St. Antony of Egypt: The Holy Life and Teachings of the First Desert Father

Saint Antony of Egypt tells the remarkable life story of the desert holy man whose experiences, sermons, and writings formed the basis of Christian monasticism. The first work on Saint Antony (born in Egypt in AD 250) for a general audience, this book includes a biography, sayings, letters, and a copy of the monastic rule - still in use today in Near East monastic communities - of this influential mystic and spiritual teacher. Saint Antony's story is both edifying and entertaining, recording not only his private austerities and devotions but also his worldly encounters with emperors, bishops, heretics, hermits, wild beasts, Greek philosophers, and, most famously, the devil himself in dozens of forms.