Saint Anthony of Padua

Born Fernando Martins to a wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal 1195. Fernando joined the Franciscan Friars Abbey at 15 year of age. Following his ordination to the priesthood the friars began a small hermitage dedicated to St Anthony of Egypt and Fernando felt compelled to join. After gaining permission to enter the new order, Fernando changed his name to Anthony. One afternoon after being asked to deliver an impromptu homily to some visiting Dominicans, word of Father Anthony’s eloquence began to spread, eventually getting back to St Francis of Assisi, resulting in the two becoming friends. While occasionally teaching at the universities in Southern France, Anthony’s talents lay in preaching. His words were simple yet impactful, allowing even the most uneducated and innocent to easily understand his messages and teachings on the Catholic faith. It is for this reason he was declared a doctor of the church by Pope Pius XII in 1946.

Once when St Anthony was preaching to some heretics who would not listen to him, He went out and instead preached his message to the fish. Not to instruct the fish, but rather for the glory of God, the delight of the angels, and the easing of his own heart. When the heretics saw the fish had begun to gather, they realised they should listen to what Anthony had to say.

As well as being known for his preaching St Anthony’s intercession is also called upon as the patron of lost things, and is credited for many miracles involving lost people and objects. This patronage came about after a novice of the hermitage decided to leave, stealing one of Anthony’s valuable books on his departure. Anthony, discovering it missing, prayed it would be returned to him. The thief soon came back, not only with the book but also rejoining the order.

St Anthony died at only 35 years of age In Padua, Italy and was canonised less than one year after! 336 years after his death, St Anthony’s body was exhumed and found entirely corrupt, except for his tongue which remained perfectly intact, reflecting the quality of his teachings.