Introduction to the Feast of St. Anthony ( June 13 )

Venerated as one of the greatest of the Catholic Saints, Saint Anthony of Padua was a man of amazing wisdom and spirit, who lived under extreme simplicity and resonance, aiming at bringing Moslems conversions back to Christianity, and spreading the word of God, following the path of Jesus and living for Him.

Born in 1195, to a noble family in Lisbon, Portugal, Saint Anthony was baptized as Fernando Martins de Bulhoes. Against the wishes of his family, Fernando joined the Augustinian Abbey of St. Vincent when he was 15. He later joined Augustinian Monastery of Santa Cruz at Coimbra, learning the sacred scriptures for nine years.Following the martyrdom of five Franciscan Friars, Fernando decided to die for Christ and joined the Franciscan Friars, accepting the name Anthony. Later, inspired by the life of St Francis of Assisi, who he met at Sicily, Anthony decided to live spreading Christianity through Catholicism. He spent his life in Padua, showing great aptitude for preaching, making electrifying speeches, and drawing thousands towards his sermons. Through him, the public life of Padua was greatly improved.While preaching in Italy, the Pope honored him with the title, “Armory of the Bible." He was commissioned by the Vatican to undertake sermons on feast days.Owing to poor health, Brother Anthony died on June 13, 1231 at Padua. Pope Gregory IX canonized Anthony on May 30, 1232, making him the quickest to achieve sainthood, following which he was declared a “Doctor of the Church”. Saint Anthony is often depicted as a tonsured young man wearing a brown Franciscan robe, holding infant Jesus in one hand and a lily in the other. Sometimes he is portrayed with a book in his hand, befitting his Doctoral role, and is famous as Saint Anthony of Padua.

People are miraculously blessed with their prayer for Saint Anthony, granting their petitions, and in return, believers show their devotion towards Saint Anthony in the form of intercessory prayers or novenas. The prayer for Saint Anthony is diverse, and on Tuesdays, Catholics around the world devote themselves to this great Saint through intercessions and novenas.

Beloved Saint Anthony , pray for us .