Catholic Saints - Saint Anthony

Review On Catholic Saints - Saint Anthony

Saint Anthony was born late in the 12th century in Lisbon, Portugal into a wealthy noble family. Although his family desired him to follow other pursuits, Anthony chose to become an Augustinian monk. Anthony was a scholar versed in the scriptures and the classics. He was ordained as a priest in 1219AD.

Eventually Anthony decided that his true calling was to the simple lifestyle of the Franciscan order. He obtained permission from his superiors to transfer to the Franciscan order. Anthony traveled to Assisi, the birthplace of Saint Francis, and was assigned to work in the kitchen in a rural monastery.

Anthony lived a quiet life, almost that of a hermit, until he was called upon to give a sermon for visiting Dominican monks. Although he tried to evade this duty, in the end he gave a sermon that was so moving that he was subsequently commissioned to preach throughout northern Italy.

Anthony's skill as an orator became his primary role in the Church for the remainder of his life. Occasionally he also served as a teacher. At one point, he served Pope Gregory IX directly and wrote a series of sermons for special feast days.

In 1231, Anthony became ill with dropsy. He tried to recover in a small retreat in the woods that had been built for him, but died several months later at the Poor Clare convent at Arcella. He was 36 years old. Legend claims that the bells of the churches rang of their own accord at his death. St. Anthony is called upon as the patron saint of lost things, missing persons, travelers and stolen articles.