San Antonio Abad
Saint Anthony the Abbot was born in the town of Coma, Heracleopolis Magna, Egypt, when it was part of the Roman Empire, on January 12, 251. When he was 20 years old, he decided to sell everything he owned and gave the money to the poor. He then went to live in a nearby community to lead an ascetic life, then went to sleep in a cave he had dug for himself as a tomb.
Throughout his life he dedicated himself to helping other hermits pursue a religious life in the desert, and in the same way, he went into isolation to live completely alone. He was one of the first to found a hermit movement, and his story tells of the miracles of Saint Anthony the Abbot.
The story of his life has moments that are historical and others that fall into legend. He is said to have died at the age of 105 on January 17, 356 AD, on Mount Colzim, in Thebaid, Egypt. The most famous monasteries bearing his name are in Egypt and another in France named Saint Antonie l'Abbaye. His feast day is January 17 for both the East and West, and January 30 for the Coptic Church.
He is represented as a monk who is in the company of a pig, or who is being tempted by the devil. He is the patron saint of Menorca, of amputees, protector of animals, of those who weave baskets, of those who make brushes, of butchers, gravediggers, hermits, monks, those who work with pig farms and those who suffer from diseases such as eczema, epilepsy, ergotism, erysipelas and any skin disease.
Legend
The legend of Saint Anthony the Abbot is recounted in the accounts written by Saints Athanasius and Jerome; it is also found in the Golden Legend written by James of the Voragine, a Dominican friar from Genoa, in the 13th century. These writings narrate that he suffered constant temptations from the devil while in the desert. This is why his iconography records him suffering these temptations.
His reputation as a saint and sober man led him to a large following, and it is believed that he organized the group of hermits near Pispir and Arsinoe. For this reason, he has been considered the founder of the Christian monastic tradition. However, he never wanted to live in a community and withdrew to Mount Colzim, very close to the Red Sea, where he lived completely alone. Only once is it mentioned that he broke away from solitude, and that was in 311, when he went to Alexandria to preach against Arianism.
Saint Jerome mentions him in his work Paul the Hermit, where he recounts that Anthony went to visit Paul in the city of Thebaid. He was already quite old and taught him to lead a monastic life. It is said that a raven was the one who gave Paul food and welcomed Anthony when he gave him two pieces of bread. When Paul died, Anthony buried him, assisted by two lions and other animals.
Another of his legends is that he cured a blind female boar and her cubs, and upon seeing them, he cured them of their blindness. From that moment on, these animals remained close to him and defended him from any type of attack from other wild or poisonous animals.
Relics and their Monastic Order
As we mentioned, it is said that he died at the age of 105 and that before passing away, he ordered that his remains be laid to rest in an unmarked tomb. However, around the year 561, all his relics were transferred to the city of Alexandria, where they began to be venerated until the mid-XNUMXth century, when they were brought to Constantinople.
The Order of the Knights of the Hospital of Saint Anthony was founded in his name, and they adopted his image as their patron saint. He is depicted wearing the black habit of the Hospitallers and carrying a tau, or Egyptian cross. When Constantinople was conquered, his relics were taken to a French province called Dauphiné, where they rested in an abbey that would later be named Saint Antoine en Viennois.
Their order's principles were the care and attention of sick people, those suffering from contagions such as plague, scabies, leprosy, sexually transmitted diseases, ergotism, or shingles. These brothers were stationed along the Way of St. James, on the outskirts of large cities, where they could care for infected pilgrims.
The robes worn by this order consist of a tunic made of sackcloth with a hood and a Tau cross, reminiscent of the Templars. In the Middle Ages, pigs were left in the streets to be fed by the people. Their meat was then used to feed the sick in hospitals or sold to raise money to care for them.
Iconography of San Antonio Abad
He is usually depicted as an old man in a black robe with a pig at his feet. In others, he is depicted suffering temptations; the most famous of these was painted by Hieronymus Bosch and is now in Lisbon. Diego Rivera also painted one, which is now in the Prado Museum in Madrid, as were Paul Cézanne and Jan Wellens de Cook. Salvador DalÃ, the famous Spanish artist, also painted a painting called The Temptation of Saint Anthony.
Prayer to San Antonio Abad to ask for the Animals
Saint Anthony the Abbot is prayed for for the health of animals and pets. Legend has it that he cured a sow and her babies of blindness, who stayed with him as a sign of gratitude and kept him company. So be sure to say this prayer if you want to restore your pet's health.
Dear Heavenly Father! You, who created everything in this world, today we turn to your immense mercy for mercy on animals through the intercession of Saint Anthony the Abbot, who has been called the Great Saint Anthony, protector of all animals, who loved all beings.
We ask that you never abandon these creatures and that you grant them good health, so that they may not suffer or be in pain, that they may not feel sad, and that their strength may never fail, that pain and anguish may not touch their bodies, that loneliness may not affect them, and that they may find someone at their side who will provide them with protection and loving care.
May it be through your immense power that you allow (say the name of your pet), to continue living by my side healthy and strong, with great health, and that I can provide everything necessary for its existence. Give him care and protection, so that he does not lack food, a place to sleep and rest.
May he find friends to play with, love and respect, may it be through your holy hands that he heals if he ends up sick, do not let any person harm him just for pleasure, do not allow him to get lost in this world full of cruelty or be taken away from me.
You know that the love I have for him is like he's part of my family, where I know I can always be by his side, that I can give him my love and provide for everything he needs. I ask that you bless all animals and pets and that you can help those who need you in these moments.
Lord, I ask you, through the mediation of Saint Anthony the Abbot, to have mercy on those people who, filled with ignorance, mistreat animals, and show them the way to feel love for them. Have mercy on the animals that are at home, who are sometimes abandoned or forgotten, those who cannot defend themselves, and who are at the mercy of human indifference and cruelty.
Lord, have mercy on all animals, on lions and tigers, on monkeys and elephants, on all those species that are hunted for their skins, their heads, their teeth or horns, take care of those who are caught and locked in zoo cages where they do not receive proper treatment, and to those you can, provide them with a suitable shelter where they can have the care they deserve.
Lord, I ask you to have mercy on farm animals, those raised in cramped quarters, those used for breeding, those taken to slaughterhouses, and those slaughtered in pain. Have mercy, Lord, on those animals used by unscrupulous beings as experiments, so that these practices may end, and save these little ones from this suffering.
Lord, you filled the heart of Saint Anthony Abbot and gave him a great love for poverty and respect for animals. I ask you to have mercy on those who are suffering, and to teach this current society to be more just, to learn that it is through love and peace, through respect for life and care, that this planet will be more just and peaceful for all. Amen.
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