90) When the brother persistently began to ask that he stay with them and die, he did not agree to this, both for many reasons, which, even while keeping silent about them, he nevertheless gave to understand, and especially for the following. The Egyptians have the custom of performing the rite of burial over the bodies of the deceased people whom they respect, and especially of the holy martyrs, and wrapping them in swaddling clothes, but not to bury them, but to lay them on couches and keep them in their homes, thinking that by doing so they are honoring those who have departed. Anthony repeatedly asked the bishops to forbid this to the laity, and he himself persuaded the laity, and reprimanded the women, saying: "This is unlawful and not at all despiteful. For the bodies of the Patriarchs and Prophets are preserved in tombs to this day, and the very body of the Lord was placed in the tomb, and the rolled stone hid it until it was resurrected on the third day." And in saying this, he showed that it is unlawful to commit the bodies of the dead, even the saints, to the earth after death. For what is more honorable and holy than the Lord's body? For this reason many, hearing this, afterwards began to bury the bodies of the dead, and having learned from Anthony, they thanked the Lord for this.

91) Anthony, knowing this custom and fearing that they would not do the same with his body, bidding farewell to the monks who were on the outer mountain, hastened to depart, and coming to the inner mountain, where he usually dwelt, after a few months he fell ill. Then, having summoned those who were with him (and there were two of them: they lived with him on the inner mountain, asceticizing for fifteen years and serving Anthony on account of his old age), he said to them: "As it is written, I am departing in the way of the fathers (Joshua 1:10). 23, 14). For I see that the Lord is calling me. And you sober up and will not ruin our many years of asceticism, but as you have begun now, so try to observe your diligence. You know the wickedness of the demons, you know how cruel they are, but how weak they are. Therefore, do not be afraid of them, but rather be always strong in Christ, and believe in Him; live as if dying daily; be attentive to yourselves; Remember the instructions you have heard from me. Let you have no communion with the renegades, and especially with the Arian heretics. For you know how much I have avoided them because of their Christ-fighting and other-minded heresy. Try to be always in unity with each other, and especially with the Lord, and then with the saints, so that they may receive you also after death into eternal shelters, as friends and acquaintances. Think about this, hold fast to these thoughts, and if you have care for me, and remember me as a father, then do not allow anyone to take my body into Egypt and put it in his house; In order to avoid this, I withdrew into the mountain and came hither. You know, how always I rebuked those who did this, and urged them to abandon such a custom. Give my body to burial and hide it under the ground. May this word of mine be kept by you, that no one should know the place of burial of my body, except you alone; for in the resurrection of the dead I will receive it from the Saviour incorruptible. Divide my garments: Give to Bishop Athanasius only the mantle and the garment sent under me, — they have given me a new one, and I have become dilapidated; and give another mercy to Bishop Serapion; Take a hairshirt for yourself. Farewell, children; Anthony is dwelling, and he will no longer be with you!"

92) Having said this, when those who were with him kissed him, Anthony stretched out his legs, and as if seeing his friends come to him and rejoicing at their arrival (for he reclined with a cheerful face), he died and kissed his fathers. And they, as he had given them, having performed the rite of burial, wrapped the body in the earth, and except for the two of them, to this day no one knows where it is buried. Each of those who have received the mercy of Blessed Anthony and the clothes worn out by him keep them as something great. For to look at this is as if to see Anthony himself, and to bear it on oneself is to fulfill his instructions with joy.

93) Such was the end of Antony's life in the body, and such was the beginning of his asceticism. And although this narration is insignificant in comparison with the Antonian virtues; nevertheless, from this also conclude what kind of man of God Anthony was. From his youth to such an age, he observed equal zeal for asceticism, neither in his old age nor in his old age did he change the appearance of his clothes, nor because of the weakness of his body did not change the appearance of his clothes, or even did not wash his feet with water, yet he did not suffer harm in anything. His eyes were healthy and unharmed, and he could see well. Not a single tooth fell out, but only weakened in the gums from the old man's old age. He was healthy in his hands and feet. In a word, he seemed more vigorous and stronger than anyone who used a variety of food, ablutions, and various clothes. And what was said about him everywhere, everyone was amazed at him, even those who had not seen him loved him, this is a proof of his virtue and God-loving soul. For it was not by writings and outward wisdom, not by any art, but by godliness alone, that Anthony became known. And no one will deny that it was a gift from God. For how would the rumor have reached Spain, Halley, Rome, and Africa about a man who hid and lived in grief, if God had not made His servants known everywhere, as He had promised Anthony at the beginning? Though they themselves do everything secretly, and desire to be hidden; but the Lord makes them visible to all, like lamps, so that, hearing about them, they would know how the commandments can lead to singing, and they would be zealous to walk the path of virtue.

