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ST. ATHONY OF PADUA
“Tony, Tony, look around! Something’s lost and can’t be found!”
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c. 1195 – 13 June 1231
St. Anthony is a Portuguese Catholic saint who was born to a wealthy
family in Lisbon, Portugal where he lived most of his life, and who died in
Padua, Italy.
Fernando Martins de Bulhões, who later, upon admission into the
Franciscan Order, would take up the name António (Anthony), was born in
Lisbon to a very rich family of the nobility who wanted him to become
educated; however, these were not his wishes. His family arranged sound
education for him at the local cathedral school. Against the wishes of his
family, he entered the Augustinian Abbey of St. Vincent on the outskirts of
Lisbon. The Canons Regular of St. Augustine, of which he was a member,
were famous for their dedication to scholarly pursuits. Anthony studied
Scripture and the Latin classics.
After his ordination, Anthony was placed in charge of hospitality in his
abbey. In this role, in 1219, he came in contact with five Franciscans who
were on their way to Morocco to preach to the Muslims there. Anthony was
strongly attracted to the simple Gospel lifestyle of the Franciscan friars. In February 1220, news arrived that the
five Franciscans had been martyred in Morocco. Anthony meditated on the heroism of these Franciscans. He
wanted to obey God's call to leave everything and follow Him. Anthony obtained permission from his
Augustinian superiors to join the Franciscan Order.
Anthony joined the Franciscans and later went to Africa with them. He chose to evangelize in Africa regardless of
the dangers and possibility of martyrdom. He became sick after a short time in Africa and had to leave. He was
shipwrecked on the coast of Sicily.
After arriving in Messina he traveled north to join St. Francis at Padua. St. Anthony followed the directives of St.
Francis to be sworn to poverty and prayer. He lived in a cave in order to pray in solitude. Accounts say that
Anthony wasn't a priest until he was ordained at a Dominican abbey at Forli at the age of 27. His ordination
opened up new avenues of activity which exposed his true talents.
At a gathering after the ordination he was coaxed to deliver a sermon. He started to talk in a simple, humble way.
But the longer he spoke, the more vivid and forceful became his words, until it seemed to the friars that the Holy
Spirit Himself was inspiring his words. St. Francis commissioned Anthony to travel to all his communities to
instruct his friars in theology, "provided that in such studies they did not destroy the spirit of holy prayer and
devotedness."
Later, Anthony traveled to the province of Romagna to preach doctrine to heretics, who were called Albigensians.
Then he went to France where the Albigensian movement had started. Here he was nicknamed the “Hammer of
Heretics!” He had great success in proclaiming the gospel and gained many followers. In every town and village
the wonderful deeds of the champion of the cause of God called for a universal admission. All ranks of society
had recourse to him. The poor, the afflicted, the sinful and the sorrowful turned to him for benediction. He
consoled them in their troubles, raised them from despondency, blessed their children, and performed the most
touching miracles.
NEARLY EVERYWHERE St. Anthony is asked to intercede with God for the return of things lost or stolen.
Those who feel very familiar with him may pray, "Tony, Tony, turn around. Something's lost and must be found."
The reason for invoking St. Anthony's help in finding lost or stolen things is traced back to an incident in his own
life. As the story goes, Anthony had a book of psalms that was very important to him. Besides the value of any
book before the invention of printing, the psalter had the notes and comments he had made to use in teaching
students in his Franciscan Order.A novice who had already grown tired of living religious life decided to depart
the community. Besides going AWOL he also took Anthony's psalter! Upon realizing his psalter was missing,
Anthony prayed it would be found or returned to him. And after his prayer the thieving novice was moved to
return the psalter to Anthony and return to the Order which accepted him back. Legend has embroidered this story
a bit. It has the novice stopped in his flight by a horrible devil brandishing an ax and threatening to trample him
underfoot if he did not immediately return the book. Obviously a devil would hardly command anyone to do
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something good. But the core of the story would seem to be true. And the stolen book is said to be preserved in
the Franciscan friary in Bologna.
