St. Anthony of Padua: Life and Spirituality

Memory of St. Anthony, priest and doctor of the Church, who, born in Portugal, already a regular canon, entered the recently founded Order of Minors to attend to the spread of the faith among the peoples of Africa, but exercised the ministry of preaching with much fruit in Italy and France, drawing many to the true doctrine; he wrote sermons imbued with doctrine and stylistic finesse, and by the mandate of St. Francis, taught theology to his confreres, until in Padua he returned to the Lord.

The Roman Martyrology (for the memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, June 13)

The Call of God

Anthony, like St. Francis, was fascinated by the martial life of the time and drawn to the comfortable life allowed by his family's social position.

To the young Anthony, as it was for Francis, came the call of God. The young man welcomed this exhortation and, without hesitation, embarked on the path that led him to follow Jesus Christ.

Studies and Priestly Ordination

He left his family's rich palace to first enter the Abbey of St. Vincent with the Canons Regular of St. Augustine, and then another in Coimbra. In this monastery, under the instruction of the religious, he drew profound knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. Upon completing his studies, he was ordained a priest at the age of twenty-five.

From the depths of his heart, the young Anthony yearned for a new life, where faith, in total abandonment into God's hands, could act with all its strength.

The Encounter with the Franciscans

The relics of five Franciscan missionaries, beheaded after suffering cruel torture, arrived in Coimbra from Morocco and were placed in the Church of the Holy Cross attached to the Abbey where Anthony was. While venerating the martyrs, he saw the followers of Francis who had accompanied the bodies; all miserably dressed, exhausted, and emaciated from deprivations during the long journey, yet transmitting, in their simplicity, an ardent faith.

Anthony was so fascinated by the Franciscan world because of their poverty, their simple fraternal love, but above all their ardent faith. From that moment, the aspiration to embrace the life of these humble men to give himself completely to God was born in his heart.

One day, while Anthony was celebrating Holy Mass, a friar appeared to him in a vision who immediately transformed into a little bird: taking flight, it quickly passed through the flames of purgatory to soar towards heaven. Anthony immediately understood that the fastest way to reach the Kingdom of God was the one indicated by the Franciscans.

His desire was fulfilled when some Franciscans knocked on the door of the Abbey to ask for alms. To them, he revealed his aspiration to join the Franciscan movement: he was welcomed and put on the Franciscan habit.

The Desire for Martyrdom in Morocco

Anthony, inflamed by the love of God, dreamed of suffering martyrdom as a missionary, bringing the word of God to Morocco. However, God had other plans. He obtained authorization for the mission, but as soon as he landed in Morocco, he was struck by a severe illness. He had to stay on a bed in the dark, chattering his teeth from malarial fever.

He had to, at this point, surrender to God's will, which guided him down paths our Saint would never have thought to tread. During the return journey, the ship, driven by contrary winds, was swept onto the coasts of Sicily. Sick and disappointed, Anthony went to Assisi.

The Encounter with St. Francis of Assisi

Upon arriving in Assisi, Anthony met St. Francis. The Poor Man of Assisi managed to restore peace and vigor to this unknown disciple. During a priestly ordination, the designated preacher failed to appear, so the Superior invited Anthony to replace him. His talent appeared in all its brilliance: he gave a sermon so fervent that it captivated those present. From that day on, he was sent to bring the good news of the Gospel to the people.

The Gift of Preaching

Anthony poured the burning love that dwelled in his heart into his sermons, and his word was so ardent that it ignited the faith of those present. He exalted their souls, exhorted them to purify themselves, and to pursue the evangelical virtues through the practice of spiritual poverty, meekness, humility, and chastity.

His teaching, which rested on his own experiences, exhorted them to be constant in the practice of prayer, an indispensable practice to obtain from God the necessary help to defeat vices.

Thieves, usurers, greedy people, and sinners of all kinds were invited to conversion, to act according to the teachings of the Gospel, and to trust in God so as not to suffer eternal ruin. With extraordinary eloquence, Anthony knew how to captivate the crowds that flocked to him: he spread the true faith, defended the weak, consoled the afflicted, and inflamed them with Christian ideals.

Anthony used all the scientific tools known at the time to deepen his knowledge of the truth more and more. He managed to draw from the Holy Scriptures wisdom, apostolic strength, hope, and fervent charity.

Miracles and Eucharistic Life

His love for Jesus was such that he could glimpse Him beyond the Eucharist. His frequent visits to the tabernacle made him ever more vigorous in faith and a champion in hope. God rewarded the love and fidelity of His servant by working many miracles through him, making Anthony a credible witness.

He soon proved to be a skilled miracle worker: sometimes healings occurred simply by touching his habit. Time was precious for Anthony, and he did not waste a single moment on occupations that were not for the glory of God. His teachings always included exhortations not to waste this precious gift unnecessarily, which, if well used, could bear much fruit.

The Final Hours and Death

Anthony never spared himself: he preached tirelessly, taught, and heard confessions. He often arrived at sunset without having been able to eat, because the crowd that flocked to hear him was so large. An aura of miracle surrounded his person, and the regard for him was so great that he was considered a saint even while alive.

When the moment of meeting the Lord arrived, Anthony, exhausted but lucid, wanted to receive the sacrament of reconciliation, Holy Communion, and the anointing of the sick. Then, with a faint voice, he intoned the hymn to the Virgin.

With luminous eyes, the Saint stared straight ahead. "What do you see?" asked Friar Luke. "I see my Lord" murmured the dying man. The agony was very brief, the passing gentle and serene. At thirty-six years old, one of Christ's greatest apostles passed away.

Worldwide Devotion to St. Anthony

In this champion of humility, of extraordinary faith, and of exceptional virtues, one cannot help but see the elect of God, the beloved son who in every moment of his life strove to spread the love and word of God.

Devotion to St. Anthony of Padua has spread throughout the world. Today, as in the past, there are countless faithful who turn to him to obtain his intercession and to invoke him as the "sweet comforter of the poor".

Despite the profound cultural transformations that have occurred in recent decades, time has not tarnished such a luminous figure, who continues to fascinate thousands of devotees scattered throughout the world with his holiness. On the contrary, the devotion to St. Anthony has gradually increased until it became a worldwide cult, which has crossed the borders of the Catholic Church. Today there is no people who do not know him, no believer who does not venerate him: a particular devotion that represents a unique phenomenon, a mystery.