From quite early, the Mediterranean
region and the British Isles were connected through trade routes. Legends of
Joseph of Arimathea's travels are emblematic of this reality. Not only are
there stories of him transporting the Holy Grail to Britain but some tales suggest Jesus
traveled with him during the so-called "silent years."
Another vivid legend relates to the
Glastonbury thorn, a variety of Hawthorn that blooms twice a year, once around
Christmas and again around Easter. The tree is said to have sprouted from
Joseph's staff when he rested it on the ground on one such journey.
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Another artifact more explicitly
demonstrates the significance of the hermits of the desert to Celtic
Christianity. The famous 8th century Ruthwell
Cross includes
inscriptions of "The Dream of the Rood" and a carving thought to be
Saints Anthony of Egypt and Paul of Thebes sharing communion.
Athanasius's Life of St. Anthony highlights Anthony's preparation for the
spiritual journey of his life. While he "couldn't endure learning how to
read," he paid close attention to the reading and teaching of others so
that he carried memories of key passages of scripture and the virtues of
mentors into the wilderness with him.
Establishing a typical route for saints
and monastics, he gave away his wealth in response to Jesus' words in Matthew
19: "If you would be perfect, go and sell that you have and give to the
poor; and come follow me and you shall have treasure in heaven."
Soon he found his way into the wilderness
where he meant to do battle with the demons. Through a series of encounters
including challenges to the limitations of his flesh, demons in unsettling
disguises, noisy demons, and demons in the form of fearful beasts, he seems to
have come to the conclusion that the demons had been given no real power over
him. He emerged with the revelation that Jesus had been present with him
throughout the process despite his own sense of isolation.
The Isenheim Altarpiece, traditionally
associated with the artist Mathias Grünewald, includes a depiction of two key
moments of St. Anthony's journey and continues to be a source of healing and
inspiration to those who engage it.
The Altar image above shows Anthony in
the midst of harassment by demons who have taken on the disturbing forms
of hybrid fantasy creatures. In the light of the sun above, Christ waits for
Anthony to dismiss the ultimately powerless demons.
And here we see Anthony and Paul
communing with bread brought by a raven. Anthony had thought he was the first
hermit but discovered he had not been alone on that journey when the two
hermits met at more than a hundred years old.
Click
here for an essay on the
the altarpiece's original role in a program of healing.
Click
here for a program note
about Paul Hindemith's opera and symphony which were inspired by the altarpiece
and resulted in Goebbels denouncing Hindemith.
This is a performance, conducted by the
composer, of that symphony's third movement which is based on the temptations
of St. Anthony.
