Saint Who?
Saints Who Were Close to Nature
Saint Anthony the Great
Abbot († 356) Feast: January 17
One of the greatest saints in the history of the Church—Saint Anthony the Abbot—has long been considered a patron saint of animals. But why?
Anthony was born into a wealthy family in Egypt. Although Christianity was illegal at the time, his parents were devout Catholics. When they died, Anthony gave away his inheritance, entrusted his younger sister to some consecrated virgins, and walked into the Egyptian desert. During the rest of his long life, he prayed, fasted, and fought demonic temptations in the wilderness. He worked with his hands to support himself, taught other men how to live as he did, and eventually founded a monastery.
Paintings of Anthony often show him accompanied by a pig. One tradition says this shows that Anthony had conquered the devil, who is sometimes depicted as a pig. Another tradition says that Anthony’s prayers cured not only people but also a pig, who loyally followed the holy man afterwards. But perhaps the answer is simpler. Anthony spent eight decades living in the desert, surrounded by scorpions and snakes, insects and camels, rats and wild cats. To survive in such an environment for so long, he made peace with the wild animals around him and even learned to see God—and understand lessons about good and evil—in the wilderness.
Almighty God, grant us the grace
to reject sin and seek holiness.
