Saint Antony, whose childhood name was Fernando Martins de Bulhões, was born in 1195 in Lisbon, Portugal. He hailed from a wealthy and noble family and his parents sent him to a local cathedral school. At the age of 15, he entered the Augustinian community of Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross at the Abbey of Saint Vincent on the outskirts of Lisbon.
Fernando was strongly attracted to the simple, evangelical lifestyle of the friars. When he heard about the beheading of five Franciscans in Morocco, an inspired Fernando obtained permission from church authorities to leave the Canons Regular to join the new Franciscan order. Upon his admission to the life of the friars, he joined the small hermitage in Olivais, adopting the name Anthony, after Anthony the Great.
Anthony then set out for Morocco, in fulfilment of his new vocation. However, he fell seriously ill in Morocco and set sail back for Portugal in hope of regaining his health. On the return voyage, the ship was pushed off course and landed in Sicily. From there, he made his way to Tuscany, where he was assigned to a convent of the order. However, considering his poor health, he moved to the rural hermitage of San Paolo near Forlì, Romagna. There, he had recourse to a cell in a nearby cave, built by one of the friars, spending time in private prayer and study.
In 1222, in the town of Forlì, a number of visiting Dominican friars were present for the occasion of an ordination and a misunderstanding arose over who should preach. The head of the hermitage called upon Anthony and entreated him to speak whatever the Holy Spirit might inspire. Anthony objected, but was overruled and his impromptu sermon created a deep impression on his audience. They were moved not only by his rich voice and arresting manner, but also by the theme and substance of his discourse, his deep knowledge of the scripture and the eloquence with which he delivered his message.
Anthony was then sent by Brother Gratian, to the Franciscan province of Romagna, based in Bologna. He soon came to the attention of the founder of the order, Francis of Assisi. In 1224, Francis entrusted the pursuit of studies of his friars to the care of Anthony.
In 1226, after attending the general chapter of his order held at Arles, France, and preaching in the region of Provence, Anthony returned to Italy and was appointed Provincial superior of northern Italy. He chose the city of Padua as his location.
In 1228, he served as envoy from the general chapter to Pope Gregory IX. At the papal court, his preaching was hailed as a "jewel case of the Bible" and he was commissioned to produce his collection of sermons, Sermons for Feast Days. Gregory IX described Anthony as the "Ark of the Testament".
When the heretics in Rimini treated him with contempt, Anthony was said to have gone to the shoreline, where he began to preach at the water's edge until a great crowd of fish was seen gathered before him. The people of the town flocked to see this marvel and eventually moved to listen to his speech.
Once in Toulouse, Anthony was challenged by a heretic to prove the reality of the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The man, who sought to mock Anthony, brought out a half-starved mule and showed it fresh fodder on one hand and the sacramental host on the other. The mule was said to have ignored the fodder and bowed before the sacrament.
Another account tells of an occasion in Italy when Anthony was dining with heretics. He realized that the food was poisoned. The men admitted to attempting to kill him, but then challenged him to eat if he truly believed the words spoken in Mark 16:18 about the apostles of Christ: "…and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them." Anthony is said to have blessed the food, eaten it, and suffered no harm, much to the amazement of his hosts.
Anthony became sick with ergotism in 1231 and went to the woodland retreat at Camposampiero with two other friars. On his way back to Padua on 13 June 1231, Anthony died at the Poor Clare monastery at Arcella (now part of Padua), at the age of 35.
According to his request, Anthony was buried in the small church of Santa Maria Mater Domini. Nevertheless, due to his increased notability, construction of a large basilica began around 1232, which was completed by around 1301.
When his body was exhumed 30 years after his death, it was found turned to dust, but the tongue was claimed to have glistened and looked as if it were still part of a live body.
Anthony was canonized by Pope Gregory IX on 30 May 1232, at Spoleto, Italy, less than one year after his death.
He is especially invoked and venerated all over the world as the patron saint for the recovery of lost items and is credited with many miracles involving lost people, lost things and even lost spiritual goods.
Other Saints of the Day
1. Saint Aquilina
2. Saint Augustine of Huy
3. Saint Felicula
4. Saint Rambert
5. Saint Damhnade
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