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Saint Anthony of Padua
Saint Anthony is, for many, the most miraculous saint: he is prayed to in order to find something that has been lost, to find a partner, and to protect children. His feast day, June 13, is celebrated with special joy in Madrid and Lisbon.
Saint Anthony of Padua with the Child Jesus, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (Wikimedia Commons, public domain)
Who Was Saint Anthony
He was born in Lisbon around 1195 with the name Fernando. He became a Franciscan friar and took the name Anthony. He was an extraordinary preacher, known for his wisdom and his closeness to the poor. He died in Padua (Italy) in 1231, and that is why he is known as Saint Anthony of Padua.
Why He Is the Saint of Lost Objects
Tradition tells that a novice stole a book of psalms with his notes. Saint Anthony prayed to get it back, and the young man, repentant, returned it to him. Since then, he has been invoked to find lost things.
Our Saint Anthony Medals
With Red Turquoise
Pearls and Navy Blue Enamel
With Amazonite
Green Jasper and White Enamel
Multicolor
Pearl and Lilac Enamel
Fun Facts
- He was canonized less than a year after his death, one of the fastest processes in the history of the Church.
- He is a Doctor of the Church, with the title of "Evangelical Doctor".
- In Madrid, every June 13, young women looking for a boyfriend go to the Hermitage of Saint Anthony of La Florida and throw thirteen pins into the baptismal font: the ones that stick to their hand indicate the boyfriends they will have in the coming year.
- "Saint Anthony's bread" is a charitable tradition: blessed bread is distributed in his honor.
Facts You Can Check
- Before becoming a Franciscan, he was a regular canon in Lisbon and Coimbra. In 1220, the remains of five Franciscan friars who had died in Morocco arrived in Coimbra, and that led him to change his life. Source
- The title of Doctor of the Church was given to him by Pope Pius XII on January 16, 1946. He called him the "Evangelical Doctor" because he constantly quoted the Gospel in his preaching. Source
- In 1263, when his body was transferred to the Basilica of Padua, Saint Bonaventure found his tongue incorrupt. Today it is venerated in the chapel of the Treasury of that basilica. Source
- In the Hermitage of Saint Anthony of La Florida in Madrid, Goya painted a miracle of the saint before the people of Lisbon on the dome. The painter himself has been buried there since 1919. Source
Why Give a Saint Anthony Medal
It is a perfect gift for an engagement, a wedding, or a couple; for an Anthony or an Antonia; or for someone who is always looking for their keys. And as a protector of children, also for a birth.
Discover our Saint Anthony Medals, handmade in Spain with pearls, natural stones, and enamels.