St. Anthony the Great is also the patron saint of basket makers, because during his lifetime he wove baskets from palm branches and made his living that way. He was born around 251 in Egypt. The saint spent 20 years of his life in complete solitude in the desert. He was also a healer, spending hours talking to the sick and suffering who came to him. That is why this day is also designated as protection against bad diseases. People believed that Athanasius chased away madness, but it was not always enough. Anthony the Great had the gift of miracles and foresight and managed to make many people see the Christian faith. He died at the age of 105 on January 17, 356. He was buried in a secret place, but his relics were discovered and solemnly transferred to Vienna. The saint came to the conclusion that only love for one's neighbor can defeat the demons within us and around us and declared: "I am no longer afraid of God - I love Him!".<\/p>\n
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