A story about St. Anthony related in the complete edition of Butler’s Lives of the Saints projects back into the past
a visit of Anthony to the Lord of Chatenauneuf. Anthony was praying far into the night when suddenly the room
was filled with light more brilliant than the sun. Jesus then appeared to St. Anthony under the form of a little
child. Chatenauneuf, attracted by the brilliant light that filled his house, was drawn to witness the vision but
promised to tell no one of it until after St. Anthony’s death.
Anthony became ill with dropsy and, in 1231, went to the woodland retreat at Camposampiero with two other
friars for a respite. There Anthony lived in a cell built for him under the branches of a walnut tree. Saint Anthony
died on the way back to Padua on 13 June 1231 at the Poor Clare convent at Arcella, aged 36.
When he died, it is said that the children cried in the streets and that all the bells of the churches rang of their own
accord. He is buried in a chapel with his tongue in a reliquary, which is incorrupt although he is not an
incorruptible. The tongue glistens and looks as if it is still alive and moist.
Anthony was known to have become the "quickest" saint in the history of the Catholic Church because he was
canonized by Pope Gregory IX less than one year after his death on the 30th of May of 1232.
STORY OF ANTHONY AND THE FISHES:
St Anthony being at one time at Rimini, where there were a great number of
heretics, and wishing to lead them by the light of faith into the way of truth,
preached to them for several days, and reasoned with them on the faith of
Christ and on the Holy Scriptures. They not only resisted his words, but were
hardened and obstinate, refusing to listen to him.
At last St Anthony, inspired by God, went down to the sea-shore, where the
river runs into the sea, and having placed himself on a bank between the river
and the sea, he began to speak to the fishes as if the Lord had sent him to
preach to them, and said: "Listen to the word of God, O ye fishes of the sea and
of the river, seeing that the faithless heretics refuse to do so."
No sooner had he spoken these words than suddenly so great a multitude of
fishes, both small and great, approached the bank on which he stood, that never
before had so many been seen in the sea or the river. All kept their heads out of
the water, and seemed to be looking attentively on St Anthony's face; all were
ranged in perfect order and most peacefully, the smaller ones in front near the
bank, after them came those a little bigger, and last of all, were the water was
deeper, the largest.
When they had placed themselves in this order, St Anthony began to preach to them most solemnly, saying: "My brothers
the fishes, you are bound, as much as is in your power, to return thanks to your Creator, who has given you so noble an
element for your dwelling; for you have at your choice both sweet water and salt; you have many places of refuge from
the tempest; you have likewise a pure and transparent element for your nourishment. God, your bountiful and kind
Creator, when he made you, ordered you to increase and multiply, and gave you his blessing. In the universal deluge, all
other creatures perished; you alone did God preserve from all harm. He has given you fins to enable you to go where you
will. To you was it granted, according to the commandment of God, to keep the prophet Jonas, and after three days to
throw him safe and sound on dry land. You it was who gave the tribute-money to our Saviour Jesus Christ, when, through
his poverty, he had not wherewith to pay. By a singular mystery you were the nourishment of the eternal King, Jesus
Christ, before and after his resurrection. Because of all these things you are bound to praise and bless the Lord, who has
given you blessings so many and so much greater than to other creatures."
At these words the fish began to open their mouths, and bow their heads, endeavouring as much as was in their power to
express their reverence and show forth their praise.
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St Anthony, seeing the reverence of the fish towards their Creator, rejoiced greatly in spirit, and said with a loud voice:
"Blessed be the eternal God; for the fishes of the sea honour him more than men without faith, and animals without reason
listen to his word with greater attention than sinful heretics."
And whilst St Anthony was preaching, the number of fishes increased, and none of them left the place that he had chosen.
And the people of the city hearing of the miracle, made haste to go and witness it. With them also came the heretics of
whom we have spoken above, who, seeing so wonderful and manifest a miracle, were touched in their hearts; and threw
themselves at the feet of St Anthony to hear his words. The saint then began to expound to them the Catholic faith. He
preached so eloquently, that all those heretics were converted, and returned to the true faith of Christ; the faithful also
were filled with joy, and greatly comforted, being strengthened in the faith.
