St. Anthony of Padua is one of the most revered saints in the Catholic Church. He is known for his eloquence in preaching and numerous miracles while alive and after his death. Born in Lisbon, Portugal, of a wealthy noble family who provided him with good education as a youth, Fernando Martins de Bulhões, his given name, joined the Canons Regular of St. Augustine in Lisbon at age 15. He was ordained a priest in 1220 after nine years of excellent formation at the Santa Cruz Monastery in Coimbra, where he moved to after enduring distractions from family and friends in his first two years with the canons in Lisbon near his home. 

One day, news reached Coimbra that five Franciscan missionaries had been martyred in Morocco by Muslims. The King of Portugal ransomed their bodies, which were then brought back in a solemn procession to Coimbra for burial. The courage of these martyrs impressed Fernando that he requested and received permission to leave the Canons Regular and join the Franciscans. He took the name Anthony after Saint Anthony of Egypt, the patron of the friars’ house in Coimbra. However, due to illness, Anthony ended up in Padua, Italy rather than Morrocco. In his lifetime, God rewarded his life of holiness and prayers with many miraculous occurrences.

A skeptic starved his mule for three days to test the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. St. Anthony reiterated that the animal would recognize and adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament rather than turning to food after being starved for three days. The skeptic vowed that he would renounce his skepticism and believe in God if that happened. When offered food, the hungry mule turned away from food and bowed down and knelt before the Eucharist brought by St. Anthony.

A young man named Leonardo confessed to kicking his mother. Anthony told him, "The foot that strikes father or mother deserved to be cut off." Leonardo cut off his foot in remorse, but Anthony miraculously reattached the foot to Leonardo’s leg.

When heretics in Rimini refused to listen to him, Anthony preached to the fish in the river. The fish gathered at the shore in great numbers in ordered ranks to listen to Anthony preaching. This prompted the people to convert.

Anthony was visited by the Christ Child, appearing in his arms while he was reading. This is depicted in most of his photos.

Anthony claimed a miser who had died did not deserve a Christian burial because his heart was in his money chest. Upon examination, the corpse was found to have no heart in its body cavity.

St. Anthony, Patron Saint of lost items.

While teaching in Bologna, Italy, Anthony lost a cherished psalter (a book of psalms) containing his personal notes he prepared for teaching. A novice who had decided to leave the Franciscan Order stole the book before leaving the community.

Anthony prayed fervently for the return of the book. According to the account, the novice experienced a change of heart, returned the book, and rejoined the order.

The stolen book is believed to be preserved in the Franciscan friary in Bologna, Italy.