Today's saintly drama revolves around Egypt. As in "Who will emerge victorious in the holy battle for Egyptian domination." Antony (don't call me Anthony or even Tony for that matter) of Egypt takes on Mary (you can just call me Mary) of Egypt. These two have a lot in common both being hermits and spending much spiritual energy on resisting temptation. Nonetheless, only one will seize the title "Pharaoh of Lent Madness" and make it to the Round of the Saintly Sixteen to square off against Basil the Great.
In yesterday's matchup Anna Cooper bested (upset?) Joseph of Arimathea 60% to 40% which is unfortunate since Joseph already gave away his burial plot.
And if you missed yesterday's exhilarating edition of Monday Madness click here to see Tim and Scott hold forth on all things Lent Madness. As usual it's epic and compelling with high production values.
Antony of Egypt
Antony was born in about 251 to wealthy Christian parents in Middle Egypt. When he was not yet twenty years old, his parents died and left their large estate and his young sister to his care. Shortly thereafter, Antony was convicted by Jesus’ words to the rich man to sell everything and give the money to the poor. Antony parceled out his land, giving it away to his neighbors, and sold all his family’s belongings. He gave the money to those who were poor around him, keeping a small portion to provide for him and his sister. A short while later, he heard the gospel command to not worry about tomorrow. He promptly gave away what remained of his money, put his sister in a house of virgins, and took up a life of solitude.
Antony moved to an old tomb and survived on only bread and water, never eating or drinking before sunset, and often fasting for days in between. During this time, he wrestled with demons that assaulted him for his wealth and tempted him with lustful thoughts. He was successful in his resistance, being assured in a vision from God that he had won the victory. Encouraged by this vision, Antony moved further out into the desert.
Antony lived alone for over twenty years. Although he was drawn to the life of a hermit and constantly tried to retreat further into the wilderness, he eventually acquired some renown, and pious men sought to imitate him. Eventually, a sort of monastery was formed, a community of disciples attracted to his lifestyle. The monastery of Saint Antony the Great now stands at that site.
In 311, when the emperor Maximinus began persecuting Christians, Antony went to Alexandria hoping to be martyred. He publicly wore his white habit—the sign of a Christian monastic—and visited Christians in prison and labor camps and testified on their behalf before tribunals. He did not, however, try to impugn himself. In 312, when the persecution ebbed, Antony again returned to the desert and, alone in his cell, committed to become what Saint Athanasius called “a daily martyr to his conscience, ever fighting the battles of faith.” In his old age, Antony participated in the Arian controversy alongside his friend and biographer, Bishop Athanasius. This doctrinal debate claimed that Jesus was subordinate and distinct from God. In 355, Antony was invited to Alexandria to debate the Arians, many of whom were convinced by his arguments and changed their thinking. After the debates, he returned to the desert where he died in 356 at the ripe old age of 105.
Collect for Saint Antony of Egypt
O God, by your Holy Spirit you enabled your servant Antony to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil: Give us grace, with pure hearts and minds, to follow you, the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
-- David Creech
Mary of Egypt
Mary of Egypt is recognized as the patron saint of penitents. This is because of her conversion from life as a sex addict to that of a desert hermit. Her life story or Vita, reportedly first told by Mary to a monk, was later put in writing by Saint Sophronius, the Patriarch of Jerusalem (634-638).
Born in the fourth century in an unknown region of Egypt, Mary ran away to the city of Alexandria at the age of twelve. As a young woman in Alexandria, she lived a life her biographer labeled as public prostitution. Reportedly she often refused payment for sexual acts because of her insatiable desire and instead subsisted mostly by begging and handiwork. Around the age of thirty, she traveled to Jerusalem with a group of pilgrims, hoping to find new sexual partners in the crowds. There she pursued gratification of her desires for a short time. Then, her life changed when she tried to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the place where Jesus was crucified. But she was unable to pass through the door due to an invisible force.
At this strange occurrence, Mary had an epiphany of sorts and was filled with remorse for her sexual sins. At the sight of an icon of the Virgin Mary, she prayed for forgiveness and renounced her worldly ways. Finding new freedom from her previously insatiable desires, she was able to enter the church. Inside, a voice guided her into the desert. She obeyed, journeying to the monastery of Saint John the Baptist to receive absolution and Holy Communion. Then she crossed the Jordan to live in the desert as a hermit in penitence. She is often depicted in iconography with three loaves of bread, the only food she took into the desert. Once she ate them, she lived off what she could forage in the wilderness.
