3 Amazing Stories about St. Anthony

St. Anthony of Padua is one of the most famous saints in the Church. Born in Lisbon Portugal, he joined the new Franciscan Order and befriended St. Francis of Assisi. He was renowned for his preaching and theological knowledge, while still maintaining simplicity and Gospel poverty.

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Many know St. Anthony as the saint to pray for finding lost items. But where did this devotion and others come from? Here are 3 classic stories about St. Anthony:

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1. Preaching to the Fish

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St. Anthony went to the town of Rimini, Italy to preach to the heretics there. When he began, his words fell on deaf ears. They resisted him and refused to listen:

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At last St Anthony, inspired by God, went down to the sea-shore, where the river runs into the sea, and having placed himself on a bank between the river and the sea, he began to speak to the fishes as if the Lord had sent him to preach to them, and said: “Listen to the word of God, O ye fishes of the sea and of the river, seeing that the faithless heretics refuse to do so.“

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Many fish came to the shore and popped their heads out of the water, attentive to St. Anthony. Word spread to the people of Rimini, and they rushed to the shore to see.

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Upon seeing the miracle of the fish, the people fell at St. Anthony's feet and listened to his preaching. They all returned to the faith and were filled with joy.

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2. Finding the Lost Book

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The devotion to praying for St. Anthony's help in finding lost items traces back to his time in Bologna.

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There, St. Anthony had a book of psalms filled with his personal notes to help him teach his students. Back then, all books were handwritten and were extremely valuable.

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One day, St. Anthony found out that a novice had left the Franciscan Order and taken the book of psalms with him. He prayed that his book would return.

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Soon after that prayer, the novice returned with the book and asked for forgiveness. St. Anthony forgave him and the novice returned to the Franciscans. Both the book and the young novice had now been found.

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3. The Mule and the Eucharist

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In another story, also in Rimini, Italy, St. Anthony tried to convince a man named Bononillo that the Eucharist really was the real Body of Christ. He found that the man was as stubborn as a mule.

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St. Anthony challenged Bononillo:

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“If the mule you ride adored the Body of Christ in the Eucharist, would you believe in the truth of the Blessed Sacrament?"

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Bononillo agreed. In three days, his mule would be presented with a pile of hay and the Eucharist in the town square.

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Bononillo decided to starve his mule for three days, thinking that his mule would certainly choose the food. In response, St. Anthony fasted for three days.

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After the three days were up, the mule was presented with the hay, with St. Anthony standing farther away with the Eucharist. The mule turned toward St. Anthony, walked over, and bent his legs to kneel in adoration of the Eucharist.

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At this sight, Bononillo knelt down too and professed his belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

10 Tips For True Friendship | Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. | SEEK24

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Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. shares an Impact Session talk from SEEK24 in St. Louis, MO where he discusses authentic friendship and shares practical advice in the form of 10 tips to help you improve your current friendships, and find new ones that are fulfilling and that lead you to heaven.

The breadth of charity widens the narrow heart of the sinner.

St. Anthony of Padua