OUR PATRON – ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA
His Feast day is celebrated on June 13th
PREACHER OF GOD’S LOVE
St. Anthony of Padua
Anthony of Padua, as he is known for the most part, was not born in Padua. He spent only a very short period of his life there, namely, the very end of it. Born in 1195, Anthony died at the age of 36 on June 13, 1231.
St. Anthony is the “Saint of the Whole World” – a universal Saint – for a universal Church. People pray to St. Anthony about a variety of life’s challenges – especially to find lost objects. The reason for this is that he became lost in the vision and ideals of St. Francis. Only then did he find himself, for as the Gospel says, “Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, shall find it.”
We know hardly anything certain about his youth. The first account of Anthony’s life, written immediately after the Saint’s canonization, accents his spirit of deep contemplation and union with God. His simple humility was so complete that some friars thought he knew more about washing dishes than explaining Sacred Scripture. His spirit of self-denial was coupled with a burning apostolic zeal, even to the extent of willingness to become a martyr.
Perhaps one of the most famous stories about the Saint concerns an appearance of the Child Jesus, which reflects the central place of the Incarnation in his sermons. In his own words: “Jesus’ place should always be in the center of every heart. From this center, as if from a sun, emanate rays of grace to each of us.”
Customs of Devotion to St. Anthony: St. Anthony Bread means that when a person prays to the Saint for a favor, s/he promises to give a gift (bread) to the poor or some charitable cause. St. Anthony Lilies – The Saint is often portrayed holding a lily. This beautiful flower has long been regarded as a symbol of integrity. In many parts of the world, lilies are in bloom in the middle of June when his feast day is celebrated.
