Volume 10 of Ancient Christian Writers By St. Athanasius St. Antony, generally considered the father of Christian monasticism, was born about the year 250 of well-to-do parents in Middle Egypt. His home town was Coma, his parents were Christians. Athanasius stresses that the boy was attached to them and to home life, finding school and companionship with other children distasteful.
He was 18 or 20 years of age when his parents died, leaving him guardian of his younger and only sister. One day, about six months later, he happened to enter the church when he was struck by the reading of the Gospel in which the Lord speaks to the rich young man: “If thou wilt be perfect, go sell all that thou hast, and give it to the poor; and come, follow me and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven.” Applying this to himself, he went home and distributed his land and wealth. He placed his sister in the care of a community of pious women, and began to practice the ascetic life near his old home. This is an inspiring account of his life and the early establishment of the monastic life.
