Who Is the Real Saint Anthony of Padua?

There is a tendency nowadays to depict saints as people who bypass the realities of life and somehow attain sanctity with little effort. Here we have two pictures of Saint Anthony of Padua.
The first is a fresco in the basilica dedicated to the saint in Padua, Italy, and it is the oldest known depiction of the great thirteenth century apostle and miracle worker.
In this picture, we see a powerfully built Franciscan, his expression young though mature, serious and determined.
The second is a holy card bought in the souvenir shop of the same basilica. This depiction is obviously not inspired by the fresco. Here we see a delicate, rosy cheeked young man, his face devoid of the natural masculinity necessarily brought on by the preacher’s arduous life.
His is sentimental, of soft countenance, devoid of the personality and strength of character necessary for climbing the mountain of perfection.
Anthony was born Ferdinand of Bouillon of a Portuguese noble family.
Early in life he engaged in …More