Saint Antony His Life and Sayings

"Antony was a physician given by God to Egypt, for whoever went to him sad at heart and did not come back rejoicing?  Whoever went mourning and did not right away lay aside his grief?  Whoever went angry and did not have his anger changed to friendship?  What poor person in his despair went to meet him and did not come away comforted in his poverty?  What monk, losing heart, went to him and did not instead become stronger?  Whoever came to him tempted by a demon and did not find relief?  And whoever came to him troubled by hid thoughts and did not have his mind calmed"?  (From the 'Life of Antony' by Athanasius of Alexandria)

The Life of Antony was authored by the illustrious Alexandrian Patriarch Saint Athanasius, who was greatly inspired by Saint Antony and often spent times of retreat learning from him.  Originally written in Greek, it was soon translated into Latin and circulated widely throughout the Empire; hence becoming the world's reference on monasticism not only for his generation but also for all those succeeding.

The Sayings of Abba Antony are a collection of anecdotes and rules often given to younger monks and novices on ascetical life and Christian behavior, that have been attributed to Saint Antony from the collection of the 'Sayings of the Desert Fathers.'  Though predominantly of Coptic origin, these 'Sayings' were collected and compiled sometime around the 7th century and translated into Latin, Greek, and Syriac.