Saint Paul the Hermit
Also known as
- Paul the First Hermit
- Paul of Thebes
- Paul the Anchorite
- Pavly
- Pavlos
- Anba Bola
- Paolo di Tebe
- 10 January
- 15 January (Eastern calendar)
Profile
Paul grew up in an upper-class, Christian family. He was well educated, fluent in Greek and Egyptian. His parents died when the boy was 15. When the persecutions of Decius began a few years later, Paul fled into the desert to escape both them, and the machinations of his brother Peter and other family members who wanted his property. He lived as a desert hermit in a cave the remainder of his 113 year life, surviving off fruit and water, wearing leaves or nothing, spending his time in prayer; legend says a raven kept him supplied with bread. Late in life he came to know, and was buried by Saint Anthony the Abbot. His biography was written by Saint Jerome.
Born
- 5 January 342 of natural causes
- grave reported to have been dug by desert lions near his cave who guarded the body
- buried by Saint Anthony the Abbot
- dead man whose grave is being dug by a lion
- man being brought food by a bird
- man clad in rough garments made of leaves or skins
- old man, clothed with palm-leaves, and seated under a palm-tree, near which are a river and loaf of bread
- raven
- with Saint Anthony the Abbot
MLA Citation
- “Saint Paul the Hermit“. CatholicSaints.Info. 31 October 2021. Web. 4 December 2021. <>