Saint Anthony of Padua
Also known as
- Antonio da Padova
- António de Lisboa
- Evangelical Doctor
Profile
Anthony’s wealthy family wanted him to be a great nobleman, but for the sake of Christ he became a poor Franciscan. Priest.
When the remains of Saint Berard and his companions, the first Franciscan martyrs, were brought to be buried in his church, Anthony was moved to leave his order, enter the Friars Minor, and go to Morocco to evangelize. Shipwrecked at Sicily, he joined some other brothers who were going to the church in Portiuncula. Lived in a cave at San Paolo leaving only to attend Mass and sweep the nearby monastery. One day when a scheduled speaker failed to appear, the brothers pressed him into speaking. He impressed them so that he was thereafter constantly travelling, evangelizing, preaching, and teaching theology through Italy and France.
A gifted speaker, he attracted crowds everywhere he went, speaking in multiple tongues; legend says that even the fish loved to listen. Miracle worker. One of the most beloved of saints, his images and statues are found everywhere – though none of them portray him as a heavy-set man, which some reports claim he was. Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church on 16 January 1946.
One source of the well-known patronage for the recovery of lost objects comes from a legend that, long after Anthony’s death, his old prayer book was kept as a treasured relic, and one day it disappeared. People prayed for help in finding the lost item, a novice found it and returned it; he later admitted that he had “borrowed” the book and returned it after receiving a vision of an angry Anthony.
Born
- 13 June 1231 of natural causes
- buried on the Tuesday following his death in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, Padua, Italy
- legend says that all the sick who visited his new grave were healed
- against barrenness
- against shipwreck
- against starvation
- against starving
- against sterility
- American Indians
- amputees
- animals
- asses
- domestic animals
- elderly people
- expectant mothers
- faith in the Blessed Sacrament
- fishermen
- harvests
- horses
- lost articles
- lower animals
- mariners, sailors, watermen, boatmen
- oppressed people
- orphans
- paupers
- poor people
- pregnant women
- seekers of lost articles
- starving people
- swineherds
- travel hostesses
- travellers
- –
- World Youth Day 2023
- —
- Brazil
- Portugal
- Tigua Indians
- Rogationists
- Alagoinhas, Brazil, diocese of
- Beaumont, Texas, diocese of
- Campo Maior, Brazil, diocese of
- Cerreto Sannita-Telese-Sant’Agata de’ Goti, Italy, diocese of
- Masbate, Philippines, diocese of
- Olinda e Recife, Brazil, archdiocese of
- Portalegre–Castelo Branco, Portugal, diocese of
- San Antonio, Texas, archdiocese of
- Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi–Conza–Nusco–Bisaccia, Italy, archdiocese of
- Timmins, Ontario, diocese of
- Partido de San Antonio de Areco, Argentina
- in Brazil
- Alvorada de Minas
- Araçuaí
- Astolfo Dutra
- Bicas
- Borgo Hermada
- Caetanópolis
- Cajuri
- Campanha
- Canãa
- Caparaó
- Chiador
- Coluna
- Cristiano Otoni
- Curvelo
- Diamantina
- Ewbank da Câmara
- Fiobbio, Albino
- Fortuna de Minas
- Goianá
- Gouveia
- Governador Valadares
- Grão Mogol
- Ibertioga
- Ibiracatu
- Igarapé
- Igaratinga
- Inimutaba
- Ipanema
- Itacambira
- Itamonte
- Itapagipe
- Itaverava
- Itinga
- Itutinga
- Jacinto
- Jacutinga
- Jampruca
- José Raydan
- Juiz de Fora
- Lagoa Dourada
- Luislândia
- Mamonas
- Mantena
- Maravilhas
- Mateus Leme
- Mato Verde
- Mesquita
- Miraí
- Naque
- Olaria
- Olle
- Ouro Branco
- Paracatu
- Passa Vinte
- Patos de Minas
- Peçanha
