Treasures and Tales

St. Anthony’s face glows from icons—special paintings on wood that Copts and Ethiopians call windows to heaven. At his Red Sea Monastery, an icon in his cave shows him with a cross, fighting demons. A Coptic story tells of a monk who saw it shine brightly, easing his fears like a holy light. In Ethiopia’s Debre Damo Monastery, another icon pictures Anthony in a tunic, holding his staff. An Ethiopian story says a boy prayed to it when his goat ran away, and the next day, the goat came back, as if Anthony helped find it!

These icons aren’t just pictures—they’re alive with Anthony’s prayers. A Coptic story tells of a woman in Cairo whose rash faded after she touched his icon, believing he heard her. Ethiopian monks say icons are like prayer phones: look at Anthony, ask for help, and he listens. For kids, they’re shiny treasures—pictures that glow with God’s love, showing Anthony’s always ready to help, one brushstroke at a time.