Jacqueline Kelly –
In the year 1263, Saint Anthony’s tomb was opened so that his Blessed remains might be transferred to the new Basilica built in his honour. The marvel was then discovered that, though his flesh had fallen to dust, his tongue remained fresh. Hosts of miracles have been attributed to Saint Anthony’s intercession. It is also said that Saint Anthony can perform 13 miracles in one day.
Why is Saint Anthony invoked for lost and mislaid things?
In addition to preaching, Saint Anthony also taught theology to his fellow monks. During his time at the Franciscan Monastery in Montpellier, Saint Anthony had a Book of Psalms that he loved. He used it for teaching and it contained his personal notes and comments. The loss of this book was a great blow to Saint Anthony as books back then were very valuable. The Saint was deeply troubled by the loss of his invaluable work. A novice, who decided to leave their religious community, stole Saint Anthony’s book. Saint Anthony turned to prayer, seeking Divine mercy for the troubled novice and the return of his book. His prayer was answered. The novice was not only moved to return Saint Anthony’s book to him, but he returned to the community as well. Saint Anthony forgave the novice and urged him to stay true to his calling. The stolen book remains in the Franciscan Monastery in Bologna to this day.
The Vision of the Child Jesus
One day, as Saint Anthony was deep in prayer alone at Camposampiero, he was seen in ecstasy, holding the Child Jesus in his arms. It is believed that this singular privilege was bestowed on Saint Anthony because he kept his soul free even from the smallest stain of sin. This is the reason Saint Anthony is often depicted holding the Christ Child. Throughout his life, Saint Anthony had a deep devotion to the Child Jesus. Just before dying, he exclaimed once again, “I see my Lord!”
The Miracle of Tongues
Saint Anthony possessed remarkable natural talents, a powerful voice and great eloquence. He had an excellent gift of speech and a deep understanding of the Scriptures and Theology. He was a great preacher. As a missionary, he preached in many cities of Northern Italy and Southern France. Despite not knowing Portuguese in his youth, he miraculously gained the ability to speak the language, just like the Apostles did after Pentecost. This gift of tongues allowed him to preach with eloquence in French and Italian, and to be understood by people from all over the world.
When instructed by the Holy See to deliver the Lenten Sermons in Rome, he spoke with authority, and in a way that was easily understood by the vast crowd, from different countries who had gathered due to his reputation for holiness. He had to keep a bodyguard to prevent individuals from cutting up his robe to possess as relics.
Dumb Animals obey the Saint
Near the monastery of the Friars Minor in Montpellier, there was a large pool filled with frogs. The constant noise of their croaking greatly disturbed the Saint and his community. Tired of the never-ending noise, he decided to put an end to it. He went to the pond, blessed it, and commanded the frogs to stop croaking. Immediately, the croaking ceased, and the pond was thereafter known as Saint Anthony’s Pond.
The Miser’s Heart
Once, Saint Anthony was present at the funeral of a money lender and was troubled. Suddenly he exclaimed, “This dead man must not be buried in consecrated ground for his body is without a heart and his soul was already suffering the torments of hell”. He said that the man’s heart was no longer in his body, but that the Gospel had been fulfilled, “For where your treasure is there will be your heart”. [Mt 6:21; Lk 12:34] All were astonished and a doctor was summoned to verify the claim. They opened the man’s side and found that his heart was missing but they found it when they opened up a safe where the rich man had stored his fortune.
Bilocation of the Saint
In the Church of St. Pierre-du-Queyraix in Limoges, an incident took place which more than ever showed the extraordinary favours granted by Heaven to Saint Anthony. It was Easter and Anthony was preaching the sermon of the day. Suddenly he remembered that he had been appointed to chant the Alleluia at the Convent Mass in the local friary. And he had neglected to arrange for a substitute.
Anthony stopped short in his sermon and remained silent for some time. To the congregation it appeared that the preacher was merely gathering his thoughts. What they did not know was that Anthony, during that period of silence, had appeared in the convent choir to fulfil his assignment. A few moments later, Anthony took up the thread of his interrupted sermon as if nothing had occurred. A miracle of bilocation had been worked in his favour.
