Saint Fana
Encyclopedia
Saint Fana (c. 354-395) was an Egyptian Christian hermit. A monastery
in the diocese of Mallawi
, Upper Egypt
, is named after him.
Saint Fana was born to a Christian
family in Memphis
. He became an anchorite
due to the inspiration of the Western Desert
hermits he visited as a young man.
Ancient sources such as the History of the Egyptian Monks (Historia Monachorum in Aegypto) the story of a visit of seven monks to Egypt in 394-395 AD, Sayings of the Fathers (Apophtegnmata Patrum), and Sozomen's Church Hisotory (Historia Ecclesiastica) make reference to a hermit called Benus or Banus who can be identified as Saint Fana, and who lived in the area where the monastery of Saint Fana was later built.
The History of the Egyptian Monks states:
Fana also became noted for his knowledge of the Psalms
and would ultimately be linked to miracles.
He is noted for his ascetic life and concern for the poor. He also reportedly predicted the date of Theodosius I
's death.
The monastery dedicated to him is one of the oldest in Egypt.
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
in the diocese of Mallawi
Mallawi
Mallawi is a town in Egypt, located in the governorate of Minya.- Overview :Situated in a farm area, the town produces textiles and handicrafts.The total area of the city is about...
, Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt is the strip of land, on both sides of the Nile valley, that extends from the cataract boundaries of modern-day Aswan north to the area between El-Ayait and Zawyet Dahshur . The northern section of Upper Egypt, between El-Ayait and Sohag is sometimes known as Middle Egypt...
, is named after him.
Saint Fana was born to a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
family in Memphis
Memphis, Egypt
Memphis was the ancient capital of Aneb-Hetch, the first nome of Lower Egypt. Its ruins are located near the town of Helwan, south of Cairo.According to legend related by Manetho, the city was founded by the pharaoh Menes around 3000 BC. Capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom, it remained an...
. He became an anchorite
Anchorite
Anchorite denotes someone who, for religious reasons, withdraws from secular society so as to be able to lead an intensely prayer-oriented, ascetic, and—circumstances permitting—Eucharist-focused life...
due to the inspiration of the Western Desert
Western Desert
Western Desert may refer to:* Libyan Desert, located in the northern and eastern part of the Sahara Desert. It occupies Egypt west of the Nile , eastern Libya and northwestern Sudan alongside the Nubian Desert.* Western Desert cultural bloc or just Western Desert is a cultural region in...
hermits he visited as a young man.
Ancient sources such as the History of the Egyptian Monks (Historia Monachorum in Aegypto) the story of a visit of seven monks to Egypt in 394-395 AD, Sayings of the Fathers (Apophtegnmata Patrum), and Sozomen's Church Hisotory (Historia Ecclesiastica) make reference to a hermit called Benus or Banus who can be identified as Saint Fana, and who lived in the area where the monastery of Saint Fana was later built.
The History of the Egyptian Monks states:
"We saw another old man who was gentle above all others. His name was Benus and the brothers with him asserted that no oath or lie had ever come from his mouth, that no one had ever seen him losing his temper with anyone, or indulging in unnecessary, idle conversation. He lived his life in a profound silence, his manner was always peaceful, in all things he seemed to be angelic. His humility was very deep, counting himself as nothing in every way. We ourselves urgently pressed him to favour us with some encouraging conversation, but his modesty prevented him from giving us more than just a few words."
Fana also became noted for his knowledge of the Psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
and would ultimately be linked to miracles.
He is noted for his ascetic life and concern for the poor. He also reportedly predicted the date of Theodosius I
Theodosius I
Theodosius I , also known as Theodosius the Great, was Roman Emperor from 379 to 395. Theodosius was the last emperor to rule over both the eastern and the western halves of the Roman Empire. During his reign, the Goths secured control of Illyricum after the Gothic War, establishing their homeland...
's death.
The monastery dedicated to him is one of the oldest in Egypt.