# Matins Nocturn 2 reading for St. Anthony Abbot (Jan 17) — SanctiM/01-17.txt
# inherits the whole day (`@Sancti/01-17`) with no Nocturn 2/3 override,
# so this saint's own vita is sourced from the Tridentine track exactly
# as for a pre-1955 saint (see memory vu-matins-pre1955-saints).
# web/www/horas/Latin/Sancti/01-17.txt, English/Sancti/01-17.txt.
# Lectio4-6 combined into one reading, one continuous vita, no genuine
# source break. No responsory given in the source.
id: st-anthony-abbot
readings:
  - nocturn: 2
    isGospel: false
    text:
      la: >-
        Antonius Ægyptius, nobílibus et christiánis paréntibus natus, quibus adoléscens orbátus
        est, cum ingréssus ecclésiam ex Evangelio audivísset: Si vis perfectus esse, vade, et
        vende ómnia quæ habes, et da paupéribus; tamquam ea sibi dicta essent, sic Christo Dómino
        obtemperándum existimávit. Itaque, véndita re familiari, pecúniam omnem paupéribus
        distríbuit. Quibus solutus impedimentis, cæléstis vitæ genus in terris cólere instituit.
        Sed cum in periculósum illud certamen descenderet, ad fidei præsidium, quo erat armatus,
        adhibéndum sibi putávit subsidium reliquárum virtútum; quarum tanto studio incénsus fuit,
        ut, quemcúmque vidéret áliqua virtútis laude excelléntem, illum imitari studéret.


        Nihil ígitur eo continentius, nihil vigilantius erat. Patiéntia, mansuetúdine,
        misericórdia, humilitate, labóre, ac studio divinárum Scripturárum superábat omnes. Ab
        hæreticórum et schismaticórum hóminum, maxime Arianórum, congressu et colloquio sic
        abhorrebat, ut ne prope quidem ad eos accedéndum díceret. Humi jacebat, cum eum necessarius
        somnus occupasset. Jejunium autem adeo coluit, ut salem tantummodo ad panem adhibéret,
        sitim aqua exstingueret; neque se ante solis occásum cibo aut potu recreabat, sæpe étiam
        biduum cibo abstinebat; sæpíssime in oratióne pernoctábat. Cum talis tantusque Dei miles
        evasísset Antonius, sanctíssimum juvenem hostis humani generis variis tentatiónibus
        aggréditur, quas ille jejunio et oratióne vincebat. Nec vero frequens de sátana triumphus
        securum reddebat Antónium, qui diaboli innumerábiles artes nocéndi nóverat.


        Itaque cóntulit se in vastíssimam Ægypti solitúdinem: ubi quotídie ad christianam
        perfectiónem proficiens, dæmones (quorum tanto erant acriores ímpetus, quanto Antonius ad
        resisténdum fortior evadebat) ita contempsit, ut illis exprobraret imbecillitátem; ac sæpe
        discipulos suos éxcitans ad pugnándum contra diabolum, docensque quibus armis vincerétur:
        Mihi credite, dicebat, fratres, pertimescit sátanas piórum vigílias, oratiónes, jejunia,
        voluntáriam paupertátem, misericórdiam et humilitátem, maxime vero ardentem amórem in
        Christum Dóminum, cujus único sanctíssimæ crucis signo debilitátus áufugit. Sic autem
        dæmónibus erat formidolósus, ut multi per Ægyptum ab illis agitati, invocáto nómine
        Antonii liberaréntur: tántaque erat ejus fama sanctitátis, ut per litteras se ejus
        oratiónibus Constantinus Magnus et fílii commendarent. Qui aliquándo quintum et
        centésimum annum agens, cum innumerábiles sui institúti imitatores haberet, convocátis
        mónachis et ad perféctam christianæ vitæ regulam instructis, sanctitáte et miraculis
        clarus migrávit in cælum, décimo sexto Kalendas Februarii.
      en: >-
        Anthony was an Egyptian, the child of noble and Christian parents, whom he lost while yet
        very young. On one occasion he entered a Church, and heard these words of the Gospel, If
        thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor. He took these words
        as if they were addressed to himself personally, for this was the obedience which he
        thought every word of the Lord Christ should meet with. He therefore sold his whole
        possessions, and gave the price to the poor. Being thus delivered from worldly
        entanglements, he set himself to lead on earth the life of an angel. Finding himself, as it
        were, about to enter the field of battle against Satan, he thought it wisest to add to the
        shield of faith, which he already possessed, all the rest of the armour of God, wherefore
        he observed all those who were eminent for any grace, and strove to copy them.


        He was excelled by none in watchfulness and self-restraint. He surpassed all in
        long-suffering, meekness, tenderness, lowliness, perseverance, and continual study of the
        Holy Scriptures. He had such a loathing of the company and conversation of heretics and
        schismatics, especially Arians, that he used to say that a faithful Christian ought as far
        as possible never to come near any such. He took the sleep which was needful for the body
        lying on the ground. Such was his devotion to fasting, that he took nothing with his bread
        but salt, and drank only water; he never ate or drank before sunset; he often abstained
        from food altogether for two days at a time; and very often passed whole nights in prayer.
        Being so valiant a soldier of God, Anthony was attacked by the devil with diverse
        temptations, but he overcame them all by prayer and fasting. Nevertheless, these frequent
        triumphs over Satan did not lull Anthony into security, for he was well aware of the
        numberless arts of assault possessed by the evil one.


        Then he betook himself into the vast deserts of Africa that lie near Egypt. Day by day he
        advanced on the path to perfection. Day by day the attacks of the fiends became more
        violent, but day by day his strength grew greater to strive against them. At length he came
        to mock at the powerlessness of the devils, against whom he stirred up his disciples to
        fight, teaching them with what arms to combat. Believe me, my brethren, he used to say,
        Satan is afraid of good men's watchings, and prayers, and fasts, and voluntary poverty, and
        mercifulness, and lowliness, but above all, of their warm love for Christ our Lord, the
        mere sign of Whose most holy Cross is enough to undo him and put him to flight. He became
        such an object of dread to the devils, that many persons throughout Egypt who were
        tormented by them, were delivered by calling on his name; moreover the fame of his holiness
        was so spread abroad, that Constantine the Great and his sons wrote to him to commend
        themselves to his prayers. In the hundred and fifth year of his age, and the fulness of
        his reputation for piety and miracles, having roused up great numbers to follow his
        example, he gathered his monks around him, and when he had exhorted them to strive after
        Christian perfection, he passed to heaven on the 17th day of January.
    status: { la: verified, en: verified }