Saint Anthony Rescues his Father
While Saint Anthony was at Padua, a man was killed in Lisbon and the corpse buried in the garden of Saint Anthony’s father. Try as he might to prove his innocence, the grisly evidence found in the family garden was enough to convict the poor man of the murder. Just when things were at their worst, God revealed to Anthony the plight of his father.
Immediately, Saint Anthony obtained permission to go to Lisbon. Padua was days away from Lisbon but Anthony was there in a matter of hours. In the court room he asked that the body of the murdered man be produced. Anthony approached the corpse and, in a firm voice, bade the man speak and tell who had killed him. To the amazement of all, the corpse sat up and clearly stated the name of the murderer. The revived man then turned to Anthony and requested for absolution from his sins, then he died again. Anthony’s father was freed and the next day the Saint was back in Padua.
Saint Anthony again rescues his Father
Saint Anthony’s father, Don Martin de Buglione had an important role in the Court of Lisbon. He was involved in managing the Royal finances. One day, he forgot to ask for a receipt from some officials of the Royal household to whom he had paid large sums of money. These officials were jealous of his position and they saw this as an opportunity to ruin him. They claimed that they hadn’t received the money and initiated a lawsuit against hm. Saint Anthony suddenly appeared before the dishonest officials and provided a detailed testimony. The enemies were frightened and admitted to receiving the money. The Saint’s father was never again troubled by his enemies.
Wind and Rain Obey Saint Anthony
There was the time for instance, when Saint Anthony was about to preach in a Church far too small to accommodate the overflowing crowd. Therefore, he decided it would be better for him to preach in the open. Selecting a place called the Valley of Sand, he bade the multitude to make themselves comfortable.
He had scarcely begun his sermon when thick, black clouds covered the sky. Streaks of lightning flashed in the west. Loud clattering of thunder followed. Many people started to leave. Anthony raised his hand and spoke to them.
“Stay where you are”, he assured them, “everything will be alright”.
The storm broke in a rage flooding the city and the surrounding countryside. Yet not one drop of rain fell on the valley where Saint Anthony and the multitude were gathered. Whereupon, Saint Anthony chose for the topic of his sermon the goodness of God, Who had seen fit to grant them such a wonderful miracle.
Rain Respects the Friend of the Saint
While on the subject of rain, there is another incident which occurred at Brive. One day, the cook of the Monastery where Saint Anthony was staying had no food. The cook informed Saint Anthony who sought help from a devout woman. The good lady called her servant and instructed her to take some vegetables from the garden for the monks. Her kindness to the saint had been rewarded by a miracle. The servant, returned completely dry without a single drop of rain on her clothes or shoes. The lady deeply impressed urged her brother, a Canon at Noblet to take care of the monks and assist them to the best of his ability.
Reattached Foot
On another occasion, just before Easter, Saint Anthony was hearing the confession of a young man named Leonard at a Church in Padua. The young man admitted to having violently kicked his mother while in a fit of violent rage.
“Oh, my son,” Anthony said to him, “this is, indeed, a grave sin. Grave enough that a fitting punishment for you would be the loss of that leg with which you kicked your mother. Woe to the child who brings such sorrow to his mother or father.”
The enormity of his sin made a deep impression on the man. He left the confessional and returned home. All the way home, he could not get it out of his mind. In his room, he found an axe. Overcome with remorse, he picked it up and chopped off the foot with which he had kicked his mother. Learning of this, Saint Anthony hurried to him and, while praying deeply and making the Sign of the Cross, the severed foot and leg were reattached. The young man stood up, perfectly healed and praised God while dancing with joy.
The New Born who spoke
In Ferrara, Saint Anthony performed a remarkable miracle. A family was in turmoil when a woman gave birth to a child, as the father, a nobleman was jealous of his wife and refused to accept the new born as his own child. Saint Anthony was called to calm the man who was in a fit of rage. The Saint addressed the infant directly asking in the name of Jesus Christ to speak and tell who your father is. The infant pointed to the nobleman and said, “There is my father!”