- Pequi
- Piranguçu
- Planura
- Pratinha
- Presidente Bernardes
- Prudente de Morais
- Riacho dos Machados
- Rio Acima
- Rio Doce
- Salinas
- Santa Bárbara
- Santo Antônio do Amparo
- Santo Antônio do Aventureiro
- Santo Antônio do Grama
- Santo Antônio do Itambé
- Santo Antônio do Jacinto
- Santo Antônio do Monte
- Santo Antônio do Retiro
- Santo Antônio do Rio Abaixo
- São Romão
- Sardoá
- Sete Lagoas
- Silveirânia
- Teixeiras
- Tiradentes
- Tiros
- in Italy
- Afragola
- Amantea
- Andretta
- Anzio
- Aragno, Aquila
- Avetrana
- Bisaccia
- Capistrello
- Castello-Molina di Fiemme
- Castelsaraceno
- Castiglione Cosentino
- Castiglione d’Otranto
- Castrignano de ‘Greci
- Ceglie
- Cianciana, Agrigento
- Collebrincioni, Aquila
- Fabrizia
- Farindola
- Favara
- Ferrazzano
- Fluminimaggiore
- Gemona del Friuli
- Giano Vetusto
- Lago, Castellabate
- Moncalvo
- Nicolosi
- Padua
- Ponte Mefita, Contursi Terme
- San Paolo di Civitate
- Terranuova Bracciolini
- Torelli, Mercogliano
- Venice
- in Mexico
- in Portugal
- Dorado, Puerto Rico
- San Fulgencio, Spain
- Sandia Indian Pueblo
- Infant Jesus (referring to his vision)
- book
- bread
- Christ-child in his arms
- Christ-child on a book
- fire in his hand
- fire on his breast
- Franciscan habit
- kneeling mule
- lily
Readings
The saints are like the stars. In his providence Christ conceals them in a hidden place that they may not shine before others when they might wish to do so. Yet they are always ready to exchange the quiet of contemplation for the works of mercy as soon as they perceive intheir heart the invitation of Christ. – Saint Anthony of Padua
Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak. We are full of words but empty of actions, and therefore are cursed by the Lord, since he himself cursed the fig tree when he found no fruit but only leaves. It is useless for a man to flaunt his knowledge of the law if he undermines its teaching by his actions.
But the apostles “spoke as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech.” Happy the man whose words issue from the Holy Spirit and not from himself!
We should speak, then, as the Holy Spirit gives us the gift of speech. Our humble and sincere request to the Spirit for ourselves should be that we may bring the day of Pentecost to fulfillment, insofar as he infuses us with his grace, by using our bodily senses in a perfect manner by keeping the commandments. Likewise we shall request that we may be filled with a keen sense of sorrow and with fiery tongues for confessing the faith so our deserved reward may be to stand in the blazing splendor of the saints and to look upon the triune God. – from a sermon by Saint Anthony of Padua
Not without a long procession does the devil wish the sinner to be carried to his grave, and therefore he arranges the file after the usual maimer: Ambition carries the cross, Detraction the incense, Oppression the holy – or rather the cursed – water, Hypocrisy bears the lights. There are two chanters: one is the Fallacious Confidence of living a long time, and he sings, Requiem aeternam – you still have abundant time; the other is Presumption as to the Divine Mercy, and he sings, In Paradisnm le ducant angeli. Pride celebrates the office. Then follow Vain-Glory on the right, Envy on the left, and, walking after, Anger, Impatience, Insolence, Blasphemy, Contumely, Arrogance, Lasciviousness, Gluttony, Idle Talk, Boasting, Injury, Curiosity, and Uneasiness. Lo! what a crowd in the conscience following him who is dead in trespasses and sin. – from a sermon by Saint Anthony of Padua
MLA Citation
- “Saint Anthony of Padua“. CatholicSaints.Info. 6 April 2024. Web. 20 April 2024. <>