St. Anthony of Padua
St. Anthony of Padua
Priest and Doctor of the Church
Feast Day: June 13
St. Anthony of Padua was born at Lisbon, Portugal in 1195 as Ferdinand de Bulhões to a nobleman of Lisbon, Martim Vicente de Bulhões and his wife Teresa Pais Taveira, half-third cousin once removed of King Afonso II of Portugal. His parents sent him to the Canons of the Cathedral of Lisbon. At fifteen, he entered the Order of Regular Canons of St. Augustine against his parents’ will. He was moved to the convent of the Holy Cross of the same Order in Coimbra, Portugal. There is not much information of his ordination. After his ordination, Ferdinand was placed in charge of the Augustinian friary.
Seven years later, Father Ferdinand welcomed five monks of the new order of St. Francis of Assisi, or the Franciscan Order, who were on their way to preach in Morocco, a place where it was illegal to be Christian. A year later, their bones returned with Don Pedro of Portugal. He was inspired by their courage to preach their faith and courage even when they knew they would be killed. Then another group of Franciscans came to rest at the friary. This time when they left, they carried a letter to their superior that was a request from Father Ferdinand to become a Franciscan. It was not long until he was approved. In 1220, Father Ferdinand de Bulhões took on a new name, Anthony, symbolizing his new direction he was taking.
He joined the next group of friars on their way to preach to the Moors in Africa. But on the way, he fell sick with severe fever. The ship was on their way home when a storm hit, sending them to Sicily. Once ashore, St. Anthony found a Franciscan community. They told him that there was a meeting of all the Franciscans in Assisi and that St. Francis of Assisi would be there. St. Anthony was lost among thousands of Franciscans since he did not belong to any community. An Italian superior invited to join his community in Padua. St. Anthony accepted gratefully.
One day,
Priest and Doctor of the Church
Feast Day: June 13
St. Anthony of Padua was born at Lisbon, Portugal in 1195 as Ferdinand de Bulhões to a nobleman of Lisbon, Martim Vicente de Bulhões and his wife Teresa Pais Taveira, half-third cousin once removed of King Afonso II of Portugal. His parents sent him to the Canons of the Cathedral of Lisbon. At fifteen, he entered the Order of Regular Canons of St. Augustine against his parents’ will. He was moved to the convent of the Holy Cross of the same Order in Coimbra, Portugal. There is not much information of his ordination. After his ordination, Ferdinand was placed in charge of the Augustinian friary.
Seven years later, Father Ferdinand welcomed five monks of the new order of St. Francis of Assisi, or the Franciscan Order, who were on their way to preach in Morocco, a place where it was illegal to be Christian. A year later, their bones returned with Don Pedro of Portugal. He was inspired by their courage to preach their faith and courage even when they knew they would be killed. Then another group of Franciscans came to rest at the friary. This time when they left, they carried a letter to their superior that was a request from Father Ferdinand to become a Franciscan. It was not long until he was approved. In 1220, Father Ferdinand de Bulhões took on a new name, Anthony, symbolizing his new direction he was taking.
He joined the next group of friars on their way to preach to the Moors in Africa. But on the way, he fell sick with severe fever. The ship was on their way home when a storm hit, sending them to Sicily. Once ashore, St. Anthony found a Franciscan community. They told him that there was a meeting of all the Franciscans in Assisi and that St. Francis of Assisi would be there. St. Anthony was lost among thousands of Franciscans since he did not belong to any community. An Italian superior invited to join his community in Padua. St. Anthony accepted gratefully.
One day,