The Resurrection of Little Thomas
One day, a mother left her house, while her young son, Tommasino was playing alone. Upon her return, she found the child drowned in a water-filled tub. In despair, the mother immediately called for Saint Anthony, promising to offer as much bread as her child’s weight if he was brought back to life. The saintly monk resurrected the boy and the mother kept her promise. The tradition of asking for a child’s healing by promising to offer the child’s weight in bread continues to this day.
The Consoler of Mothers
While in Brives, a poor woman attended Saint Anthony’s sermon, leaving her child unattended. Upon her return, she discovered her child unharmed after falling into boiling water.
In another incident, a mother found her infant dead in the cradle after leaving him alone to hear the sermon. She informed Saint Anthony, who assured her, “Your son lives”. Returning home, she found her baby alive and playing with other children.
The Sermon to the Fish
One day, as Saint Anthony was preaching in Rimini, the people paid no attention to the sermon and did not even seem to see the monk. Anthony walked to the mouth of the Marecchia River where it flows into the Adriatic and called out to the fish. “Since men do not want to hear the Word of God, it is to you that I will preach”. Then, thousands of fish pushed their heads out of the surface of the water and wriggled to show their joy at listening to the Word of God. The people were deeply moved by Saint Anthony’s words and returned to the Church.
The Eucharistic Miracle of the Mule
A heretic once challenged Saint Anthony, asking him to prove through a miracle the real presence of Jesus in the Host. A hungry mule was brought forward, with its fodder on one side and the Holy Eucharist on the other. Ignoring its meal, the animal knelt before the consecrated Host. The heretic converted immediately.
The Miraculous Spring
Religious brothers begged the Franciscan Priest to find water near their monastery. As soon as, Anthony began to pray, clear and abundant water sprang forth at his feet. People came to draw water from this miraculous spring and many healings took place.
Aleardino’s Glass
One day a knight called Aleardino da Salvaterra arrived in Padua. Whist dining, his tablemates started telling him with great enthusiasm of the many miracles performed by Saint Anthony. Aleardino emptied his glass and said, “If he whom you consider to be a Saint will prevent this glass from breaking when it hits the ground I will believe everything you are telling me about him”. He then threw the glass on the floor with all his strength and quite unbelievably, the glass did not break. The hard tiles broke instead of the glass. Aleardino believed and was converted.
Violent Husband
There was a Knight in Tuscany who was noted for his nobility and wealth but easily gave way to outbursts of anger. His wife, a virtuous lady, probably replied to him harshly and he was overcome with rage. He kicked her, punched her and stabbed her leaving her at the point of death.
The Knight began to regret his behaviour and ran to Saint Anthony, who was living in the city and begged him to come and help his wife. The Saint knelt down, asking God to give the dying woman life and health. When Anthony prayed, she rose up and was well again.
A Messenger from Hell Unmasked
While Saint Anthony was delivering his sermon at Puy, a sudden interruption occurred when a messenger appeared amidst the congregation. The messenger announced to a lady that her son had been brutally murdered by his enemies. Anthony silenced the crowd and comforted the distraught mother by assuring her that her son was in good health. Saint Anthony revealed that the messenger was none other than the devil in disguise who had only come to disrupt the sermon. The messenger vanished and Saint Anthony warned the crowd about the tactics employed by the devil.
An Extraordinary Prophecy
During his stay in Puy, he encountered a lawyer who led an immoral life. Each time, they crossed path, Saint Anthony would uncover his head and bow to the lawyer. This gesture annoyed the lawyer and he threatened to harm him.
Saint Anthony clarified that his intention was never to insult the lawyer. In fact, he was acknowledging him as a future glorious martyr.
A Bishop embarked on a journey to Palestine to convert the Saracens and driven by a divine impulse, the lawyer followed him. He was overwhelmed with a desire to convert the infidels. He began preaching on Christianity and exposing the wickedness of Mahometanism. The fanatics were enraged and captured the lawyer who was tortured for three days and martyred. As he faced death, he revealed to those present how Saint Anthony had prophesized his fate.
