Monday, January 17
Illustration, second from Left: The Torment of St. Anthony, Michelangelo. 1487.
ST. ANTHONY THE GREAT (Anthony Abbot) (Egypt, 251-356)
Coptic monk and abbot, Father of Monasticism
Just as St. Jerome wrote the biography of Anthony's great contemporary, St. Paul the Hermit, St. Athanasius wrote Anthony's,
which led to spreading the concept of monasticism in Europe. Born to wealthy parents, he decided at age 34 to give up all his
wealth and live an ascetic life. He was the first to do this in the wilderness, spending 13 years in the desert the first time
around. He would return to such solitude in later periods of his life, once as long as 20 years, where hw was said to have
fought monumental battles with the devil. The 'temptations of St. Anthony' became the subject for many paintings through the
centuries. With his reputation for prayer and personal mortification, he attracted many people to him for spiritual healing and
guidance. At age 54, he founded a monastery for which he drew rules based on 'ora et labora' anticipating the famous Rule of
Benedict of Norcia centuries later. In his 70s, Athanasius enlisted him to defend the faith against the Arian heresy. He
attended the First Ecumenical Council at Nicea in 325 A.D. to present this defense. He visited Paul the Hermit one year before
the latter's death, and buried him later. He himself died at age 105 in his beloved monastery (still an active one, it is located
in the Eastern Desert of Egypt, about 100 miles southeast of Cairo; extreme right photo in the panel).
Readings for today's Mass: www.usccb.org/nab/readings/011711.shtml
PAPAL EVENTS TODAY
The Holy Father met today with
- Madame Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)
- The community of the Pontificio Istituto Ecclesiastico Polacco in Rome on teh 100th anniversary of its foundation.
Address in Italian.
- Members of the Neo-Catechumenal Way. Address in Italian.
One year ago today, Benedict XVI visited the Great Synagogue of Rome, his third visit to a synagogue.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 17/01/2011 16:09]