Paul of Thebes was an Egyptian monk, recognized as the first Christian hermit. Born around 227, he reportedly fled to the Theban desert to escape persecution, where he lived in isolation for many decades. According to tradition, he resided in a cave near a spring and a palm tree, surviving on the desert's resources. He is famously remembered for his meeting with Anthony the Great, who discovered his existence through a dream, leading to a significant encounter between the two ascetics late in Paul's life.