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+ Father Domadious and the church congregation would like to congratulate Mr. Samir Hanna and his family for the birth of his first granddaughter. May the LORD bless her and grant her good health.
Saint Anthony
The trailblazer, the leader, the striver, the role model:
Saint Anthony is greatly regarded in the Ecumenical Church in general and in our Coptic Church in particular.
He is the trailblazer because he is the father and the first of all monks; he was the father of a particular idea that spread in every place; as his holiness Pope Shenouda says: he was one who initiated a new path, a path difficult and beautiful and no one preceded him. Many monks in the thousands and millions filled the world throughout the ages but Saint Anthony the first monk in the world has a distinguished place because he was the first one to travel that path and the first one to establish its order and its lifestyle and the first one to explain it to the people and acquaint them with it; when he initiated the path of monasticism there were no feet that preceded him in that field before.
Also he is the leader. Since nobody preceded him, he found nobody to lead him or guide him except God Whose voice he knew and always distinguished; he led and guided others and all the leaders of monasticism in Egypt were his disciples like Saint Amon the founder of the monasteries of Nitrea and the great Saint Macarius the trailblazer of monasticism in the Natroon valley; also Saint Sisoy one of the fathers of the eastern mountain and also Saint Paul the simple and Saint Bisarion and Saint Serabion; also Saint Benooda the head of El-Fayoom monasteries was his disciple; also Saint Ilareon who spread monasticism in Syria and Palestine; also some Patriarchs like Saint Athanasius the Apostolic were his disciples.
Also he is the striver. During the persecution, Saint Anthony took part in the strife against the persecution that befell the Christians during the reign of the emperors Galerus and Maximianus, and during the patriarchate of Pope Botros “the seal of the martyrs”; he took some of his monks in his company and headed towards Alexandria to encourage the believers and alleviate their pains or to obtain the crown of martyrdom.
The fight against the heresies: during Arius’ heresy, Saint Anthony was beyond 100 years old and he went to Alexandria to keep the believers steadfast in the Orthodox faith and the word of teaching flowed from his mouth supported by his holiness and miracles and the trust of people in him. He is the man of God and what he says are words from God.
Also he is the role model : the life of Saint Anthony had a wondrous effect wherever it became known; he was a role model to his disciples and to those surrounding him; his life was new and not previously known to the world ; he gave the world a new picture of an unfamiliar life ritual; people from very distant lands came to see this new life; in his time, the mere look at him was a marvel that brought joy to the heart; his life in silence was a sermon that attracted many to him.
After his departure in 356 A.D., Pope Athanasius the Apostolic wrote his biography and carried it with him during his exile in Treve (France); this biography ignited the monastic desire in western Europe and it was a blessing in the life of many, among them was Saint Augustine who stated in his confessions, that when he heard the biography of Saint Anthony, he looked at himself and at his moral life with disdain and abhorrence and this made him change the course of his life.
Saint Anthony remains a role model in the spiritual life for millions.
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