Saint Fana

Who was Saint Fana?

Saint Fana 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 and Sozomen's Church Hisotory 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.

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.