Anthony the Hermit
Encyclopedia
Anthony the Hermit also known as Antony of Lérins, is a Christian
saint
. Anthony was born in Italy
in the late 5th century, and raised from the age of eight by his relative St. Severinus. Upon the death of Severinus, Anthony was sent to Germany
and put in the care of his uncle, German bishop
Constatius of Lorsch.
In 488, at about 20 years of age, Anthony returned to Italy to take up an eremitic life
. He was eventually joined by numerous disciples
and chose to seek greater solitude in Gaul
.
At Lérins
, Anthony continued his life as a monk
and became well known for his holiness, although he resided there only two years before he died.
Anthony the Hermit is commemorated
on 28 December by the Western Rite Orthodox
and in the Roman Catholic Church
.http://www.catholiconline.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=146
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
. Anthony was born in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in the late 5th century, and raised from the age of eight by his relative St. Severinus. Upon the death of Severinus, Anthony was sent to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and put in the care of his uncle, German bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Constatius of Lorsch.
In 488, at about 20 years of age, Anthony returned to Italy to take up an eremitic life
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
. He was eventually joined by numerous disciples
Disciple (Christianity)
In Christianity, the disciples were the students of Jesus during his ministry. While Jesus attracted a large following, the term disciple is commonly used to refer specifically to "the Twelve", an inner circle of men whose number perhaps represented the twelve tribes of Israel...
and chose to seek greater solitude in Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
.
At Lérins
Lérins Abbey
Lérins Abbey is a Cistercian monastery on the island of Saint-Honorat, one of the Lérins Islands, on the French Riviera, with an active monastic community....
, Anthony continued his life as a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
and became well known for his holiness, although he resided there only two years before he died.
Anthony the Hermit is commemorated
Calendar of saints
The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the feast day of said saint...
on 28 December by the Western Rite Orthodox
Western Rite Orthodoxy
Western Rite Orthodoxy or Western Orthodoxy or Orthodox Western Rite are terms used to describe congregations and groups which are in communion with Eastern Orthodox Churches or Oriental Orthodox Churches using traditional Western liturgies rather than adopting Eastern liturgies such as the Divine...
and in the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
.http://www.catholiconline.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=146