Antony the Younger facts for kids

Saint Antony the Younger (Greek: Ἀντώνιος ὁ Νέος; 785 – 11 November 865) was a brave Byzantine military officer. He later chose to become a monk and is now honored as a saint. The Eastern Orthodox Church remembers him on December 1st.

Who Was Saint Antony the Younger?

His Early Life and Family

Saint Antony was born in 785 near Jerusalem. His birth name was John Echimos. His parents were Photeinos and Irene. He had a brother named David and a sister named Theodoule.

When he was a child, a wise hermit (someone who lives alone for religious reasons) named John met him. John predicted important things about John's future. Around the year 800, his mother passed away. After this, John and his siblings moved from Palestine to a place called Attaleia.

Life as a Soldier

In Attaleia, John joined the Byzantine Empire's service. He likely worked in the Byzantine navy, which was the empire's sea force. Around 821 or 822, he was promoted to a high position. He became the ek prosopou, which meant he was a deputy governor of the Cibyrrhaeot Theme. A "theme" was like a military district in the Byzantine Empire.

He held this important job until 825. He might have even become the main governor, called a strategos, during that time. John helped put down a big rebellion led by Thomas the Slav between 822 and 823. After this, he spent ten months in Constantinople, the capital city. Then he went back to his theme and helped fight off an Arab attack.

Becoming a Monk

In 825, John was about to get married. But secretly, he decided to become a monk instead. A monk named Eustratios, who was a stylite (a monk who lives on top of a pillar), performed the ceremony. John then took the monastic name Antony.

He traveled with his servant Theodore. They visited several places like Amorion, Pylae, and Nicaea. Finally, they settled at the Agauron or Pandemos Monastery on the Bithynian Olympus mountain. Stories say that during his travels, Antony was miraculously helped when he was in need.

Challenges and Later Life

Around 829 or 830, Emperor Theophilos ordered Antony to be put on trial. He was accused of actions he took against people who supported Thomas the Slav's rebellion. Antony was held in Constantinople for five months. After being whipped, he was released and went back to the Agauron Monastery.

Later, he moved to Briles and lived in a small chapel. He also spent time at the Monastery of Heraclius in Kios. He returned to Agauron for a while, then went back to Heraclius until 848. Finally, he moved to a monastery in Constantinople called All Saints.

Petronas (far left) with the monk who foretold his victory at Lalakaon, here called "John of Mount Latros". Miniature from the Madrid Skylitzes

Around 855, Antony helped cure Petronas, who was the uncle of Emperor Michael III. Petronas became Antony's student and they became very close friends. Antony is said to have predicted Petronas's great victory over the Arabs in 863 at the Battle of Lalakaon.

In 863, Antony moved to Ephesus. He returned to Constantinople in 865. He spent his last days in the Monastery of Leo the Deacon, passing away on November 11th.

Saint Antony the Younger is remembered by the Eastern Orthodox Church on November 11th and December 1st.

What is a Hagiography?

A hagiography is a special kind of biography that tells the life story of a saint. Saint Antony's hagiography was written by one of his students who visited him shortly before he died. This book is very important because it gives us lots of information about life in the Byzantine Empire. It tells us about medical care, daily life, laws, and how the government worked back then.

See Also

• List of Byzantine saints