After this St Anthony sent away the fishes, with the blessing of God; and they all departed, rejoicing as they went, and the
people returned to the city. But St Anthony remained at Rimini for several days, preaching and reaping much spiritual
fruit in the souls of his hearers.
THE MARIAN DEVOTION OF ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA
St. Anthony of Padua is one of the most famous disciples of St. Francis of Assisi. He was a famous preacher and worker
of miracles in his own day, and throughout the eight centuries since his death he has so generously come to the assistance
of the faithful who invoke him, that he is known throughout the world. This brief article about St. Anthony of Padua
appeared in the August/September edition of the Herald of the Immaculate , and forms part of the Home Page of St.
Francis of Assisi.
St. Anthony's Life began with Mary
St. Anthony is titled the Evangelical Doctor, Wonder-Worker and Hammer of Heretics; but more importantly he is
renowned for his personal holiness. His sanctity and wisdom flowed from his profound, penetrating love for the
Immaculate Virgin Mary. Heroically he followed the Poverello of Assisi, St. Francis, whose tender love for the poor,
humble Virgin was comparable only to that of Christ Himself. As a true friar minor St. Anthony praised and glorified the
Queen of the Angels from the pulpit, where with simple yet lofty doctrine he moved multitudes to savor the sweet name
of Mary. Furthermore, he imitated Her with such perfection that he became, as it were, an extension of the Virgin Mother
on earth.
From the outset his life was markedly Marian, being born in Lisbon on the feast of the Assumption, August 15th, 1195 A.
D., and baptized in the Church of St. Mary in Lisbon. At the age of 15 he completed his studies at the Cathedral School of
St. Mary. Appropriately his earthly life, ever pure and humble, was brought to a close in a similar Marian tone, for when
death drew nigh he longed to be taken to the St. Mary, Mother of God Friary in Padua. After receiving Extreme Unction
he intoned his favorite hymn, "O gloriosa Domina..." (O glorious Lady). He lived and died with the Virgin Mary on his
lips and in his heart.
St. Anthony's Faith in Jesus Christ overflowed in Devotion to Mary
His devotion was founded on the solid foundation of Catholic doctrine, as all true devotion is. Consequently he has left
the Church with a wealth of Mariological insight in his sermons. Reflecting upon the doctrines about our Blessed Lady
through the eyes of St. Anthony one realizes with him that "in Her were gathered all the privileges of merits and rewards."
In 431 A. D. the Catholic Church at the Council of Ephesus proclaimed that since Jesus Christ is the second Person of the
most Holy Trinity, that is, a divine Person, Mary can rightly be called "Mother of God" (Theotokos). St. Anthony
maintains that as Jesus was "designated Son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness..." (Rm. 1:4), so Mary "is
designated as Mother of God in power according to the spirit of holiness." For him Mary was designated, predestined
from all eternity, to receive this singular grace.
"O inestimabilis Mariae dignitas!
O inennarabilis gratiae sublimitas!
O investigabilis misericordiae profunditas!..."
"O inestimable dignity of Mary!
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O indescribable sublimity of grace!
O incomprehensible depth of mercy!
Has so much grace or mercy ever been given to an angel or man as has been given to the Blessed Virgin, whom God the
Father wished to be the Mother of His Son?"
Commenting on the passage where "a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, 'Blessed is the womb that
bore You and the breasts that You sucked!'" (Lk 11:27), the holy doctor says, "Blessed, therefore, is the womb of the
glorious Virgin who for nine months was worthy to carry all goodness, the highest goodness, the bliss of angels and
reconciliation of sinners." Elsewhere he writes that "She possessed within Her the compactness of love—for nine months
She carried Love Incarnate in Her womb." His interior wonderment and inspired preaching regarding Mary's divine
maternity ought to enkindle within all souls the same sentiments.
St. Anthony's Devotion to the Immaculate Conception
Before She became Mother of God "the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of Her conception, by a singular
grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was
preserved free from all stain of original sin..." as Pope Pius IX infallibly stated in 1854 A. D.. This solemn definition
reflects the theological insight of Bl. John Duns Scotus (1266-1308), a Franciscan who articulated this truth of Mary's
Immaculate Conception with clarity and force some seventy years after the death of St. Anthony. Although the saint of
Padua never explicitly preached that the Virgin Mary was conceived without sin, he nonetheless implicitly upheld this
Marian privilege and prepared the way for Scotus and Pius IX.
