Approximately 335 km southeast of Cairo, Egypt, stands the oldest monastery in the world: the Coptic Monastery of Saint Anthony the Great, founded in 300 A.D. Located in an oasis in the Eastern Desert in Egypt, deep within the Red Sea Mountains, this monastery continues to be a source of importance to the Christian faith and for Christian pilgrims.
Inside the inner monastery.
Growing up in the West, there would always be that one Sunday school lesson devoted to St. Anthony the Great and his story. I never comprehended just how grand he was or how robust his legacy, the monastery and monasticism, continues to be. To be the first monk in history, the father of monasticism, is no small feat.
(Want to learn more about St. Anthony? Visit http://stanthonylc.org/about/who-is-saint-anthony/)
The ancient outer wall of the monastery.
Blessed enough to visit this historic site, I strolled down the ancient paths as sunlight streamed through, seeing the Red Sea Mountains just beyond the outer walls.
Walking past monks' cellars.
The sight of palm trees and greenery giving life to the barren yellow desert. The monks planting flowers, fruits and vegetables; turning the harsh terrain into a fertile one.
Palm trees and a garden located inside the monastery.
The monastery is continuing to expand, the building of more monk cellars, new churches and canteens to accommodate the monastery's growth.
A newer church built within the monastery complex.
Not only was the architecture and spiritual calmness a pleasure to soak in, but the ancient, one-of-a-kind, icons were a delight to view.
Saint Mary Nursing the Baby Jesus. One of eight in the world.
Icon of Jesus Christ making the Alpha and Omega Hand Sign inside the Altar.
The Altar inside St. Anthony's Cave, a top of the mountain.
The monastery does not only serve as a historic religious site, but it is also one of social gathering, of community and fellowship. The monastery is very much still functioning, filled with monks, both young and old, lively praises and a continuous stream of visitors. While visiting one of the numerous historic churches in the complex, a church trip comprised of elders and widows were seated in the church, singing songs of praise and enjoying the outing.
Widows and Elders singing praise.
While at the monastery, we visited the stream of Holy Water that flows down the mountain. The story goes that God gifted Father Anthony with this water so he can drink from it and water his food.
Should you ever have the opportunity to visit the monastery of St. Anthony, I highly recommend it. It showcases Coptic history and still contains life, unlike many other relics of faith or of the ancient world.
St. Anthony said, "I saw the snares that the enemy spreads out over the world, and I said groaning, 'What can get through from such snares?' Then I heard a voice saying to me, 'Humility.”’
All pictures and videos were taken by Mary Beshay.
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