Today is the Memorial of St. Anthony the Abbot and the readings for the celebration are taken from the Memorial rather than the daily reading. St. Anthony lived during the third century and for a period survived as a wandering hermit in the Egyptian wilderness. Anthony decided to follow the gospel exhortation in Matthew 19: 21, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven.” Anthony gave away some of his family’s lands to his neighbors, sold the remaining property, and donated the funds to the poor. He then left to live an ascetic life in the wilderness. An account of his life was written by St. Athanasius of Alexandria and became a best seller in its day. What has fascinated readers artists is his frequent encounters with temptation. Depictions often show him surrounded by debased creatures who gather to lure him into sin by offering the devil disguised in various ways, such as a woman, objects of wealth, power, and worldly pleasures. The “temptation of St. Anthony” has been a popular topic, taken up by painters such as Bosch and Salvador Dali. Continue reading →