A Broken Goblet and Running Barrel
During the autumn of A.D.1226 the Vicar General of the Franciscan Order, Brother Elias summoned all the Superiors from different Provinces to attend a meeting for the election of a new leader after the death of Saint Francis of Assisi. Saint Anthony accompanied by one of his brethren decided to stop on the way to Italy.
During their stay, they were hosted by a kind woman. She borrowed a beautiful cut glass goblet from her neighbour for them to drink their wine. Unfortunately, Saint Anthony’s companion accidentally broke the goblet whilst examining it.
Secondly, the hostess forgot to close the tap of the wine barrel, causing all the wine to spill out. Distressed by these incidents, Saint Anthony bowed his head in prayer, and to the amazement of the woman, the broken pieces of the goblet were joined together without any trace of damage.
The hostess rushed to the cellar and discovered that the barrel, which was half-empty, was filled with the most delicious wine.
Consoler of Persecuted Women
A woman who held the Franciscan Friars in high esteem suffered greatly at the hands of her jealous husband. One evening, after completing her chores and purchasing items for the Friars, she realized it was too late to bring them to the monastery that night. So, she took the items home with her. This infuriated her husband who in a fit of rage pulled out her hair. The woman was in pain. She collected her hair and wrote a letter, pleading Saint Anthony to visit her the following day. Saint Anthony requested his fellow brethren to pray for this woman. Their prayers were answered. Her pain vanished and her head was once again adorned with hair as if nothing had happened. This miracle led to the conversion of her husband and turned him into a benefactor of the monastery.
The Carved Capon
Saint Anthony was invited to dinner by a group of heretics with the intention to mock him for his supposed foolishness. As they sat down to eat, a large bat, which is found in Sicily, was presented to him and he was asked to carve it. Saint Anthony without any hesitation began to carve the bat causing the heretics to laugh. Their laughter quickly turned to astonishment, as the pitiful bird transformed into a magnificent Capon [domestic cock flattened for eating] filling the room with a delightful aroma. This miraculous event led to the conversion of the heretics and they embraced the Church.
Zeal for the Word of God
During Lent, a rich lady, dressed in fancy clothes, was on her way to hear Saint Anthony’s sermon. She wasn’t paying attention and fell into a dirty pool. She thought she would be covered in mud, but miraculously, her clothes were clean when she got out. This was a miracle.
Saint Anthony’s humility and devotion to God led to miracles which clearly indicate that God’s protection is always present for those who seek Him and the importance of faith and prayer.
Saint’s Sermon is heard at a distance
A woman longed to hear Saint Anthony’s sermon but was unable to do so as she was living an hour away from the Church. Unable to find solace, she stepped onto the balcony, leaning on the railings and gazed longingly in the direction of the Preacher’s sermon
To her surprise, she began to hear every word that Saint Anthony preached, as if she was inside the Church. She hurriedly ran to her husband and pleaded with him to listen. The sick husband too heard the sermon clearly. They asked their neighbour about the topic of the sermon in order to confirm the miracle and that it was not their imagination. They then shared their miraculous experience.
Cure of a Paralyzed Child
After Saint Anthony’s sermon, a desperate man cradling his daughter with paralyzed feet approached Saint Anthony. She could not walk and also suffered from violent epileptic fits. He knelt before Saint Anthony and pleaded for his blessings.
Upon returning home, the father gently placed his child on the ground, supporting her with the rail of a bench. To his astonishment, she took a few steps and soon discarded the stick. She ran freely around the room, completely healed.
Martyr’s Death Predicted
Saint Anthony foretold a woman in Assisi that her soon-to-be born son would face martyrdom, a prophecy that came true. The son, named Philip, became a Franciscan Friar and was sent to Asia, which had been taken back from the Christians by the Saracens. Despite being tortured, in order to renounce Christianity for Islam, Philip stood firm in his faith. Along with other Christians whom he inspired, he was beheaded for his beliefs.
God continues to work miracles through the intercession of Saint Anthony.
Pope Francis said, “Miracles still happen today. But to allow the Lord to carry them out we must pray with courage to overcome that ‘feeling of disbelief’ that dwells in the heart of every person, even in people of faith. Prayer works miracles, but we must believe it.”