Relics of St Anthony

[Byron Jack Gaist]

Dear All,

I have read that the relics of St Anthony (the Great) are to be found in the church of St Julian in Arles, France; but I have also read that he ordered his burial site to be hidden, so that his body may not become an object of veneration (sounds a bit strange coming from an Orthodox saint, but it was on the Wikipedia entry on St Anthony).

Which is it? Do this great saint's relics survive? Where are they to be found, and what is their history? I would be grateful to hear from monachosnet members who may know.

In Christ
Byron

[Theopesta]

Dear brother Byron:
as we know here in Egypt, no one knows where exactly St. Antony had buried, but surely the body not leave the wilderness in Egypt, and the monks of his monastery here know from the monastic tradition [oral and written] of the monaster of st.Antony, his body inside the area of the monastery but know one know where exactly, and we all respect his commandament that he not want any one know where his body, so the monks for obediance refuse any search on the ground of the monastery,
BUT, their is a very old church in the monastery very very gracful and many people see st.Antony in the midnight prasies, there is a strong opinion that his body present here and also, the old monks receive this opinion from the elder, and give it to the younger and so on from generation to generation.
also the cave and the mountain where he had lived present in the area of the monastery
this is the site of the monastery

interoz.com/egypt/St._Anthony's_Monastery.htm (http://www.monachos.net/forum/interoz.com/egypt/St._Anthony%27s_Monastery.htm)
acs2.aucegypt.edu/hekman/monastery.html (http://www.monachos.net/forum/acs2.aucegypt.edu/hekman/monastery.html)

IN ONE CHRIST, Theopesta

[Byron Jack Gaist]

Dear Sr Theopesta,

Many thanks for your prompt response to my query regarding St Anthony. I am interested to hear that there is general respect for St Anthony's wish for no one to know where exactly he had been buried. I wonder if indeed his request was made in order to avoid his holy relics becoming objects of veneration - what was St Anthony's objection to this, an otherwise quite normal Orthodox practice? Did he perhaps say this out of humility?

It is also fascinating to hear that many see the saint during midnight praises in the old church in the monastery; surely no stronger proof is possible that he is still with us, concerned for us.

Once again, many thanks, for the websites also!

In Christ
Byron

[Theopesta]

Dear venerable brother Byron:

as we all-- copts,here, know that St. Antony and also, St, Arsanios [the silent monk and the instructor of princes' sons] each of the refuse any honour to their bodies alive or dead, and we respect their desires.

some old monks can know and see many things as signs of where the body, but they refuse to speak with any one,

as I know, the monastery from few years ago try to search in the old church, but some thing happen indicate that the Saint refuse this matter, so they stop.

his cell on the highest top of the mountain still present and it is so blessed, when I entered it I feel I smell his sweat, and the rock which he use as a cuchion or pad to his head when he sleep present in the same place as he use
the monks not change any thing from generation to generation

may be they make a sanctuary now in the cell.

also the same way he use to go up and down from and to the cell still present, the visitors can go up and down on the same steps

also, truly many people feel with his blessing by abnormal way in the monastery or when we ask his blessing where we are
IN ONE CHRIST, Theopesta

[Anthony]

I have read that the relics of St Anthony (the Great) are to be found in the church of St Julian in Arles, France; but I have also read that he ordered his burial site to be hidden, so that his body may not become an object of veneration (sounds a bit strange coming from an Orthodox saint, but it was on the Wikipedia entry on St Anthony).

Dear Byron,

Sorry I missed this thread first time round. St Athanasius' "Life of Antony" is very clear that St Antony did not want his body to be found or venerated, as Sr. Theopesta says. I have read a suggestion that this might have something to do with the Egyptian custom at the time of embalming the dead, which Christians would have been anxious to avoid.