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A Coptic monastery near the Red Sea in Egypt arose near the site of St. Anthony’s hermit cave as his followers flocked to the area to emulate his life. Anthony was a wealthy farmer who, inspired by Matthew 19:21, gave away all his material goods and took up residence in a cave in the desert. He engaged in manual labor to provide for his own sustenance. The current monastery has been repaired and restored many times over the course of its tumultuous history.