Today is the feast day of one of my favorite saints: St. Anthony the Abbot. He is also called by several other cognomens: St. Anthony the Great, St. Anthony of Egypt, and St. Anthony of the Desert. He is famed for being the first hermit to seek desolate places in order to lead a life of prayer and penance. This led him to fight many conflicts against the devil, which have been immortalized in art. Just do a Google search for The Temptation of St. Anthony. Some include nudity, as he was tempted strongly against the virtue of chastity at the beginning of his ascetic life. Despite his desire for a life of seclusion, he was so successful in drawing disciples to his way of life that St. Anthony is known as the Father of Monasticism. You can read about his life in St. Athanasius’ Life of St. Anthony.
On the scroll, it says that St. Anthony saw the traps of the devil spread out on the ground. When he wondered how anyone could escape all these traps, he heard a voice say “Humility.”
If you want to read something more anime related, St. Anthony’s life and Inuyasha: The Final Act inspired the following post: Inuyasha and Beating the Devil.
Medieval Otaku 
Thanks for mentioning his Feast day.
God bless you!
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You’re welcome! May God bless you richly through the intercession of St. Anthony.
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Thanks!
You too!
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Ah, I didn’t realize it was his feast day today! I remember reading Athanasius’ Life of Anthony my freshman year, though. I may have to find that and crack it open again.
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It’s a great hagiography. St. Athanasius was particularly close to St. Anthony and even was given a relic upon the saint’s death. (His cloak, I think.)
The best part of the book has to be when hundreds of devils group together in one form and say to St. Anthony something like: “I am the power of God. Ask of me what you will.” Instead, St. Anthony makes the sign of the cross and strikes the giant form, making the demons break apart and scatter like bowling pins. At least, that is how I imagine the scene. 🙂
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