ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 23, 8 June 1899, Page 7

ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA.

St. Anthony, though a native of Lisbon, in Portugal, received his surname from his long residence at Padua, which city is possessed of the treasure of his relics. He was born in 11.5."j, and christened by the name of Ferdinand, which he changed for that of Anthony when he entered the Order of St. Francis, out of devotion to the great patriarch of monks, who was the titular Baint of the little chapel of his Order in which he took the habit. His father was Martin de Bullones. an officer in the army of Alphonsus 1., who, having defeated five kings of the Moors in the battle or Orique in 11.T.t, was crowned King of Portugal, and died in li; 58. The mother of our saint was Mary of Tevera, one of the most accomplished of women. Both his parents were equally distinguished by their nobility and virtue. They placed their son very young in the community of the canons of the Cathedral of Lisbon, where his rising genius was carefully cultivated, and from his tender years he always advanced in knowledge and devotion. At fifteen years of age he entered among the regular canons of St. Austin, near Lisbon ; but not bearing the interruption and distraction which the visits of his friends there gave him, he desired, two years after, to be sent to the convent of the Holy Cross of the same Order at Coimbra. The close retirement and the austerity in which he there lived astonished his brethren, whilst he pursued his studies and read assiduously the Holy s criptures and Fathers. By his regular method and application, and by his sound and piercing judgment, he made a quick progress. In the meantime he inflamed his devotion by assiduous prayer and holy meditation, and nourished daily in his soul the strongest sentiments and affections of piety, without which means the hpart is left spiritually dry, the usual consequence of studies, whether sacred or profane, unless prayer impart* to them its unction. But the saint was called by (Jod to serve Him with greater fervour, and to be the ornament and support of

ANOTHER. ILLUSTRIOUS ORDER

of religious men. He had lived at Coimbra near eight years when Don Pedro brought over from Morocco the relics of the five Franciscans, who had been lately there crowned with martyrdom. Anthony was strongly affected at the sight, and conceived an ardent desire to lay down his life for Christ. Shortly after, certain Franciscan friars came to his Monastery of the Holy Cross to bes an alms for their community. Anthony discovered to them his inclination to embrace their institute, and wa» by them encouraged to put it in execution. Having therefore obtained the consent of his prior, he received this new habit in 1221, in the little Franoiscin convent, dedicated to the great St. Anthony, patriarch ot the monks, near Coimbra. After some time spent in solitude, prayer, and penitential austerities, burning with a desire of martyrdo.u. he obtained leave to go into Africa to preach the Gospel to the Moors.

Denied a martyr's palm, and enfeeble 1 by at the age of 27, he was taking silent but merciless revenge upon himself in the humble-t othces ol his community. From thi~, ou-cimty he was now called fortli and for nine years France, ltily, and Sicily h ard his voice, saw his miracles, and men's hearts turned to God. Suddenly, in 12.51, this brief apostolafe was closed, and the voices nf children were heard crying in the streets of Padua. ' Our father St Anthony is dead.' The following year the church-bells of Lisbon iang without ringers, while at Rome, one of its sons was ins nbod among the saints of God.

It is related of St. Anthony that one ui<>ht while he was staying with a friend in the city of Padua, his host saw brilliant rays streaming under the door of tb.9 saint's room, and on looking through the keyhole he beheld a little child of marvellous beauty standing upon the table and clingingr with both arms round Antony's neck. With an ineffable sweetness he watched the tender cai tsses of the saint and his wondrous visitor. At last the child vanished and St. Anthony, opening the door, charged his friend by the love of Him, whom he had seen, ' to tell the vision to no man ' as long as he was alive.