The Monastery of St Anthony in Egypt: the oldest monastic retreat in the world

1/13

© RIA Novosti . Nadim Zuauyi

St Anthony’s Monastery nestles amid the Red Sea Mountains, at an oasis in Egypt’s Eastern Desert, dozens of kilometers away from the Red Sea. There are seven churches on its territory of approximately ten hectares. One of them, the oldest, stands on the site where St Anthony was buried.

2/13

© RIA Novosti . Nadim Zuauyi

Particular attention was paid to the murals during the monastery’s renovation.

3/13

© RIA Novosti . Nadim Zuauyi

A donkey-powered olive press has also been restored.

4/13

© RIA Novosti . Nadim Zuauyi

The well is now protected from tourists.

5/13

© RIA Novosti . Nadim Zuauyi

The restorers aimed as much as possible to preserve or restore the original appearance of the monastery’s buildings.

6/13

© RIA Novosti . Nadim Zuauyi

Monastic cells in the Monastery of St Anthony.

7/13

© RIA Novosti . Nadim Zuauyi

Inside the monastery, the monks work in the gardens.

8/13

© RIA Novosti . Nadim Zuauyi

The monks’ black cassocks are believed to have remained unchanged since the 4th century.

9/13

© RIA Novosti . Nadim Zuauyi

The monastic cowl is adorned with twelve crosses to protect its wearer from temptations.

10/13

© RIA Novosti . Nadim Zuauyi

St Anthony the Great is believed to have lived as a hermit and died in a rock cave above the site of the present-day monastery. More than a thousand stairs lead to the cave of St Anthony.

11/13

© RIA Novosti . Nadim Zuauyi

The monastery houses the relics of its former abbots.

12/13

© RIA Novosti . Nadim Zuauyi

The Monastery of St Anthony houses a large library of ancient books and manuscripts written in the Coptic language.

13/13

© RIA Novosti . Nadim Zuauyi

Murals in a church in the Monastery of St Anthony.