Saint Anthony (August which disturbed him.

Franciscan Order in the

15, 1195 – June 13, His studies were year of 1221.
1231) also venerated suffering and there he
as Saint Anthony of found no peace. He Shortly after, Anthony
Lisbon and Saint persuaded his set off to Morocco with
Anthony of Padua, is a superiors to transfer another friar. He
Catholic saint who was him to the Augustinian intended to die
born in Lisbon, Santa Cruz Monastery preaching the Gospel
Portugal, as Fernando (Abbey of the Holy there. However, upon
Martins de Bulhões to Cross) in Coimbra, then his arrival in Morocco,
a wealthy family and the capital of Portugal, he fell so ill he had no
who died in Padua, and continued his choice but to return
Italy. studies. home.

Anthony was born on After his ordination, On the return trip to

the Feast of the Anthony was placed in Portugal, his ship was
Assumption in Lisbon, charge of hospitality in driven by storm upon
Portugal, to Martim his abbey. In this role, the coast of Sicily and
Vicente de Bulhões and in 1219, he came in he landed at Messina.
wife Teresa Pais contact with five From Sicily he made
Taveira (a descendant Franciscans who were his way to Assisi and
of Alfonso VI of Castile on their way to sought admission into
- and thus a half-third Morocco to preach to a monastery in Italy,
cousin once removed the Muslims there. but met with difficulty
of King Afonso II of Anthony was strongly on account of his sickly
Portugal - and attracted to the simple appearance. He was
ironically of Gospel lifestyle of the finally assigned, out of
Muhammad), and Franciscan friars. In pure compassion, to
brother of Pedro February 1220, news the rural hospice of
Martins de Bulhões arrived that the five San Paolo near Forlì,
(ancestor of the de Franciscans had been Romagna, Italy, a
Bulhão/de Bulhões martyred in Morocco. choice made after
family), in a very rich Anthony meditated on considering his poor
family of the nobility the heroism of these health. There he
who wanted him to Franciscans. He appears to have lived
become a noble; wanted to obey God's as a hermit and was
however these were call to leave everything put to work in the
not his wishes. His and follow Him. kitchen.
family arranged sound Anthony obtained
education for him at permission from his
the local cathedral superiors to join the One day, on the
school. Against the Franciscan order. In the occasion of an
wishes of his family, summer of 1220 he ordination, when a
Anthony entered the was invested with the great many visiting
Augustinian Abbey of Franciscan habit and Dominican monks were
St. Vincent on the began to learn the present, there was
outskirts of Lisbon. teachings of their some
The Canons Regular of founder, Francis of misunderstanding over
St Augustine, of which Assisi. He took the new who should preach.
he was now a member, name of Anthony when The Franciscans
were famous for their he joined the Order of naturally expected that
dedication to scholarly Friars Minor in honor of one of the Dominicans
pursuits. Anthony Saint Anthony the would occupy the
studied Scripture and Great, to whom the pulpit, for they were
the Latin classics. Franciscan hermitage renowned for their
Anthony was in the current civil preaching; the
constantly visited by parish of Santo Dominicans, on the
friends and relatives, António dos Olivais, other hand, had come
bringing embarrassing Coimbra, where he was unprepared, thinking
gifts and news from living, was dedicated. that a Franciscan
their social world Anthony joined the would be the homilist.
In this quandary, the Bible" and he was
head of the hermitage, commissioned to
who had no one among produce "Sermons for
his own humble friars Feast Days."
suitable for the
occasion, called upon Anthony was elected
Anthony, whom he minister provincial of
suspected was most the Italian region of
qualified, and Emilia-Romagna on 30
instructed him to May; the friars held out
speak whatever the against the push of
Holy Spirit should put Franciscan austerities.
into his mouth. Anthony became ill
Anthony objected but with dropsy and, in
was overruled, and his 1231, went to the
sermon created a deep woodland retreat at
impression. Not only Camposampiero with
his rich voice and two other friars for a
arresting manner, but respite. There Anthony
the entire theme and lived in a cell built for
substance of his him under the
discourse and his branches of a walnut
moving eloquence, tree. Saint Anthony
held the attention of died on 13 June 1231
his hearers. at the Poor Clare
convent at Arcella on
At that point, Anthony the way back to Padua
was commissioned by at the age of 36.
Brother Gratian, the
minister provincial, to When he died, it is said
preach the Gospel that the children cried
throughout Lombardy, in the streets and that
a region in northern all the bells of the
Italy. From then on his churches rang of their
skills were used to the own accord, rung by
utmost by the Church. angels come to earth
Occasionally he took to honor the death of
another post, as a the saint. He is buried
teacher, for instance, in a chapel (once a
at the universities of church, now enclosed
Montpellier and by the current edifice)
Toulouse—both in of the large Basilica of
southern France—but it Saint Anthony in
was as a preacher that Padua. The house
Anthony revealed his where he was born in
supreme gift. Lisbon was turned into
a church, the Igreja de
In 1226, after Santo António de
attending the Lisboa.
Franciscan chapter at
Arles, France, and
preaching in the
French region of
Provence, Anthony
returned to Italy and
served as envoy from
the general chapter to
Pope Gregory IX. At
the papal court, his
preaching was hailed
as a "jewel case of the