Editing Anthony the Great (section)

=== Father of Monks ===
[[File:Vitale_da_Bologna_(14e_eeuw)_-_Vier_verhalen_van_Antonius_van_Egypte_(1340)_-_Bologna_Pinacoteca_Nazionale_-_26-04-2012_9-22-59.jpg|thumb|261px|''Four tales on Anthony the Great'' by [[Vitale da Bologna]], {{Circa|1340}}, at the [[Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna]]]]

Anthony was not the first ascetic or hermit, but he may properly be called the "Father of Monasticism" in Christianity,{{sfnp|''EB''|1878}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://global.britannica.com|title=Britannica, Saint Anthony}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coptic.net/synexarion/anthony.txt|title=Saint Anthony Father of the Monks |publisher=coptic.net}}</ref> as he organized his disciples into a community and later, following the spread of Athanasius's hagiography, was the inspiration for similar communities throughout Egypt and elsewhere. [[Macarius the Great]] was a disciple of Anthony. Visitors traveled great distances to see the celebrated holy man. Anthony is said to have spoken to those of a spiritual disposition, leaving the task of addressing the more worldly visitors to Macarius. Macarius later founded a monastic community in the Scetic desert.<ref name=Healy>{{CE1913 |inline=1 |last=Healy  |first=Patrick Joseph |wstitle=Macarius#Macarius the Egyptian |display=Macarius the Egyptian (or "Macarius the Elder") |volume=16}}</ref>

The fame of Anthony spread and reached [[Constantine I (emperor)|Emperor Constantine]], who wrote to him requesting his prayers. The brethren were pleased with the Emperor's letter, but Anthony was not overawed and wrote back exhorting the Emperor and his sons not to esteem this world but remember the next.<ref name=crawley>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ewtn.com/library/mary/antony.htm|title="Saint Anthony of Egypt", ''Lives of the Saints'', John J. Crawley & Co., Inc.}}</ref>

The stories of the meeting of Anthony and [[Paul of Thebes]], the [[raven]] who brought them bread, Anthony being sent to fetch the cloak given him by "Athanasius the bishop" to bury Paul's body in, and Paul's death before he returned, are among the familiar legends of the ''Life''. However, belief in the existence of Paul seems to have existed quite independently of the ''Life''.<ref>{{CE1913 |inline=1 |last=Bacchus |first=Francis Joseph |wstitle=St. Paul the Hermit |volume=11}}</ref>

In 338, he left the desert temporarily to visit Alexandria to help refute the teachings of [[Arius]].<ref name="ButlerLives1991" />