Anba Paul The First Hermit

Born to rich parents at Thebes in 228 A.D. , he had a brother who after the death of their father wanted to take a greater share of the inheritance and when Paul Argued with him he refused to give him his rights , so they went to the governor to judge between them . on their way they saw a funeral procession . Paul asked one of the mourners about the deceased , and he was told that he is one of the richest men in the city , Paul started to think " what do i have to do wit all money of this temporal world which i shall leave naked ? so he said to his brother " let us return , for i shall not ask you for anything , not even for what is mine ' . he went out of the city and stayed in a cemetery for 3 years praying to lord Christ to guide to what pleases him . God sent St. Paul an angel who took him out of this place , and walked with him until they reached the inner eastern wilderness. he stayed there for 70 years , during which he saw no one . he put on a tunic made of palm tree fiber . The Lord sent him a raven every day with a half loaf of bread . when the Lord wanted to reveal the holiness of St. Paul and his righteousness , he sent his angel to at. Antony the great , who thought that he was the first to dwell in the wilderness , The angel told St. Antony " There is a man who lives in the inner wilderness ; the world is not worthy of his footsteps . By his prayers , The Lord brings rain and dew to fall on the earth , and bring the flood of the Nile in its due season . When St. Antony heard this , he went to the inner wilderness , God guided him to to the cave of St .Paul , and in the evening , the raven came bringing a whole loaf of bread . St Paul said to St. Antony " now , I know that you are one of the children of God . For 70 years , the Lord has been sending me everyday , half a loaf of bread . but today , The Lord is sending the other half for you also .

When St . Antony went to visit St.Paul again in 341 A.D. he saw the the soul of ST. Paul carried by the angels up to heaven . st.Paul had just passed away , 2 lions entered the cave , dug a grave for St . Paul . he buried him . many miracles happened to people who touched the tunic that he used to wear . Later on a monastery had been built on the site of the cave where ST. Paul stayed most of his life