A Desert of Souls, a Soul in the Desert (St. Anthony the Great)

κύριε ἐλέησον κύριε ἐλέησον
ἅγιε ἀντώνιε, πρέσβευε ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν
(Lord have mercy, saint anthony pray for us)

Born in egypt, land of sand
Wealth and comfort in his hand
Then Christ spoke clear, give all away
He burned the bridges, chose the way

The world was drunk on flesh and gold
Cities rotten, hearts grown cold
He fled corruption, fled the lie
Chose desert war beneath the sky

Not pleasure
Not fame
But cross and fire
He took the flame

Stand, saint anthony!
Father of monks, desert king
Left the world for everything
Fast, pray, fight!
Against the flesh, against the lie
Against hell's cry

Deep in tombs and ruined halls
Demons rose from hellish walls
Claws and shadows, teeth and flame
They broke his body, cursed his name

But Christ stood firm when blood was spilled
He rose again, unbroken will
Returned to war with greater fire
Stronger faith, harder desire

They struck his flesh
But failed his soul
The desert rang
With heaven's roll

Stand, saint anthony!
Terror of demons, shield of prayer
Hell retreated in despair
Fast, pray, fight!
Not with steel but holy flame
He crushed the enemy's name

From cave to mountain monks arose
Seeking anthony's warlike road
He forged an army clothed in rags
Spiritual legions, holy flags

When arian poison filled the land
He left the desert, took a stand
In alexandria's crowded streets
He thundered Christ's eternal seat

Not silent
When truth was slain
He marched to war
With holy pain

Stand, saint anthony!
Defender of nicene creed
Christ is God, eternally
Fast, pray, fight!
Orthodoxy held the line
Truth divine

ἰησοῦ χριστέ, υἱὲ τοῦ θεοῦ
ἐλέησόν με τὸν ἁμαρτωλόν
(Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner)

Over a hundred years he stood
Storms of flesh and demon blood
Refused comfort, refused crown
Chose desert throne, heaven-bound

When death arrived, calm and clear
He smiled without trace of fear
Left the earth but not the fight
His sons still march in prayer and night

From egypt's sands
To every land
His war still burns
By God's command

Stand, saint anthony!
Desert general, holy blade
Monastic fire he made
Fast, pray, fight!
When the world collapses in sin
The desert wins

Stand, saint anthony!
Father of warriors robed in cloth
Terror of hell, friend of God
Christ! Cross! Victory!
From cave to eternity
Saint anthony reigns in me

κύριε ἐλέησον
ἅγιε ἀντώνιε
ἀμήν