"I See My Lord" - The Death Of St. Anthony

The Shrine of Arcella is in a neighborhood in the city of Padua. At the time of St. Anthony, Arcella was a small village just outside the city walls called Capo di Ponte, where there was a small church, Santa Maria della Cella; next to this was a convent of the Poor Clares and a hermitage where a few friars minor lived. Tradition states that this primitive friary was founded in 1220 by St. Francis of Assisi upon his return from the Holy Land. Saint Anthony was brought here during his final moments on the evening of June 13th., 1231, while he was being transported to Padua. This is where he died.

"Finding the Saint there, the hand of the Lord descended upon him, increasing his suffering with great violence, creating much anxiety. After a brief rest, having received the Sacrament of Confession and absolution, he began to sing a hymn to the Blessed Mother, O Glorious Lady. As he finished, raising his eyes to heaven with a look of ecstasy, he stared straight ahead. When his fellow friar who was holding him asked what he saw, he replied 'I see my Lord'. At last, that holy soul, freed from the prison of the flesh, was absorbed in the abyss of light." (Vita Assidua).

The cell where St. Anthony died is preserved inside a large church built in 1895 on the site of previous structures and enlarged in 1930. Source: Messenger of Saint Anthony

Pope Benedict XVI - Reflections On Saint Anthony

In a 2010 audience, Pope Benedict XVI said that Saint Anthony of Padua offered important insights on prayer, saying that prayer needs silence – not so much a lack of noise, but an inner silence where distractions and worries are put aside.

Pope Benedict also said that Saint Anthony offered four “indispensable” steps to perfecting the art of prayer. First, “opening one’s heart to God’s presence,” the Pope said, adding that the second is to “have an affectionate dialogue with God.” The third step is to tell God what’s on your mind, and the fourth is to praise and thank God.

Saint Anthony urged people to seek “true wealth – that of the heart” and bring Christ’s love and mercy to the world, Pope Benedict said.

750 Year Anniversary Of The Feast Of St. Anthony's Tongue

The 15th. of February, 2013, will be the ‘Feast of St. Anthony’s Tongue’. This expression may sound a bit strange to modern ears, but it recalls a truly extraordinary event which took place in 1263 – thirty-two years after the Saint’s death.

St. Anthony’s remains were transferred from the Church of Sancta Maria Mater Domini, where he had originally been interred, to the adjacent and newly constructed Basilica of St. Anthony. Present at this ceremony was St. Bonaventure in his capacity as the Minister General of the Friars Minor. St. Anthony’s coffin was opened, and it was found to contain only bones and ashes with one exception: the Saint’s vocal apparatus was found to be intact, and in particular his tongue was still red and soft. At the sight of this miracle, St. Bonaventure exclaimed in awe “Oh blessed tongue, that ever praised the Lord, and led others to praise Him! Now it is clear how great are your merits before God!”

As a preacher and writer, Anthony had continuously praised the Lord with his tongue or with his pen. The first biography of St. Anthony written soon after his death, refers to the Saint’s tongue as “the writing reed of the Holy Spirit,” because it was with his tongue that he converted so many people through the operation of the Holy Spirit: “His powerful words and salutary doctrine so rooted themselves in the hearts of his listeners that large crowds of believers adhered faithfully to the Lord.”

This year marks exactly 750 years that have elapsed since that first recognition. Over the centuries, this precious relic has suffered some of the ravages of time, but it is still on display in the Chapel of Relics in the Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua, Italy.
Source: St. Anthony's Messenger

Click here if you would like prayers in honor of St. Anthony's blessed tongue on this momentous Feast day~

The Miraculous Responsory of Saint Anthony by St. Bonaventure

As today is the Feast of our beloved St. Anthony, and the one year anniversary of our blog dedicated to his honor, we post the Miraculous Responsory of Saint Anthony by St. Bonaventure. To hear this beautiful prayer set to music, click here.

If then you ask for miracles,
Death, error, all calamities,
The leprosy and demons fly,
And health succeeds infirmities.

Chorus:
The sea obeys, and fetters break,
And lifeless limbs thou dost restore,
Whilst treasures lost are found again,
When young and old thine aid implore.

All dangers vanish at thy prayer,
And direst need doth quickly flee;
Let those who know thy power proclaim,
Let Paduans say: "These are of thee."

Chorus:
The sea obeys, and fetters break,
And lifeless limbs thou dost restore,
Whilst treasures lost are found again,
When young and old thine aid implore.

To Father, Son, may glory be,
And Holy Ghost eternally.

Chorus:
The sea obeys, and fetters break,
And lifeless limbs thou dost restore,
Whilst treasures lost are found again,
When young and old thine aid implore.

V/Pray for us, St. Anthony,
R/That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
O God! May the votive commemoration of St. Anthony, Thy Confessor and Doctor, be a source of joy to Thy Church, that she may always be fortified with spiritual assistance and may deserve to possess eternal joy. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Click here for a Chaplet of St. Anthony in honor of the thirteen favors mentioned in the “Miraculous Responsory".

Quotes from Pope John Paul II Regarding St. Anthony

Pope John Paul II has defined Saint Anthony, Doctor of the Church, as the "man of the Gospels". This great honor is found in the Pope's speech given in Padua on September 12th., 1982, on the occasion of his visit to Saint Anthony's Basilica. We present some of the more meaningful passages of this speech, so that through the words of the Pope you may appreciate Saint Anthony even more.

"During his entire existence Saint Anthony was a man of the Gospel. And if we honor him as such, it is because we believe that the Holy Spirit dwelt in him in an extraordinary way, enriching him with wonderful gifts and moving him 'from within', to undertake an activity which was worthy of note in the thirty-six years of his earthly existence, but which is very far from extinguishing itself as time passes - it continues, vigorously and providentially even in this day and age.

I would like to ask you to meditate precisely on this quality of belonging to the Gospels. This is the very reason why Saint Anthony is proclaimed 'the Saint'.

Without excluding other qualities or making preferences, this is the sign that holiness has reached exceptional heights in him. His holiness has surpassed all else due to the strength of its example and has helped devotion to Saint Anthony to spread throughout the world. It is truly difficult to find a city or town in the Catholic world that does not have at least one statue or altar devoted to him. His serene face illuminates millions of Christian homes with a kind smile, homes where through him faith nourishes hope in the divine providence of our Heavenly Father.

Believers, mostly the smallest and most vulnerable, consider him to be their saint, an intercessor always ready to help."

St. Anthony - Doctor of the Church

Pope Pius XII declared St. Anthony a Doctor of the Church on January 16, 1946. His apostolic letter began as follows:

"Exult, happy Portugal, rejoice, happy Padua; for you have given birth for earth and heaven to a shining star, a man who has illuminated and still dazzles with a radiant light the whole earth, not only by holiness of life and fame of miracles, but by the splendor of his celestial teaching."

Quote About St. Anthony From Pope Leo XIII

"St. Anthony does not belong to the city of Padua alone, he is a Saint of the whole world." - Pope Leo XIII