She lived alone in the desert for forty-seven years, until she met a monk named Zosimus, and told him the story of her life. He agreed to bring her communion on Maundy Thursday of the following year. She appeared to him on the opposite bank of the Jordan River, made the sign of the cross, and walked across the water to receive the body and blood of Christ. She asked him to meet her again one year later, at which time he found her corpse. An inscription told him that she had died shortly after his first visit, though her body was preserved. With the help of a lion, Zosimas dug a grave and buried her. When asked if this was true, Zosimas said, “I’m not lion about any of this!”
Collect for Mary of Egypt
Almighty God, in the early life of Mary, you give us an example of how our incarnate bodies can be sources of both pleasure and destruction. Make us aware of your never-failing love and forgiveness, that we, like her, might love and serve you in body, mind, and spirit. Through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
(Collect written by Nancy Hopkins-Greene.)
Vote!
[poll id="80"]
288 comments on “Antony of Egypt vs. Mary of Egypt”
Voting for Antony. Impossible to over state the massive contribution of the desert mothers and fathers.
I wish my brother had put me in a convent. Or do wealth and marriage bring greater joy than a life if prayer? Hmmm... what does the Gospel say?
I was surprised to see such hostility towards both Antony and Mary and a bit crestfallen to realize that both were being judged so harshly through our own lenses (which I would venture to say are no better, purer, or wiser than our saints' were). Today we get the most human of saints and a glimpse into desert monasticism, which we might recall a certain Jesus having done several times. Are we repulsed at the thought of a House of Virgins? Probably, though I'm sure we'd think less of him if he abandoned her on the streets of Alexandria instead of fulfilling his fraternal duty (using a vote to denounce ancient times is a bit of a log in your eye situation, wouldn't ya say?). Was seeking martyrdom less-than-holy? Assuredly. Nonetheless, both have testified to the faith and both served as inspirations (and if you don't like the debating the Arians part, recall that had that side prevailed, every time you have worshiped Jesus would be blasphemous). They each rebuked the two temptations that humans fall to: wealth and carnal pleasure. We rebuke Antony for having not provided wealth for his sister, but realize that we have very much missed the whole point. Upon hearing the Gospel, he gave up all of his wealth - leaving himself with less than nothing. While modernity has given us wonderful examples of philanthropy, I cannot recall one in which the wealthy person gave up every single thing s/he owned. Similarly, Mary - with God's help - separated from a past life with love-less relationships for one of penitence and true reflection. I voted for Antony, but the key about these saints is that we're forced to confront our own humanity. Thank God for Lent, eh?
I am not sure that Anthony and Mary are being judged as much as their presentation. Whoever wins I hope to see a more robust presentation for today's context - I suspect both Anthony and Mary have not been well-served.
Adam, I think you've done the best job of summing up this match today! Thank you! I too thought in the end Antony brought the greatest good to Christianity and went with him.
Thank you Adam, and a few others, for finding the positive in this pairing. I am drawn to trying to write mid rash for both Antony and Mary to help me find the positives. And to look within myself to see where I am like them and do not want to look! or give up?
The best match to date as I found real material for true reflection. I was taken with both of them and the bread to eat and remember the line we do not live by bread alone . . . .
Great post, Adam, thanks.
Don't like either of them much-voted for Antony
Reading both these stories reminds me how different a world they lived in 1400-1700 years ago. And yet fundamentally people are the same and struggle with the same demons (among them wealth and sex--not that either one is demonic per se!). I guess I'm voting for Antony because of his influence on the wider life of the Church in launching monasticism and shaping Christian doctrine.
Thinking of Mary, I am reminded of all the teenage runaways on the streets today, surviving by any means necessary and finding comfort in self destructive activities. And because of that, I needed to vote for Mary.
Oooh, chills on that one Anne L.! Love this perspective. Thank you!
Finding true intimacy with God (my favorite icon is Christ and the Beloved Disciple) and moving away from addictive behaviors (whatever the historical truth about Mary may be) both resonate strongly with me today as I work my own recovery and as I serve as a board member on behalf of people living with mental illness.
