Saint Anthony the Great

The Story Behind This Icon: Saint Anthony was born in Egypt in the mid 3rd century, to a very poor family, who left him at a young age. Upon learning about the ways of Christ, Anthony gave away all his belongings to the poor and left for the desert. He worked hard for God, living alone in the desert and working on perfecting his own spirit. After twenty years alone, he slowly began to gain followers, which eventually led to the founding of a desert colony. He came to the aid of many Christians around the world, providing his wisdom wherever necessary. After a while, he left the colony and lived once again by himself, journeying into the desert. He trained himself with fasting and prayer, living a life that is impossible for most to live. He was a friend of Saint Athanasius the Great, who said that Anthony came out of the desert blessed by the Holy Spirit and established in Christ’s grace. Because so many people came to see him and receive his blessing, Saint Anthony left civilization once again to travel with a tribe of Bedouins. Saint Anthony lived to be 105 years of age and passed away peacefully in Christ in 346 A.D. The text on the scroll is in Ancient Greek and reads: "I saw the snares of the devil spread on all the earth". Saint Anthony’s feast day is celebrated on January 17. *** This icon is made of solid, natural limewood (Tilia) that has been prepared by hand using traditional methods and organic materials. The background is comprised of 22 Karat gold leaves that were meticulously applied by hand, piece by piece. All of our icons are reproduced according to museum print standards and are authentic replicas of Holy Icons from Mount Athos and elsewhere. Learn more about how our Holy Icons are made here.