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St.
Paul was born in Egypt, in the third century. To escape persecution
of Christian-haters he took refuge at a friend’s farm.
But fearing betrayal from his brother-in-law, who had an eye
on Paul’s possessions, he fled to the desert. He lived
the remainder of his life in total seclusion subsisting from
the half loaf of bread a raven delivered to him daily. One day
St. Anthony the Great, who prided himself as being the longest
desert dweller, stumbled upon Paul and was humbled by the lonely
hermit who had survived in the wild much longer than he. Incidentally,
it is said that the delivery-bird brought a full loaf of bread
that day in honor of the historic meeting of the holy hermits.
Paul, realizing that his life was near its end, asked to be
buried in the cloak that had been given to Anthony by St. Athanasius.
Anthony went to fetch the cloak but found upon his return that
Paul had passed in his absence at the age of 113. Anthony exchanged
the cloak with the palm tunic that Paul had fashioned for himself,
which he kept as a holy relic, and buried the hermit with the
aid of lions who had kept watch over the lifeless body. Paul’s
feast day is January 15. |
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| St.
Paul the Hermit
Patron St. of
Fashion |
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