St. Anthony's Day among Western Christians (13/06)

Memorial Day of St. Anthony The Catholic Church celebrates June 13th. His relics rest in Padua (Italy), in a majestic basilica erected in his honor and which has become not only one of the main Franciscan spiritual centers, but also the most famous shrine throughout the world, which is visited annually by millions of pilgrims.

Saint Anthony of Padua (St. Anthony of Padua) — is undoubtedly one of the most beloved and widely revered saints of the Catholic Church.

He was born around 1195 in Lisbon, into a noble family and received the name Ferdinand at baptism. At the age of 15, he entered the monastery of the Order of Canons Regular of St. Augustine in Coimbra, where he received a solid biblical education, and in 1220 he was ordained a priest.

At the same time, the remains of five Franciscan first martyrs who died for Christ during their mission in Morocco, where they preached among Muslims, were brought to the Church of the Holy Cross in Coimbra. This made such a deep impression on the young priest that he decided to become a Franciscan. In the community of the Lesser Brothers he was given the monastic name — Anthony.

After a missionary journey to North Africa, which Anthony was forced to interrupt due to a serious illness, he went to Italy. Deep knowledge of biblical texts, eloquence and the ability to attract the attention of listeners gathered many people to his sermons. In addition, he taught theology in Bologna, Montpellier, Toulouse and Padua and became one of the first organizers of the education system in the Order. Anthony spent the last years of his life in Padua, where he died on June 13, 1231.

Anthony left the memory of himself not only as a wonderful priest, preacher and theologian, but also as a great miracle worker: the Lord performed numerous miracles through him in order to show His omnipotence, glory and mercy even to inveterate sinners and help them find the path of truth in turning to God.

Perhaps there was no man who, having once met Anthony, would doubt his holiness. Therefore, it is not surprising that he was canonized by Pope Gregory IX already in 1232 — less than a year after his death.

Already in the 13th century, believers began to turn in prayers to Anthony as a miracle worker and assistant in acquiring lost values (including spiritual ones), as well as as a patron in family matters.

In Padua, the tradition of veneration of the saint arose on Fridays (the day of his death) and Tuesdays (the day of burial). Since the 17th century, the practice of «Tuesdays of St. Anthony» has spread throughout the Church.

Since the late 19th century, the custom (initiated in 1886 in Toulouse) of collecting donations for the poor in churches, called «bread of St. Anthony», has also become popular.

The veneration of St. Anthony also spread in the Russian lands of — on the territory of modern Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, where several dozen churches and chapels were erected in his honor.

Evidence of the veneration of St. Anthony among Orthodox Christians has also been preserved: a service was compiled for him in the Church Slavonic language (South Russian officials of the late 17th century).

The main attributes of St. Anthony on the icons are the book — symbol of the Word of God and enlightenment and the lily symbolizing chastity. In addition, Anthony's iconography largely reflects events from the life of the saint: he is depicted healing the sick, with a burning heart or with a flame in his palm, during a sermon to the fish, with the Child Jesus preaching in the branches of a walnut tree, in a scene of a miracle with a donkey kneeling before the holy Gifts. Many great artists and sculptors dedicated their works to St. Anthony.

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