Artist: Albrecht Durer
Paul of Thebes, also known as Saint Paul the Anchorite is regarded as the first Christian hermit. He lived in Egypt in a cave in the mountains of the Theban desert, having fled the persecution of the Roman emperors Decius and Valerianus. Until the age of 43 he lived from the fruit of a nearby palm tree. Then a raven started bringing him daily half a loaf of bread. He lived to be almost a hundred years old.
Our painting represents Paul’s meeting with the hermit Anthony the Great (sitting left), also known as Anthony the Abbot, who then had already reached the age of 113.
That visit, during which they conversed, lasted for one day and one night.
The next time Anthony wanted to visit Paul he found him dead, so he buried him.
The life of Paul was described by Saint Jerome (circa 347 – 420 AD) in his ‘Vita Patrum’ (‘Vita Pauli primi eremitae’).
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