Saint Anthony of Padua

Image: Anthony of Padua with the Infant Jesus by Francisco de Zurbarán, 1627–1630

The 13th of June is the feast day of Saint Anthony of Padua (15 August 1195 – 13 June 1231). He was born as Fernando Martins de Bulhões and is also known as Anthony of Lisbon. He was a Portuguese Catholic priest and a Franciscan friar. He is the patron saint of Lisbon, lost items, lost people, lost souls, American Indians; amputees; animals; barrenness; Brazil; elderly people; faith in the Blessed Sacrament; fishermen; Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land; harvests; horses; lost articles; lower animals; mail; mariners; oppressed people; poor people; Portugal; pregnant women; seekers of lost articles; shipwrecks; starvation; sterility; swineherds; Tigua Indians; travel hostesses; travellers; Tuburan, Cebu; Watermen; runts of litters; counter-revolutionaries; and San Antonio De Padua Parish, Taytay, Rizal.

Saint Anthony was born in Lisbon, Portugal, to a powerful and pious family. When he was 15 years old he chose to serve God and the Augustinians, relinquishing his wealth and nobility. After witnessing the bodies of martyred Franciscan friars passing through the town he decided to join the Franciscans and travel to Morocco to preach to the Moors. However, due to his poor health, he was forced to return to Italy where he lived a quiet and secluded life in prayer and priestly duties. One day, he was called upon to be substitute preacher and amazed everyone with his gift of preaching and depth of knowledge. He became known as a foremost preacher of the Franciscans and was sent to preach against the heretics. He was called the “Hammer of the Heretics,” and was also known for his holiness and as a miracle worker. In 1946 he was named a Doctor of the Church.