Antoine de Padoue

Antoine de Padoue (1195 - June 13rd 1231) is a holy roman catholic (festival the June 13rd), Doctors of the Church, also called “the Thaumaturge”.

Biography

Life of Fernando de Bulhões

Fernando de Bulhões was born about 1195 with Lisbon, in a noble and military family. It followed brilliant studies at the Chanoine S Réguliers of holy Augustin to Saint-Vincent de Fora then to the monastery of Holy-Cross of Coimbra, an important center of studies and religious life, where it was ordered priest.

In 1220, the remainders of a group of Franciscains Martyr S were brought back Morocco. This event led it to join the order of François d' Assise, where it accepted the Antoine first name. It left on mission, with its request, the Morocco but had to be repatriated in Europe as of 1221 for health issues. Its boat was deviated by the winds on the coast of Sicily where it met the brothers of Messine and went with them to the general Chapter in 1221, and passed then nearly one year in retirement to the convent of Montepaolo, practically isolated from the remainder of the community.

In 1222, at the time of the Ordination of several franciscains, it had to speak and showed a great talent of speaker and scholar. François d' Assise then sent it to preach in Italy and France. He preached and taught the Théologie in Italy, in particular to Bologna, then went to be established in the south of the France amongst other things to Toulouse, Montpellier or Cuges-the-Pines. Antoine knew very well theology and its preachings met an important success, supporting the conversion of many heretics. It founded a monastery with Brive, where it made many conversions. It was besides, like Ferrier and Torquemada, called the hammer of the heretics .

In 1226, it is custode of Limoges and in 1227, after the death of François d' Assise, it is Provincial of Italy of North, while continuing its sermons and its controversies with the Albigensians. In 1230, the chapter, it gives up its load of provincial minister. It was sent to Rome where he was an adviser of Gregoire IX in the problem of the validity of the Will of François d' Assise.

In 1231, it was sent to Padoue where it continued its sermons during the Lent but it dies of exhaustion on June 13rd following in Arcelle, close to Padoue.

Process of canonization

It was canonized the May 30th 1232 by the pope Gregoire IX. The worship of saint Antoine de Padoue was spread especially with 15th and 16th centuries. He became the national saint of the Portugal, whose explorers made known it whole world. He is thus the owner of the sailors, the shipwrecked men and the prisoners.

As from the 17th century, holy Antoine de Padoue was also called upon to find the lost objects, then to recover health, and finally for exaucer a wish. The idea to call upon holy Antoine to find the lost objects comes owing to the fact that a robber who had concealed his comments to him on the Psaumes felt obliged to return them to him.

Many supernatural episodes are allotted to him, like to have held one night the Jesus Child in his arms.

François d' Assise wrote a letter to him authorizing it the teaching with the brothers of holy theology under certain conditions.

Artistic representations

With the the Middle Ages, the representations of saint Antoine de Padoue are rather rare, but they become very current as from the 14th century. The majority of the churches count a statue of him today. It is generally represented like a weak man, vêtu of the frieze franciscaine tied by a cordelière with three nodes.

It is often represented preaching with crowd or fish, under discussion with Saint François, curing patients, positioning back the leg which a man had cut as a sign of Pénitence, making kneel a mule in front of the Blessed Sacrament to convince a Jew which doubted the presence of God in the host, or attending the appearance of the Virgin Mary and the Jesus Child (sat or upright on a book).

Its principal attributes are the frieze franciscaine, the Child Jesus, a mule, a book, fish, an ignited heart, a lily.

Cathedrals and Basilicas

Basilica of Saint-Anthony in Padou.

Basilica Saint-Antoine-with-Padoue of Istanbul.
Cathedral Saint-Antoine-with-Padoue of Molegbe.
Cocathédrale Saint-Antoine-with-Padoue of Longueuil.

Saint-Anthony in Padoue

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