He quotes and confirms St. Augustine who declared, "Where there is a question of sin, exclude as far as I am concerned,
the Blessed Virgin Mary." None of the saints can say, "We have no sin" (1 Jn 1:8). "But," the blessed friar adds, "from the
universal confession of sin Mary among all creatures is to be excepted for She was 'full of grace.'" This "superior,"
"singular" grace was bestowed upon Her "that She might worthily bear in Her womb Him, who from the beginning held in
His hands the control of the universe." In his mind "the pure Virgin" was "full of grace" and "free from sin" in view of the
divine maternity. In other words, he saw that it was fitting and true that the Mother of God should be "Immaculate"—this
is the basis for the Immaculate Conception. "The Father clothed His Son Jesus in a white robe, that is, flesh without any
stain of sin conceived by the Virgin Immaculate." Therefore, St. Anthony helped to lay the foundations for the solemn
definition of 1854 by the implications of his sermons.
St. Anthony's Faith in Mary's Perpetual Virginity
The holy doctor frequently spoke on the perpetual virginity of Mary, a doctrine defined by the Church at the Lateran
Council in 647. Our saint capsulizes this teaching concisely: "She remained a Virgin before, during, and after the birth (of
Christ)." In one sermon, after likening St. Ann to an "olive tree, from which came the brilliant blossom... the blessed
Mary," he says, "Symbolically it could be said that She (Mary) was 'green like an olive' in the conception and birth of the
Savior, for She remained a virgin before and after His birth." Regarding our Lady's
virginity during birth, he gives a fervent explanation: "Christ's birth from the Virgin
knows no equal among women, but is mirrored in nature. Someone may ask how the
Virgin gave birth to the Savior. She begot Him as a blossom emanates perfume. The
blossom of the vine remains incorrupt after it has given off its perfume, and so
likewise, faith leads us to believe that the modesty of the Virgin—the modesty with
which She gave birth the Savior—was not violated. What else is the flower of
virginity if not a sweet perfume?" Furthermore, "just as a lily does not lose any of its
beauty in emitting its sweet fragrance, so too did our Lady preserve Her virginity in
giving birth to the Savior."
St. Anthony's Faith in Mary's Assumption
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The humble friar, who taught and preached only under obedience, is considered among
the foremost witnesses in Church history to the mystery of the Virgin Mary's assumption
which was not solemnly defined as an article of faith until 1950 by Pope Pius XII. The
Supreme Pontiff Himself quotes and applauds the friar's testimony to this truth. "Among
the holy writers who... illustrate and confirm the doctrine of the assumption, which they
piously believed, the Evangelical Doctor St. Anthony of Padua holds a special place. On
the feast day of the Assumption, while explaining the prophet's words: 'I will glorify the
place of my feet' (Is 60:13), he states it as certain that the Divine Redeemer had bedecked
with supreme glory His most beloved Mother from whom He had received human flesh.
He asserts that 'you have a clear statement that the blessed Virgin has been assumed in
Her body, which was the place of the Lord's feet.' Hence it is that the holy Psalmist
writes: 'Arise, O Lord, into Your resting place; You and the ark which You have
sanctified.' And he asserts that, just as Jesus Christ has risen from the death over which
He triumphed and has ascended to the right hand of the Father, so likewise the ark of His
sanctification 'has risen up, since on this day the Virgin Mother has been taken up to Her
heavenly dwelling.'" ( Munificentissimus Deus #29).
For St. Anthony there are two primary reasons for Mary's assumption and glorification: Her election as Mother of God
and Her response of humility. He shows all of our Lady's privileges in the light of Her divine maternity. She was assumed
bodily into heaven "...because from Her He assumed flesh." She was "the place of the Lord's feet" and the "ark of His
sanctification" and was therefore glorified. But Her exaltation was also due to Her littleness, for "in the word of humility,
'Behold, the handmaid of the Lord' (Lk 1:38), She became the Queen of Heaven." As a result of Her "humility of body and
heart... She is brilliant in Her heavenly splendor." She is "exalted above the choirs of angels" and "sits upon a starry
throne," crowned by Her divine Son, precisely because She humbled Herself below any other creature.