Plus, puns in the context of religious reflection = a sure winner in my book!
How do you choose between two fantastical ascetics? This is like asking me to choose between chocolate cake and chocolate pie. I went with Antony, however, because his story had such a profound affect on the nascent ascetic movement. For those freaking out over the idea that Antony placed his sister in a house of virgins, you might want to consider that such a comment could indicate that she, like her brother, desired to serve God in the ascetic life even as it highlights Antony's sanctity: unlike other ascetics, he took care of his family before leaving them! (Also, Athanasius' understanding of the importance of virgins is foreign to most contemporary people, so be careful how you read his comments!) Lest we argue that both Antony and Mary don't follow Christ, let's remember Paul's teachings in 1 Corinthians 7 that the virgin life is the better choice over marriage. People of the 4th and 5th centuries took this quite seriously. Also, scholarship on the early ascetic movement makes it clear that the people in the desert weren't as far removed from 'the world' as we might think. After all, their stories are still around. I love Lent Madness!!!
Tis a hard vote yet again ... Both devoted their lives to Christ, in some similar ways and some divergent ways. I will not judge them by modern standards. I voted for Mary because she's the underdog, because what she gave up was, I think, harder, and because she never became a famous person for what she did.
This was an odd day for saint choices.....but from the stories, it seems that Antony did more for others, after all, he "gave away his money" - others benefited from that, and in later years, visited Christians in prisons, engaged in debate...He seemed to be engaged in the world around him, even as he lived out in the desert. I am not certain what qualified Mary for sainthood. Vote for Antony!
I voted for Antony because of his perseverance and his contribution to the defense of the homoousion doctrine during the Arian controversy. Also, he put up with Athanasius who, great theologian that he was, is also said to have been an extreme curmudgeon.
Amber Belldene, you have revealed yourself to be an Open and Notorious Punster. I'm married to one, and he and three likeminded friends (including the senior warden) should not have been allowed to sit together during Vestry meetings. They did anyway.
Knowing that St Antony's monastery still exists in the midst of everything that has happened since the 4th century, and having visited it, I have to vote for Antony. In my mind I hope that he and his sister discussed the grief of losing both parents, the joy of finding Christ, and the decision of where to live out their lives.
I perfer more hard facts over mythology - this is why I often vote for more "modern" saints. Regardless, of his treatment of his sister, Antony has a documented plentitude of contributions. I don't see Mary as having given much except for her purported chastity.
I wish the brackets had been shuffled to put Joseph against Antony and Mary against Anna. Those would have been easier choices. But one of the key points of Lent Madness is thoughtful consideration and reflection.
Putting aside Antony's giving away the family resources rather than acting as a responsible steward, I am rather glad that he who wanted to be a martyr lived to the age of 105. Serves him right. And Mary -- how does living alone in the desert spending your time foraging to survive serve God or others?
Difficult choice. I'm going to hold my nose and go with Antony.
This was a tougher choice for me, but I went for Mary for two reasons. Her life can be understood as the struggle of a person suffering from sexual compulsion and seeking recovery in spiritual discipline. There are a lot of people today who have a similar struggle and her story can be for them another source of experience, strength, and hope. Additionally, I was not familiar with her before this year's Lent Madness and I like the idea of promoting women who don't often get as much press and acclaim as men in history.
Not the biggest fan of Antony or Mary, but the lives and writings of many of the desert fathers (especially Lent Madness competitor Moses the Black!) have been a constant source of inspiration and encouragement for me. Though I don't understand many of his choices, Antony paved the way for generations of others, and for that he gets my vote.
You've got to love lent madness. Look at all this debate. Judging in our 2014 ways. I go back forth. Delaying my coffee making. I bet both Mary and Antony are lovin this morning.
I am always suspect; okay, I am down right skeptical, of hocus-pocus type of miracles such as the one in the story of Mary. I guess I might quickly turn my life around out of simple fear if God zapped me with some kind of force field. While I am sure Mary's conversion was real, I went with Antony who did not rely on magic to change his life. As for his putting his sister in a "house of virgins," I wonder if this was a colloquialism for "a convent," where she probably received an education and very good care. As the late Paul Harvey would say, "And now for the rest of the story."
