Anthony of Padua

Saint Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) was born in Lisbon, Portugal to a wealthy family in 1195. Against the wishes of his family, Anthony entered the Augustinian Abbey of St. Vincent on the outskirts of Lisbon. After his ordination, Anthony was placed in charge of hospitality in his abbey. In this role, in 1219, he came in contact with five Franciscans who were on their way to Morocco to preach to the Muslims there. Anthony was strongly attracted to the simple Gospel lifestyle of the Franciscan friars and he obtained permission from his superiors to join the Franciscan order. He was commissioned by Brother Gratian, the minister provincial, to preach the Gospel throughout Lombardy a region in northern Italy. It was as a preacher that Anthony revealed his supreme gift and as time went on he was recognised as the most popular and effective preacher of his day. His rich voice and arresting manner attracted crowds of up to 30,000. Pope Gregory IX hailed his preaching as a "jewel case of the Bible" and he was commissioned to produce "Sermons for Feast Days." Anthony also earned the title "hammer of the heretics" for converting so many of the dualistic Cathari. When he died of dropsy in 1231, it is said that the children cried in the streets and that all the bells of the churches rang of their own accord, rung by angels come to earth to honour the death of the saint.