Anthony of Padua is one of the most loved and invoked saints. Because of his extraordinary thaumaturgical virtues, he simply became «the Saint». He was so greatly admired and followed during his lifetime that, just a few years after his death, the people of Padua dedicated a Franciscan-style church to him, later transformed into the magnificent basilica in an Eastern-influenced style, which became one of the most famous and frequently visited places of worship in Christendom. Paul VI called it a «spiritual clinic» because of the inner miracles that often take place there through the Saint’s intercession.
Anthony’s baptismal name was Fernando Martins; he was born in Lisbon in 1195 to a well-to-do family. At the age of 15, against his family’s wishes, he entered the monastery of Saint Vincent, belonging to the Canons Regular of Saint Augustine, a few kilometers from Lisbon. After moving to the monastery of Santa Cruz, he was able to satisfy his thirst for wisdom, but life in the Augustinian community was troubled by internal tensions for which a corrupt prior named John was responsible. It was in these painful circumstances that he met the friars of Saint Francis and became one of them.
A Great Preacher
One day, during a Holy Ordination, the preacher was unable to appear. The provincial minister then ordered Anthony to say whatever God inspired him to say; the assembly was astonished to discover in him an unsuspected and brilliant teacher. He suddenly became famous, and an order came from Assisi that, from then on, the Portuguese friar’s abilities should be used in preaching. His language is simple and rich in vivid images; thanks to his ability to summarize, his listeners can remember well what they have heard. The starting point is always the word of God, essential nourishment, but he immediately points to the grace of the sacraments, aware of human weakness. He says: «Jesus Christ nourishes us every day with evangelical teaching and the sacraments of the Church».
The Saint of Miracles
Saint Anthony is also known as the Saint of Miracles, or the Wonderworker, that is, one who performs wonders. Countless miracles are attributed to him. The Little Flowers of Saint Francis recount two miracles performed by Anthony. One of them is the famous episode that has inspired so many artists: his sermon to the fish. It is said to have taken place in Rimini, which was then controlled by groups of heretics. When the Saint arrived in the city, the leaders decided to isolate him behind a wall of silence. Anthony did not know whom to address. The churches were empty. No one would listen to him, not even in the square. So he began to pray and meditate. When he reached the sea, he began to call his audience: «Since you show yourselves unworthy of the word of God, behold, I turn to the fish, to expose your unbelief more openly.» And hundreds of fish surfaced.
Even more famous is the miracle of the mule, sculpted by Donatello in a bronze bas-relief, which also takes place in Rimini. Here, there is a heretic more combative than the others who mocks what Anthony preaches about the Eucharist and denies the real presence of Christ. He goes so far as to challenge the saint to prove it with a miracle. If this happened, he would convert to the true doctrine. He tells Anthony that he would keep his mule shut in the stable for several days without feeding it; then he would bring it to the square in front of the people and place some fodder before it. Anthony, on the other hand, would have to place the host in front of the mule: if the animal ignored the food and knelt before the host, he would convert. The saint accepts the challenge; after three days of complete fasting, the mule is brought to the square. From one side, the heretic arrives with the fodder, and from the other, Anthony with a shining monstrance. Drawn by curiosity, a large crowd has gathered to witness the miracle: ignoring the basket of fodder, the beast turns toward the Eucharist and kneels before it.
The Thirteen-Day Devotion to Saint Anthony of Padua
Devotion to Saint Anthony of Padua began even before his early canonization. Over the centuries, many have turned to him in search of comfort, advice, enlightenment, peace, and help—in short, to invoke his powerful intercession. The thirteen-day devotion to Saint Anthony of Padua is one of the oldest devotional practices dedicated to the saint. In Conventual Franciscan churches, the feast and devotion to Saint Anthony were once accompanied and supported by a series of thirteen invocations—the tredicina, as it was called—in which requests of both a material and spiritual nature were interwoven. One tradition regards Tuesday as the day dear to the saint, commemorating the triumph of the people who flocked to his funeral on the Tuesday following his death.
Let us confidently invoke the saint’s intercession and resolve to convert.