The mindset of the early Christians was so different than today's it seems like a great chasm between us. How many of us make the effort to understand enough of their world to bridge that chasm? Christianity has changed greatly since the Desert Fathers & Mothers but do we understand these roots of our faith? Love the educational value of Lent Madness! For Mary of Egypt - try:http://www.copticchurch.net/topics/synexarion/maryofegypt.htm
Thank you for this link. Wow, I feel like I know Mary now--I have seen that leathery-skinned old woman in many a desert. What humility, what perseverence! Her having written a note to Zosimos in the sand reminds me of our Lord's own letters in the sand before a different "sinful woman." I like this woman.
thanks for the link about Mary. A really good read. I also did a google image search, and loved the many different images of her that I found.
I don't particularly like either Antony or Mary .... It was a toss-up as to who to vote for! And no one can survive on only bread and water. That leads to protein malnourishment, otherwise known as Kwashiorkor -- those are the African children one sees in pictures with the little round bellies. They are quite sick! Antony basically abandoned his sister even though he was supposed to care for her. On the other hand, the miracles in Mary's story seem more than a little far-fetched. As I said, this one was difficult to know who to vote for!
In my opinion, it is unfair to judge with actual criteria characters from ancient times, we would understand much better the reasons people do or say what and why. But it’s only my opinion, this is a great exercise, and I am impressed of all this wonderful people participation.
I'm finding this discussion (and these saints) fascinating. Here's a link to an article about 4th century asceticism in Egypt. Who knew it was so trendy?!
http://www.ctlibrary.com/ch/1999/issue64/64h020.html
I'd really like to vote for Anthony's sister. It sounds like she had no choices but ended up living a saintly life that was forced upon her. If she had her own demon to reject, it might have been the desire to do in her brother who gave away her inheritance and got all the credit for it. On the other hand, Mary walked on water. I tend to think of that as requiring faith but fear that hagiographers (ancient, not modern) simple presumed that she could not swim.
I voted for Mary despite the truly horrid pun delivered in her name. "I'm not lion" indeed!!
Part of putting his sister in the house of virgins meant giving the house the equivalent of a dowry for her care, so, in all likelihood, she chose this over being married. Let poor Antony off the hook on this one! He is, in many ways, the founder of the monastic movement that continues to this day. Most people are not called to be monastics, but those who are have contributed amazing things to the ministry of Christ.
Mary: A story that reminds us that the worst thing a woman can do is to desire sex. Not getting my vote.
Kevin, I agree with you on this one! I think the LM organizers got a kick out of assigning Mary to me, a priest and writer of racy romance, because I am outspoken about human sexuality as sacramental, or potentially so. Perhaps its that potential, and when it falls short, that Mary's story reminds us of. That's why I likened her to an addict and why I tried to reclaim her for the, I think, wrong label of prostitute.
I am voting for Mary because of the collect. It seems both of them were trying to fill that "God shaped hole" -one with things and one with sex. Both found that only God can fill it.
Well said!
Well, these comments are just fascinating! I am 100% sure I did not write that pun about the Lion--TIM SHENK!
I agree with the comments that Mary's story is very difficult to make sense of. I attempted to understand it from a feminist perspective. I rejected the label of "prostitute" for the reasons above, and hope you can hear my skepticism about the reports of her life via the male monastics. Who knows what her sins and conversion were really like. However, I do think the "looking for love in all the wrong places" interpretation offered in the comments is a practical one for our time!
I was all for Antony until I read about his stashing his little sister in a house of virgins. It's great to make such decisions for oneself, but it doesn't seem at all fair to her. I voted for Mary, who made choices only for herself.
How do you know that his sister did not want this? Perhaps she had become a Christian. Perhaps she did not want to become a wife to someone who would treat her like chattel. Perhaps she supported fully her brother's vocation.
Ah, the 4th century Christians. So very different from us ? Yup, SEEMS so. Hard to identify with their culture? Right again. Each century, each culture has a unique perspective on sin, salvation, love, redemption etc. lots of food for thought about who we consider our contemporary spiritual role models.
Yer kidding,
I have no interest in either of these fables.
Your loss.
I voted for Antony because he was pushing the Arian Heresy. You might think that idea is long dead, but it has never died away. How can Jesus be both God and man? I've always had difficulty with the Holy Trinity. Jesus called God his father, and yet he was his father? Hard to understand.
😀