Feast of Saint Anthony of Padua

Feast day : 13 June

“Christians must lean on the Cross of Christ just as travellers lean on a staff when they begin a long journey.”

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Anthony of Padua, one of the most popular saints of the Church who was canonized within less than a year after his death. He lived during the period 1195-1231. He was perfectly versed in the Holy Scriptures and had an excellent talent of applying them to every occasion. With his heart full of divine love he poured this forth with great energy and zeal transforming the lives of many hardened sinners and heretics of his time. His powerful sermons earned him the title 'Doctor of the Church'. He is also popularly called 'The Miracle Worker or Wonder Worker' for the innumerable miracles that came to be through his intercession both during his lifetime and after his death. He is the patron saint for lost items, infertile women, sailors, poor people, starving people, pregnant women and elderly people.

Early life:

Saint Anthony was born in Lisbon in the year AD 1195 to Martin de Bullones and Mary of Tevera who were both distinguished by their nobility and virtue. He was christened Ferdinand and being from a wealthy family had the privilege to a good education. His mother dedicated him to the Blessed Virgin at a young age. This nurtured in him a deep devotion to the Mother of God. At the age of 15, he joined the Augustinian Canons located at St. Vincent’s. There he was constantly disturbed by the visits of his family and friends and so two years later he asked to be transferred to the monastery of Holy Cross at Coimbra. There he spent the next nine years of his life immersed in his studies, leading a prayerful life and mastering the Holy Scriptures and the writings of the Church fathers. His pious life and progress in knowledge was of much amazement to his teachers and fellow religious.
But God had destined him to join another Order. On January 16, 1220 five Franciscan Friars were put to death in Morocco. When their remains were brought to the Augustinians of Holy Cross in Coimbra, young Ferdinand was inspired to attain martyrdom for Jesus. He asked some of the begging Friars who came to his monastery if he could join their Order so that he too could go to Morocco and lay down his life for Jesus. He expressed his desire to the Canons too and after much debate and resistance, he obtained permission to join the Franciscan Order.

Vocation:

He received his new habit in 1221 in the little Franciscan convent dedicated to the great Saint Antony, patriarch of the monks, near Coimbra. He took the name Anthony after the patron Saint. Burning with desire to attain martyrdom, he soon obtained permission to go to Morocco. However, God was pleased with the sacrifice of his heart and visited him with a severe illness which obliged him to return to Portugal. On his way back, the ship he was travelling in was driven off course by adverse winds and he landed in Sicily. From there he sought permission to live in the little hermitage at Monte Paolo near Forli and Bologna. One of the friars had a place in a nearby cave in which St. Anthony often spent his time in fasting and prayer. He served humbly in the kitchen and never revealed his wisdom to anyone. But his knowledge and anointing were revealed when during an assembly of Dominican and Franciscan friars in Forli, he was ordered by his Guardian to speak whatever the Holy Spirit should put in his mouth. The saint begged to be excused but on insistence from his Superior Saint Anthony spoke. What followed was that the whole gathering realised that this simple friar who did small tasks in the kitchen was so full of profound knowledge and filled with the Holy Spirit. Saint Francis was informed of this new treasure in his Order and he was given his first assignment as a preacher to Vercilli. He taught for some years at Bologna, Toulouse, Montpellier and Padua and was appointed Guardian at Limoges. He dedicated his time to be a missionary preacher for the conversion of souls from vice. He had a polite address and a very pleasing countenance. He was perfectly versed in the Holy Scriptures and had an excellent talent of applying them to every occasion. His heart was full of divine love and he poured this forth with great energy and zeal. His words had the impact of darts on the hearts of his hearers. He opposed the popular vices and growing heresies of those times with equal vigor and success. The most obstinate heretics and the most hardened sinners were known to have thrown themselves at his feet in complete surrender. Pope Gregory IX hearing him preach at Rome in 1227, in his surprise, figuratively called him The Ark of the Covenant, or the rich spiritual treasure.

Death and Canonization:

On June 13, 1231, which was a Friday, St. Anthony felt weak while at the table with the friars for the noon meal. He asked to be taken to Padua to the Friary of Holy Mary. So he was put into an ox cart and the journey to Padua began. On the way he was met by a friar who suggested they go to the convent of the Poor Clares in Arcella. As soon as they reached there he went to Confession and shortly afterwards his faithful servant saw his eyes shining and asked him “Do you see anything?” To which the Saint replied “I see my Lord”. He was soon anointed and shortly afterwards died at the young age of 36. On the news of his death, it is said that children ran about the streets crying out ‘The saint is dead’ and the Church bells rang on their own. Innumerable miracles testified his sanctity and he was immediately canonized by Pope Gregory IX in 1232, less than a year since his death. The Pope himself was a great admirer of Saint Anthony’s virtues. In his Apostolic letter of January 16,1946, Pope Pius XII said “It is because Anthony so very often uses thoughts and examples taken from the Gospel that he clearly shows himself worthy and deserving with full right the title, Doctor of the Gospel’.”

In 1263, a stately church was built in Padua and his body was transferred to the new Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua. When the coffin was opened, his body had decomposed except for his tongue that was preserved as though it was still alive. Seeing this Saint Bonaventure exclaimed, “O blessed tongue, you have always praised the Lord and led others to praise Him! Now we can clearly see how great indeed have been your merits before God.” Today the Franciscans are the custodians of St. Anthony’s remains. At Arcella too, a tomb has been built over St. Anthony’s death cell. Millions of people flock to the Basilica in Padua to pray to the Saint for their needs.