Section 89

It is worthwhile for me to tell, and for you who desire it to hear, what Antony’s death was like, because the end of his life too is worthy of imitation.

According to his custom, he visited the monks at the outer mountain. Having learned through Providence that his own end was near, he said to the brothers:

“This is the last visit I will make to you. I will be surprised if we see one another again in this life. At last the time of my departure has come, for I am nearly one hundred five years old.”

When they heard this, they wept, embraced the old man, and kissed him. Antony, however, spoke joyfully, like someone sailing away from a foreign city toward his own home.

He exhorted them not to become lazy in their labors or lose heart in their ascetic training, but to live as though dying every day. As he had said before, they should carefully guard the soul from filthy thoughts and eagerly imitate the saints.

“Have nothing to do with the Meletian schismatics,” he told them, “for you know their wicked and irreverent character. Have no fellowship with the Arians either, because their impiety is evident to everyone. Do not be disturbed if you see officials supporting them. That will come to an end; their display is mortal and will last only a short time.

“Therefore keep yourselves all the more completely free from them. Preserve the traditions of the fathers, and above all the holy faith in our Lord Jesus Christ that you have learned from the Scriptures and that I have often reminded you about.”