The Queen of the Angels is also our Queen and Mother. St. Anthony declares that "the blessed Mother will not run away
from any... sinner. She is appropriately called the Mother of Mercy since She welcomes any sinner who approaches Her,
offering solace to the afflicted and hope to the despairing." When approaching this tender Mother and sovereign Queen
with confidence "we are filled with every good thing..., we have everything..., we are blessed." Therefore he exclaims:
"Through You, Paradise has entered our world!"
St. Anthony's Faith in Mary's Maternal Mediation
This most merciful Mother has been chosen by God to distribute all His grace to poor sinners. Why is this? Certainly Her
"Fiat" at the annunciation permitted Christ to take on His sacred flesh in Her womb; it is, after all, through Her that God is
with us in Christ Jesus. But Her "Fiat" continued throughout Her entire life culminating in Her assent to God's holy will
on blood-stained Calvary. The holy doctor, as previously quoted, compares our Lady to an olive, and in that sermon he
makes special mention of Her agony at the foot of the cross. "It could be said that She was 'red as an olive' in the Passion
of Her Son, when 'Her Heart was pierced with a sword'(Lk. 2:35)." The sorrowful Mother participated in His redemptive
suffering, especially when His side was pierced by the lance, and is often called our Co-Redemptrix with the Redeemer.
"The Blessed Virgin Mary therefore, our Mediatrix, established peace between God and the sinner." It is through the
humble Mary that God has reconciled us to Himself in Christ Jesus and therefore She is rightly called the Mediatrix of all
graces. Commenting on the rainbow which God set in the sky after the flood (cf. Gn 9), the saint proclaims, "The rainbow
is a symbol of the peace and reconciliation which the blessed Virgin, our Mediatrix, effected between God and man." And
it is thus that he prays, "Our Lady, our only hope, we are asking You to illumine our souls with the brilliance of Your
grace... that we may be worthy of His glory."
St. Anthony's Devotion to the Holy Name of Mary
This glorious saint and doctor of the Church found great delight and strength in invoking the "sweet name of Mary," the
"New Eve" and "Star of the Sea," with all Her sacred privileges. However, his devotion to the poor, humble Virgin led
him to perfectly imitate and mirror Her in Her poverty, littleness and purity of Heart. He became, as it were, the presence
of Mary in the world by his holy life. Because he had been wholly transformed into 'another' Mary, who "always had Her
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mind raised straight up to God in the contemplation of heavenly things," so he merited to hold and adore the divine Infant
with his own arms.
The Marian doctrine and devotion of this great saint, like two wings, lifted him up from this world and carried him into
the sublime heights of holiness. May his profound wisdom and love for the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God inspire
many to entrust themselves entirely to Her without reserve and with full confidence so that She may illumine souls with
the brilliance of Her grace.
www.ewtn.com
From St. Anthony of Padua’s Sermon on the Annunciation of Mary: (Comparing Mary to a Rainbow.)
Look upon the rainbow, and bless him that made it: it is very beautiful in its brightness.
It encompasseth the heaven about with the circle of its glory. [Ecclus 43.12-13]
Look upon the rainbow: that is, consider the beauty, holiness and dignity of blessed Mary; and
bless with heart and mouth and deed her Son, who made her thus. In the brightness of her
holiness she is very beautiful, beyond all daughters of God. She has encompassed the heaven
about (that is, she has enclosed the divinity) within the circle of her glory, her glorious humanity.
We implore you, then, our Lady and only hope, to enlighten our minds with the brightness of
your glory; to cleanse them with the whiteness of your purity; to warm them with the heat of your
visitation; and to reconcile us to your Son, so that we may be found fit to attain the brightness of
his glory. May he grant this, who at the angel’s Annunciation took from you this day his glorious
flesh, and willed to dwell nine months in your bride-chamber. To him be honor and glory for
ever and ever. Amen.
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