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Biography

Anthony of Lérins

Portrait of Anthony of Lérins

About Anthony of Lérins

The name Anthony the Hermit has been used for Anthony of Lérins. Wellcome Collection’s institutional catalog explicitly connects the two names. The Diocese of Charlotte likewise uses Anthony the Hermit and recounts a tradition that places his early life under Severinus of Noricum, followed by monastic life near Lake Como and a move to Lérins. The available account is a modern devotional summary, while the historical source catalog points to a life by Ennodius, Anthony’s contemporary; neither source warrants turning every traditional episode into a secure date or place field.The official Roman Martyrology is available in its 2004 second typical edition. Its December 28 entry, in an English translation, commemorates Antony as a monk who lived in solitude and later retired to the monastery of Lérins, where he died. This supports the corrected commemoration date and the Lérins identity, but does not establish a precise birth year, death year, birthplace, or detailed chronology.

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