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St. Anthony
Saint Anthony of Padua
A beautiful, popular life of the Patron of Lost Objects, a powerful intercessor and the favorite Saint of Catholics. Includes
all the famous stories about him.
History
Born of Portuguese nobility, Anthony was born in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1195, and baptized Ferdinand. His father was knight
at the court of King Alfonso II,
Anthony first joined the Augustinian Order. But he became a Franciscan in 1221, when he was 26 years old when five Franciscans
(St. Bernard, St. Peter, St. Otho, St. Accursius, and St. Adjutus) died in martyrdom in Morocco in 1220, in the hope of shedding
his own blood and becoming a martyr.
Anthony was a gifted preacher, and was called upon to teach his fellow Franciscans. Crowds gather when he spoke. His teachings
were simple and resounding and even the common man understood the message. He was regarded as another St. Francis.
Saint Anthony was holy man. He had apparitions of the Infant Jesus, and of St. Francis. His miracles included filling
the wine barrel of a poor woman who left the tap open, and making whole the wine glass, which had earlier, broke.
In another miracle attributed to St. Anthony, a young man named Leonardo, in a fit of anger kicked his own mother. Repentant,
he confessed his fault to St. Anthony who said to him: "The foot of him who kicks his mother deserves to be cut off."
Leonardo ran home and cut off his foot. Learning of this, St. Anthony took the amputated member of the unfortunate youth and
miraculously rejoined it.
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