St. Anthony of the Desert

Today, we celebrate the Feast Day of St. Anthony of the Desert, also known as St. Anthony the Great. Born into a life of privilege, Anthony’s life took a transformative turn at the age of 20, following the death of his parents. He was profoundly moved by the words of Jesus in Matthew 19:21: “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Unlike the rich young ruler in the Gospel, Anthony responded with radical faith—he sold all he had and retreated into the desert to follow Christ.
In the solitude of the desert, Anthony engaged in a profound spiritual battle, confronting Satan through prayer, fasting, and a rigorous ascetic life. This path of surrender led him to a deep union with Jesus, setting a timeless example of holiness.
St. Anthony’s life also had a significant influence on the broader Christian world. His holiness inspired a young bishop named Athanasius, who later became one of the Church’s great defenders against the heresy of Arianism, which denied the full divinity of Jesus. Athanasius documented Anthony’s life in The Life of Anthony, a work that not only solidified Anthony’s legacy but also inspired great saints such as St. Augustine, St. Jerome, and St. Benedict.
Reflecting on Anthony’s life through art offers us a rich perspective. In 2023, I had the blessing of viewing Hieronymus Bosch’s The Temptation of St. Anthony at the Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain.1 Bosch’s painting portrays the spiritual struggles Anthony faced, reminding us of the relentless nature of temptation and its ability to disguise itself in unexpected forms. Yet, through fasting and prayer, the painting conveys the hope of spiritual triumph and mastery over sin.
Another artistic depiction of Anthony’s trials is found in Michelangelo’s The Torment of St. Anthony, believed to be his earliest known painting, created when he was just 12 or 13 years old. This work, inspired by Martin Schongauer’s engraving, is one of only four surviving panel paintings by Michelangelo and is housed at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. This youthful masterpiece reflects both the physical and spiritual challenges Anthony endured, a testament to the saint’s enduring inspiration across generations.
O God, who brought the Abbot Saint Anthony to serve you by a wondrous way of life in the desert, grant, through his intercession, that, denying ourselves, we may always love you above all things.
Mass Collect on the Feast Day of St. Anthony
As we reflect on the life of St. Anthony, let us turn to him in prayer, asking for his intercession in our own journey toward surrendering to God and living a life of holiness. May his example of unwavering faith and ascetic devotion inspire us to detach from worldly distractions and focus on the treasures of heaven. Through his prayers, may we find the strength to persevere in the face of temptation, grow in virtue, and deepen our union with Christ. St. Anthony, pray for us.
Bosch’s original painting of the Temptation of St. Anthony is a triptych at Museo Nacional de Arte Antiga (National Museum of Ancient Art) in Lisbon, Portugal. The painting located at the Prado is a smaller, single panel copy of the original.