Daily Saint

St. Paul the First Hermit, also known as Paul of Thebes, is traditionally honored as the first Christian hermit. Born in Thebes, Egypt, into a wealthy Christian family in the third century, St. Paul received a classical education and was fluent in both Greek and Egyptian. When he and his newly married sister lost their parents, St. Paul’s brother-in-law sought to seize his inheritance by betraying him to the authorities under Emperor Decius’s severe persecution of Christians.

Discovering the evil plot against him, St. Paul fled into the desert at age 16. There, he found refuge, which provided food, clothing, and shelter. The cave was near a spring of clear water and had an open area to the sky, which was shaded by the large palm branches. He found various cavities in the cave that provided living spaces. St. Paul saw the cave as a gift from God. According to tradition, he lived in solitude for more than 90 years, devoting himself entirely to prayer, contemplation, and communion with God.

His story became widely known through the writings of St. Jerome, who recorded that St. Anthony the Great learned about St. Paul and visited him near the end of his life. When St. Anthony arrived, he found St. Paul clothed in palm leaves and nourished by a raven that brought him half a loaf of bread daily. After St. Paul’s death around 341, two lions are said to have helped St. Anthony dig his grave.

St. Paul’s life inspired generations of hermits and monastics, especially in the Eastern Church. The Monastery of Saint Paul the Anchorite in Egypt was built at the site of his cave and houses his relics. The site remains a place of pilgrimage.

St. Paul the First Hermit stands as a symbol of radical trust in God, detachment from worldly concerns, and the power of solitude to deepen spiritual life.