Saint Ammon the Great

Also known as

• Ammonius

Memorial

• 4 October

Profile

Wealthy, married layman. He and his wife lived as brother and sister for 18 years, then each entered religious life. Ammon was one of the earliest and greatest desert monks, living in a cell on Mount Nitria. His reputation for holiness spread, and he attracted over 4,000 spiritual students. Known for his extraordinary fasts, he ate only once every three or four days.

Born

• c.286 in Egypt

Died

• c.348 of natural causes

Canonized

• Pre-Congregation

Representation

• a man saying the rosary in bed with his wife

Additional Information

• Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
• Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints

MLA Citation

• “Saint Ammon the Great”. Saints.SQPN.com. 4 June 2012. Web. 21 May 2013. <http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-ammon-the-great/>