St. Antony's Journey to the Desert
When St. Anthony was on his way to the desert, the devil tried to tempt him by putting two things in his path. What were they?
1. great silver dish - this was an illusion
2. Gold - real gold
How long after St. Antony built his fort in the desert did he leave the fort for the first time?
20 years!
What is the main thing St. Anthony said that if we do, the demons will “weep and lament” when they try to distract us?
pay no heed to them
How old was St. Antony when he visited the monks in the outer mountain and predicted his death, stating that this was his last visit to them?
105
Who did St. Antony remove a devil from?
Martinian's daughter, a military man
St. Antony's acquaintances would try to come visit him when he went to the desert, where would they stay?
they would spend days and nights outside because he wouldn't let them enter
When St. Antony left the fort and was crossing the Arsentoic Canal with the brethren, what animals did they see in the canal? What did he do?
crocodiles, simply prayed and they passed over in safety
St. Anthony says that we should pray to have victory over the devil, he says do NOT pray for what
to know the future
Who did St. Anthony and his disciples see being taken up to heaven?
Amun the monk of Nitria
Why did Saint Anthony not allow the maiden from Busiris Tripolitana who he healed from her disorder to come into the mountain?
He did not want for credit to be given to him for her being healed.
How did St. Antony eat when he was in the desert?
bread loaves, let down from heaven twice a year
Embrace the solitary life
How does St. Antony explain the devil was able to do all the bad things he did to Job?
He had to ask permission from God and God oversaw Job while he was in trouble. The devil is powerless without God's permission.
A demon once appeared to St. Anthony saying: “I am the power of God and I am Providence, what dost thou wish that I shall give thee?” St. Anthony knew it was a demon, what did he do after this?
Breathed upon him and spoke the name of Christ
The monks asked St. Antony to come down to visit them, he journeyed with a few ppl and brought loaves of bread and water to drink. When they ran out, what did St. Antony do?
But...seeing that they were all in jeopardy, groaning in deep grief, departed a little way from them, and kneeling down he stretched forth his hands and prayed. And immediately the Lord made water to well forth where he had stood praying, and so all drank and were revived.
When St. Antony's acquaintances came to visit him in the desert, they heard inside his fort a lot of noise coming from inside the cave, when they made a hole to look in and see, what did they see? what was causing the noise?
Nobody, they were afraid, accounting them to be demons, and they called on Antony
St. Antony said to the the other monks when he was speaking them in “in the world everything is sold at its price, where one thing is exchanged for something else of equal value, but the promise of eternal life is bought for____”
a trifle
Heaven can be bought, and it does not take much to go to heaven if we live our life the way were built, a life free of sin. Although it’s important to note we can’t live a life truly free of sin, but we must strive to
St. Anthony says that the devil pretends to tell the future for what reason
To gain their trust that the devil may destroy them
Christ said to his disciples, “Rejoice not that the devils are subject to you, but that ___________.”
your names are written in Heaven
Whenever there is any apparition, we should ask what two things?
Who they are and where they come from
What did St. Antony tell his visitors to do regarding the demons they were hearing?
make the sign of the cross and depart
What did St. Antony look like after he left his fort for the first time? What did the people outside the fort notice about him?
he had the same habit of body as before, and was neither fat, like a man without exercise, nor lean from fasting and striving with the demons, but he was just as they had known him before his retirement.
When St. Anthony discusses the story of Job, he states: ‘recognize that the devil was not the strong man’. St. Anthony goes on to explain why the devil was weak in this situation, what does he say?
The devil was weak because he had no power to do anything, but he had to ask God permission to do all the bad things against him
Someone knocked on the door of St. Anthony’s cell and he opened and there stood someone very tall. When he asked who it is, the person replied, “I’m Satan”. Satan said “ Why do the monks and all other Christians blame me undeservedly? Why do they curse me hourly?” St. Anthony answered, “Why do you trouble them?” What was Satan’s response?
I’m not the one who troubles them, they trouble themselves, I’m weak
How were the Hyenas stopped from devouring St Antony?
'If ye have received power against me I am ready to be devoured by you; but if ye were sent against me by demons, stay not, but depart, for I am a servant of Christ.'