Wednesday, June 13, 2007

St. Anthony of Padua


Today is the feast day of St. Anthony of Padua, one of the most loved Saints of all time! He is best known for being the patron saint of lost things (including our lost baptismal innocence).

He is also best known by me for being the Saint I was named after! (and also his Basillica in Padua where his body lies, is the place where Chris proposed to me!)

Also in the Basillica in Padua are St. Anthony's tongue and larynx (voice-box) which, despite being almost 900 years old, are incorrupt; they have not decomposed and are still intact.

His intact tongue & larynx is believed to show Saint Anthony's God-given gift for preaching the Gospel. In fact St. Bonaventure said:

O blessed tongue, you have always praised the Lord and led others to praise him! Now we can clearly see how great indeed have been your merits before God.

Also, did you know that St. Anthony was canonized a Saint a mere 11 months after his death?
That's the shortest ever time till canonization!


I know a wonderful Franciscan who has so many brilliant tales of Saint Anthony's help.

He also guarantees that, if you promise Saint Anthony that you will do something for the poor (money, food, prayers), the Saint will interceed for whatever you ask.

He says it has never failed him!
I've 'put it to the test' a couple of times, and I can say that it has never failed me either!!


Thank you God for Your loving kindness in giving us St. Anthony as our intercessor!

you can read more about St. Anthony here


This is a picture I took of St. Anthony's Basillica in Padua, N. Italy.



This is a random photo of St. Anthony (..I think) in the court-yard of St. Anthony's Basillica.

I know it might look a little funny, but I kinda like it.
It makes me think of St. Anthony as an intercessor; he has one hand holding the child Jesus, and the other hand outstretched offering us help!



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5 comments:

Suzanne said...

OH! I love this statue...funny, yes, but its wonderful! :)

Marston Magna said...

Belated feast day greetings

Anonymous said...

Great post!

Brendan Allen said...

Sorry I'm 24 hours late, but I was travelling yesterday!

Happy Name Day!!!

antonia said...

Thank you all for the kind wishes!!