A disciple of Saint Anthony in the 4th century, Prior lived as a hermit in the Nitrian Desert in Egypt. Known for his radical humility and detachment, he died as a centenarian after a life of mortification and charity toward his brothers.
Guided reading
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SAINT PRIOR, HERMIT OF NITRIA
Youth and vocation with Saint Anthony
A native of Egypt, Prior became a disciple of Saint Anthony in his youth and vowed never to see his family again in order to dedicate himself to God.
End of the 4th century.
*Melius est habitare in extrema solitudine quam inter bonorum scelera versari.*
*It is better to dwell in the depths of a desert than to live among the crimes of men.*
*S. Hier., lib. II sup. Jerem., c. 2.*
Prior, a native of Egypt, was one of the first disciples o f Saint Antho saint Antoine Saint to whom Grace had a particular devotion and whose temptations she also endured. ny. While still very young, he left his parents' house and promised God, in the movement of his fervor, never to see them again with the eyes of the body, so firm was the resolution he had taken to renounce the world perfectly. He went to place himself under the guidance of Saint Anthony, and he made such rapid progress in perfection that, in a few years, he was able to live alone in the desert. Having communicated to his spiritual father the desire he felt for the eremitic life, Anthony approved it and said to him: "Go, Prior, dwell where you wish. You will come to see me when a reasonable opportunity arises." He was then twenty-five years old.
Ascetic Life and Detachment in Nitria
Settled in the desert of Nitria, Prior practiced rigorous asceticism and manifested a total detachment from material goods, illustrated by the episode of the unpaid laborer.
He fixed his dwelling in th e desert of Nitr désert de Nitrie A place of eremitic retreat in Egypt. ia, on the side of tha t of Scété The primary location of Arsenius's monastic life in Egypt. Scetis. His virtue was primarily founded on mortification, humility, and detachment from the world and from himself. He ordinarily ate only half a pound of bread and a few olives per day, and even then, he would walk while taking this small amount of food. When someone asked him the reason for this, he replied: "I act in this way because eating is not an action to which one should apply oneself; thus, I do it as a passing thing. I also do not want my soul to experience sensual satisfaction when I eat." Here is an example of his detachment from earthly things. He had gone to harvest for a laborer, in this imitating other solitaries who, by such means, wished to earn their living by the sweat of their brow. The harvest finished, the laborer put off paying his wages to another time. Prior, without insisting, returned to his cell. The following year, he returned to work for the same laborer. The latter sent him away again without giving him anything, and did the same the year after. Prior showed no impatience and did not diminish his ardor for work in the slightest. His conduct touched the laborer, who, in the end, resolved to settle his debt. Having searched for him in several monasteries, he found him with great difficulty. When he caught sight of him, he threw himself at his feet, asked for his forgiveness, and offered him what he owed him. Prior first alleged various reasons not to accept it, then told him to take it to the priest.
The Trial of Obedience and the Visit to His Sister
After fifty years of solitude, Prior accepts out of obedience to Saint Anthony to visit his sister, but maintains his vow by keeping his eyes closed.
We have observed that Prior, upon leaving the world, had resolved never to see his relatives again. About fifty years had passed since he had left his homeland, when his sister, having become a widow, learned that he was still alive. She obtained from the bishop that he write to the superiors of the monasteries, so that they might order her brother to come and pay her a visit to cons ole her. Ther saint Antoine Saint to whom Grace had a particular devotion and whose temptations she also endured. eupon Saint Anthony sent for him, and then, after instructing him on the bishop's intention, commanded him to go and provide his sister with the consolation she requested. Prior, taking one of the brothers with him, departed without any delay. When his sister had opened the door, he spoke to her with his eyes closed and would not enter the house; he then said his prayer and returned to his solitude.
Teaching on charity and judgment
Living in extreme conditions, Prior teaches humility to his brothers through the allegory of the bags of sand, inviting them to look at their own sins rather than those of others.
The place where he lived was one of the most dreadful in Egypt; there was no water other than that from a well dug with his own hands: this water, moreover, was so bitter and salty that no one could drink it; so that those who came to see him were obliged to bring some for their own use. Quoique dur envers lui-même, il était plein de douceur pour les autres, sans en excepter ceux qui tombaient dans de grandes fautes. Being at an assembly held in Scetis, the solitaries, after the sac rific Scété The primary location of Arsenius's monastic life in Egypt. e, began to confer together. Some spoke of a fault committed by a brother who was absent. Prior kept silent; but, seeing in the end that charity was being wounded, he left the assembly, took a sack which he filled with sand, and put it on his shoulders behind his back; he then took a small basket, which he also filled with sand, and carried it in front of him. The others having asked him what his intention was, he gave them this answer: "This sack filled with sand represents my sins, which are great in number; that is why I have put them behind my back so as not to see them and to spare myself a subject of confusion and tears. This basket that I carry in front of me, and which contains only a little sand, represents the sins of this brother whom I dare to consider in order to judge and condemn him. It would be much better if I put my sins in front of me to think about them constantly and to pray to God to forgive me for them." All the solitaries were touched by this discourse and agreed that this was the path by which one must attain salvation.
End of life and hagiographic posterity
Renowned for his miracles, Prior died a centenarian at the end of the 4th century; his life is documented by Palladius and the Acta Sanctorum.
We read in Palladius tha t Saint Pri saint Prior Egyptian hermit of the 4th century, disciple of Saint Anthony. or was favored with the gift of miracles. He died at the end of the 4th century, aged about one hundred years. He is honored by the Gr eeks on June 1 Acta Sanctorum Monumental hagiographic collection by the Bollandists. 7.
Acta Sanctorum, 17 junii; — Cf. Vies des Pères d u désert, by Fr. Mic P. Michel-Ange Marin Author of a work on the Desert Fathers. hel-Ange Marin; Godescard, etc.
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Became a disciple of Saint Anthony at a young age
- Settled in the Nitrian Desert at the age of 25
- Worked for three years for a plowman without demanding his wages
- Visits his widowed sister after 50 years of separation while keeping his eyes closed
- Lesson of charity at Scetis with the bags of sand
Miracles
- Gift of miracles mentioned by Palladius
Quotes
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This bag filled with sand represents my sins... This basket that I carry in front of me... represents the sins of this brother whom I dare to look at in order to judge him.
Saint Prior during the assembly at Scetis