94)

To Him be the glory forever and ever! Amen.

Instructions

of our Holy Father Anthony the Great on life in Christ,

extracted from his words in the life of St. Athanasius,

из его 20 посланий и 20 слов

1.Да будет общею всем такая преимущественно забота, чтоб, начавши, не ослабевать и не унывать в трудах, и не говорить: – долго уже времени пребываем мы в подвиге; но лучше, как бы начиная каждый день, будем приумножать ревность свою. Целая жизнь человеческая весьма коротка в сравнении с будущими веками, и все наше – ничто пред жизнью вечною, так что, тогда как в мире всякая вещь продается по стоимости, и всякий выменивает равное на равное, – обетование жизни вечной покупается за малость некую. Ибо написано: дние лет наших в них же седмьдесят лет, аще же в силах осмьдесят лет и множае их труд и болезнь (Пс. 89,10). Итак, если и все восемьдесят, или даже сто лет пребудем мы в подвиге, то не равное ста годам время будем царствовать, но вместо ста лет, будем царствовать во веки веков; притом, подвизавшись на земле, наследие получить не на земле, но на небесах имеем мы обетование; и еще – сложив тело тленным, – мы воспримем его нетленным. Не будем же унывать, и не будем думать, будто долго пребыли мы (в подвиге), или сделали что великое; ибо недостойны страсти нынешняго времене, к хотящей славе явитися в нас (Римл. 8, 18).

2.Так же, взирая на мир, не будем думать, будто отреклись мы от великого чего, ибо и вся эта земля очень мала пред целым небом. Поэтому, если бы и над всею землею были мы господами и отреклись от всей земли, то и в этом опять не было бы ничего, равноценного царству небесному. Ибо как тот, кто бросает одну драхму меди, чтоб приобрести сто драхм золота, так и тот, кто, будучи господином всей земли, отрекается от ней, оставляет не много, а получает во сто крат более. Если же вся земля не равноценна небесам, то оставляющий несколько десятин, как бы ничего не оставляет. Хотя бы оставил он при том и дом и много золота, и тогда не должен хвалиться, или малодушествовать. С другой стороны надо подумать, что если бы не оставили мы (что имеем) ради добродетели, всячески после, умирая, оставили бы то, как и оставляем часто даже тем, кому не хотели бы, как упомянул о сем еще Екклесиаст (Еккл, 4, 8). Почему же не оставить нам сего ради добродетели, чтоб наследовать за то царство (небесное)?

3.По сей же причине никто из нас не должен питать в себе желание приобретать. Ибо какая выгода приобретать то, чего не возьмем с собою. Почему не приобретать нам лучше то, что и с собою взять можем, как-то: благоразумие, справедливость, целомудрие, мужество, рассудительность, любовь, нищелюбие, веру во Христа, безгневие, страннолюбие? Приобретши сии (добродетели), мы найдем их впереди себя там, приготовляющими нам пристанище на земле кротких.

4.Такими-то мыслями да убеждает себя каждый не малодушествовать, наипаче же, если рассудит при том, что он есть раб Господень, и обязан работать своему Владыке. Как раб не осмелится сказать: поелику работал я вчера, то ныне не стану работать, – и вычисляя протекшее время (труда) не перестает (он трудиться) в последующие дни, но каждый день, как написано в Евангелии, оказывает ту же ревность, чтоб угодить своему господину и не попасть в беду: так и мы будем каждый день с терпением пребывать в подвиге, зная, что если один день проведем в нерадении, (Господь) не простит нам того, ради (труда) в прошедшее время, но прогневается на нас за сие нерадение, Так и у Иезекииля слышали мы (18, 26): егда совратится праведник от правды своея, и сотворит грех и умрет, – в преступлети, еже сотвори, в том умрет. Так и Иуда в одну ночь погубил труд всего протекшего времени.