SAINT OF PADOVA

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 144, 20 June 1931, Page 23

SAINT OF PADOVA

Just seven centuries ago this year a humble Franciscan friar died in a bare hut on the outskirts of Padova, writes Arualdo Cortesi in the "New York Times" about an evont which was commemorated last" Wednesday. Such, was the friar's reputation as a. worker of miracles and preacher of the word of Christ that the populace of Padova, wishing their city to have the honour of giving burial to his mortal remains, fought strenuously for three days and three nights with the friars of St. Mary of-Padova for possession of his body. On the morning of 17th June, 1*231, amid a triumphal apotheosis of the clergy and the populace, of Magistrates and patricians, of students and. doctors, his body was carried inside tho walls of Padova and buried in the Church of Sancta Maria, Mater Domini. That humble friar was St. Anthony of Padova, a contemporary of St. Francis of Assisi, still venerated to-day by countless thousands as one of the brightest lights in the constellation of saints 6f the Catholic Church.

Padova is preparing to celebrate in worthy fashion the 700 th. anniversary of the death of its protecting saint. Two committees, one laic, presided over by Premier Mussolini himself, and the other ecclesiastic, presided over by the Vicar-General of the Diocese of Padova, are in charge of arrangements for this manifestation, which is expected to be witnessed by thousands of pilgrims from every country in. the world. Tbo chief feature of the celebration will bo the dedication of an imposing cathedral. built on tho site of St. Anthony's hermitage in imitation of the Church of Sancta. Maria Degli Angoli, which was built over the rough masonry shack in which St." Francis of Assisi passed his days in poverty and prayer. Another feature will be an exhibition of sacred art,, organised by a committee presided over by Senator de Vecchi, the Italian Ambassador to tho.. Holy See.

As a preacher St. Anthony of Padova has many points of similarity with his contemporary, St. Francis of Assisi. whose follower ho was. His famoussermon to the fishes reminds us strongly of St. Francis's 'sermon.to. the birds. They both lived in poverty and preached the beauty, of humility and sacrifice. St. Anthoriy'*s fame, however, chiefly rests on his reputation as a worker of miracles, and in this field he perhaps 'outstripped-' his contemporary. Tho chief miracles credited to him are im-

ITALY REMEMBERS

niortalised .in ,a series of wonderful bas reliefs by NatteU'o adorning the church dedicated to him in Padova, which_ to this clay is a constant goal of pilgrims in search of Divine, help. It is an odd fact that St Anthony of Padova, who.is one of the greatest of- Italian saints, was not Italian at all, but Portuguese. He, in fact, was born in Lisbon in the- year 1195. His real name was Fernando Martini, and he assumed the name of Anthony when lie 'became a lfraneiscan at the age of 25

years. ' He decided to become a Franciscan friar when the bodies of flvo Franciscans who were killed in an effort to evangelise Morocco were brought back to Portugal. This incident fired his imagination with a desire to become an apostle and martyr. Ho entered the1 Franciscan order and left for Morocco, but owing to a series of unfortunate circumstances was obliged to leave that land, first for Sicily, then for Italy. He thus was enabled to assist the chapter convoked by St. Francis in Assisi in the year 1221. From there he was sent to , a hermitage at Montep?olo in Bomaga. Here ho received a letter from St. Francis addressed to "Anthony, my Bishop" authorising him to teach theology to other friars. Later, he was assigned to the convent of Payeuvelas' in' Provence, then in Limoges. Finally, he was apr pointed provincial minister in Emilia Lombardq, which post lie held until 1230 A.l). His last nine years lie dedicated entirely to preaching, which he did with such zeal that'he was called the "New Light of Christianity" and the "Hammer of. Heretics." The powers of the Word made him one of the most prominent figures of his time and created•. great popular'enthusiasm for him.

He -died on 13th June, 1231, at the ago of only 36, at the hermitage of Arcella, i near Padova. The fame lie had acquired during his life by reports of miracles was increased by a number of miracles supposed to have been performed .through his intercession ■ after his death. Only one year after he entered his grave he was solemnly canonised in the cathedralof Spoleto. His reputation aB a worker of miracles has continued unbroken through the centuries. Even to-day thousands of pilgrims each year enter the cathedral of "St. Anthony in Padova—to pray at his tomb.