By Archimandrite Elpidios Vagianakis (in
greek)
SAINT ANTHONY THE GREAT
FOUNDER OF
CHRISTIAN MONASTICISM
(Commemorated on January
17th)
HIS
CHILDHOOD YEARS
Saint Anthony was born in 251 A.D. in Koma, a small village in south Memphis in
Egypt near the banks of the Nile River, during the era of the Roman Emperor
Decius, a notorious persecutor of Christians.
His parents were rather wealthy but also
devout Christians. By his nature little Anthony was an extremely sweet, polite,
and humble child. Everyone loved him as their own child for the goodness and
respect which he showed to all people.
He loved everyone, even the most scorned
person. Whenever Anthony saw a poor, orphaned or sick child, he was inclined to
assist them.
Even though he was so young, his words
were full of wisdom and prudence.
But what most impressed everyone and made
them refer to him as a child of God was his great devotion and tender love
towards Jesus Christ. Whenever he spoke of Him, his heart would burn like lava
in a volcano.
His greatest joy was attending divine
services with his beloved parents in their small village church. There, he
would listen carefully to the reading of the Gospels, which he had an eager
desire to follow and apply precisely in his life.
