Peter (Botrous), the 17th<\/sup> patriarch who was also known as the \u201cSeal of Martyrs\u201d. It is said that during that era, St. Anthony was hosted by his friend, the scholar, Didymus the Blind, the head of Alexandria Theological Seminary.<\/span><\/h2>\n

Back to the Wilderness<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0St. Anthony returned to his ascetic life. He was stricter than ever in his fasting and prayers which he never ceased to practice. He dressed up very simply. At that time, he was visited by many people who yearned to listen to his teachings. Also, the sick came over to seek healing. St. Anthony thought these matters swayed him from his prayers. They also had the threat of vanity due to healing the sick. So, he decided to go farther in the eastern desert with some nomads. Then, he reached a high mountain which had fresh water and some palm trees. He stayed there, and the nomads used to bring him bread.<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0After a while, his children got to know where their father Anthony was. They brought him some bread at that place. Seeing how weary they were, he planted some wheat to make bread with. He also planted some legumes for the monks who used to visit him to seek some rest as well.<\/span><\/h2>\n

Leaving the Wilderness Once More<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0During the tenure of Pope Athanasius the Apostolic, St. Anthony went to Alexandria, escorted by some monks, to support the Pope, declaring the falsehood of Arius\u2019 doctrines and calling for the correct teaching. In Alexandria, Egyptians and Greeks crowded to see St. Anthony, having heard of his piety and virtue. How virtuous he was! However, he hurried to the mountains.<\/span><\/h2>\n

Wisdom<\/span> <\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0St. Anthony was not that well-educated. He never spoke but Coptic. Yet, he was very wise. Many philosophers tried to test his wisdom and understanding, only to discover his great wisdom and true humility. It came to pass that two Greek philosophers tried to test him and know his potential. So, they went to him. No sooner had he met them than he asked them (through a translator), \u201cWhy should you exhaust yourself that much for an ignorant man?\u201d They answered, \u201cIt\u2019s not an ignorant man, but a true sage.\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n

Fame<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0St. Anthony forsook worldly glory, considering himself dead and seeking seclusion. However, his story and fame became known to kings and renowned people, among whom was Emperor Constantine and his sons who sent him a message asking for his prayers. He replied to the message, advising them to seek salvation, forsake worldly glory, remember that the wicked will be condemned, and care for the pious and the needy. Kings used to rejoice with St. Anthony\u2019s writing to them.<\/span><\/h2>\n

Courage<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0Having forsaken the world to inhabit the wilderness, he never feared saying the truth. There was a cruel commander called Vlacius who persecuted the Copts for rejecting Arius\u2019 teachings. St. Anthony sent him a message, telling him. \u201cI saw your wrath. Do stop persecuting Christians, for you will soon make amends for your cruelty.\u201d The commander tore up St. Anthony\u2019s message, threw it on the floor, and swore at the messenger. Then he sent St. Anthony a threat, saying, \u201cI\u2019ll come to you for you care about monks.\u201d However, he never did so, as he died eight days later!<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0St. Anthony cared for all the souls that resorted to him, even those who came from foreign countries, seeking his help and guidance. He was a true father who loved everybody. In fact, whoever looked at him felt comfortable. One day, three brothers visited him. Two kept asking him questions, while the third remained silent. When St. Anthony asked him about the reason for his silence, the latter answered, \u201cIt is enough to look at your face, father.\u201d Also, while he was talking to Didymus the Blind, St. Anthony asked him thrice, \u201cAren\u2019t you sad for your blindness?\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0St. Didymus answered, saying that he was sad indeed. However, St. Anthony said, \u201cI am surprised at your sadness for what you have in common with lowliest animals which sense nothing except through eyesight. You are not happy for the insight which God does not grant, save to His cherishers. He granted you two spiritual eyes like the angels\u2019 which with you see spiritual things. Even more, through them, you recognize God\u2019s greatness. His light shines before you and annihilates any darkness in your heart.\u201d These words comforted Didymus throughout his life.<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0All what was said of him was true: \u201cHe used to give advice to the troubled, and warn whoever sat to him against condemnation. He would encourage them to beatify whoever forsook the world. He used to protect the wronged for he felt he was pained, not they. Everybody benefited by him. So much so that many rich people and soldiers forsook the burdens of life and became monks. It was as if he was the physician sent by God to Egypt: He used to comfort sad people so they return happy. He would condole whoever mourned a dead person. He would also convert people\u2019s wrath to love, their misery and poverty to disdain for riches and pride in poverty. Any monk who was remiss and visited St. Anthony became stronger than ever. Any youth who saw him denied himself and sought chastity. Any person tortured by demons was relieved by St. Anthony. Any frustrated person would be pacified by St. Anthony. Any person troubled by evil thoughts would be calmed down by St. Anthony.\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0St. Anthony met St. Paula, the first hermit before his departure. St. Paula enshrouded and buried him. He also transferred his biography to us.<\/span><\/h2>\n

His Departure<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0Before his departure, he told his disciples to hide his body and give St. Makarius his staff, Pope Athanasius his cloak, and bishop Serapion his leather cloak. As for his hair cloak, he bequeathed it to his two disciples. His departure made everybody feel they lost their caring father. The mere mention of his name, however, comforted them. They kept his advice in their minds: for he used to motivate them to live piously and righteously. All the world\u2019s churches celebrate St. Anthony in January.<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0Throughout history, Egypt has given the world all sorts of knowledge. By the end of the third century, she gave it the rules of monasticism which flourished in the fourth century with the spreading of hundreds of monasteries and thousands of cells and caves therein. Indeed, stories never end in Beautiful Egypt.<\/span><\/h2>\n

General Bishop<\/span><\/h2>\n

Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center<\/span><\/h2>\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 \u00a0In the previous article, we started tackling the life of St. Anthony who was the first to set the rules of monasticism. Ever since, his life has become a role model for everybody to follow. St. Anthony became the Father of Monks of the whole world. \u00a0 \u00a0Anthony was born in Beni Sweif. Before […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":19638,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[6391,6389,7511,14114,7489,682],"class_list":["post-42777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","tag-almasry-alyoum","tag-beautiful-egypt","tag-the-true-sage","tag-14114","tag-7489","tag-682"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42777"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42777"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42777\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42863,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42777\/revisions\/42863"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19638"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42777"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42777"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42777"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}