13 June | St. Anthony of Padua
As the saying goes, “nothing is truly lost until mom and St. Anthony can’t find it!” Typically depicted as a young friar holding the child Jesus, holding a book, or a lily, and sometimes juggling all three, St. Anthony of Padua is one of the most well known saints of the Catholic faith.
1. His name was Fernando Martins
St. Anthony wasn’t always “Anthony.” He was born Fernando Martins to a rather well established and wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal in 1195. (This would make him about 13 years younger than St. Francis of Assisi.) Fernando found his vocation and entered the Augustinian monastery when he was only 15.
2. He was inspired by Franciscan Martyrs
When the bodies of five Franciscan friars who were martyred for preaching the faith to the Muslims of Morocco were returned to Coimbra, an impressive and solemn procession took place in the town. Even the queen was present to welcome the earthly remains of the martyrs back home. So moved was Fr. Fernando by the sacrifice of these five men that he is said to have gone to the Franciscan friary and asked to become a Franciscan, but only if he too could be sent to spread the Gospel and die a martyr as well. Eventually Fr. Fernando was allowed to leave the Augustinian order and exchanged his black cincture and Augustinian cloak for the poor habit of a Franciscan. Upon his entry into the order established by St. Francis, he changed his name to Anthony. He had found where he belonged.
3. He had bad luck with boats and missed meeting St. Francis
The Franciscans sent Anthony to Morocco where he thought he would die a martyr for the faith. God, however, had other plans. Many times in the lives of those who are seeking holiness and who desire to give themselves for Christ, we read how God has used illness to reset and redirect zealous hearts. Such was the case with Anthony, the would-be martyr who became so sick he had to abandon his immediate hopes of martyrdom and go back to Coimbra to recover. God, however, still had other designs. Anthony’s ship encountered storms, bad winds, rough seas, and was eventually blown off course across the Mediterranean Sea. It seems our finder-of-lost-things couldn’t find his way home. Instead, he arrived in Sicily, very sick. He was nursed back to health by some fellow friars, and it is said he was even in the vicinity of St. Francis of Assisi, who at the time was also sick, though the two did not meet each other. At least not yet.
4. Even fish listened to him!
Soon Anthony’s gift of preaching became so well known that St. Francis requested he be sent to Northern Italy to preach the Gospel. When stubborn townsfolk wouldn’t pay attention to Anthony, legend has it that he went to a nearby river and preached instead to the fish, who appeared to be listening attentively. When the people of the town noticed that even the fish listened to his words, they became curious and gave him their attention too!
5. He is a Doctor of the Church
For his depth of knowledge, imbued with personal holiness, and his ability to explain the deep, mysterious truths of the faith to simple, ordinary, and often uneducated people, Anthony was made a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XII.
6. He didn’t actually “find” any lost items
In 1224 St. Francis asked Anthony to teach theology to the friars, “It pleases me that you should teach the friars sacred theology, provided that in such studies they do not destroy the spirit of holy prayer and devotedness, as contained in the Rule.” To assist him in teaching, St. Francis gave him his psalter (book of psalms). This must have been very cherished, especially since books were rare at that time. One day a young novice decided he wanted to leave the order, and he took Fr. Anthony’s psalter with him as he ran off. Understandably upset by this, Anthony prayed that the young man would be moved in his conscience to return the book. Well, this is where our finder of lost items gets his reputation, because not only did the young man return the stolen book, he also returned to the order, having re-found his vocation too!
7. He was only in his mid-thirties when he died
Fr. Anthony lived a saintly and full life, a life dedicated to finding God’s will, prayer, and poverty. It may come as a shock then, to discover that he died at the young age of 36! (Some accounts say age 35.) He desired to die in his beloved Padua but was unable to make the journey in his last days, giving the city a final blessing from the nearby town of Arcella. Before passing it is said that he saw Jesus and exclaimed, “I see my Lord!” He was canonized a year later by Pope Gregory IX, the very same pope who had heard him preach.
8. You can still see his tongue
Almost 340 years after his death, St. Anthony’s body was exhumed, as was often done with saints. His tongue is in a gold reliquary in the basilica in Padua along with his lower jaw and vocal cords. The young man who desired a life of quiet contemplation, with the zeal of the martyrs, and the gift of preaching is definitely more than just a finder of lost items and misplaced car keys.
His life is an example of what God can do with each one of us if we would only ask this powerful intercessor for a little help in finding him and his will for us.
St. Anthony, pray us!
Source: More Than A Finder Of Lost Things: 8 Lesser Known Facts About St. Anthony Of Padua — Epic Pew [Laura Ricketts – June 10, 2021]
Catholic Daily Mass Readings