Perhaps if winds had not blown his ship so terribly off course, there may never have been a St. Anthony of Padua.

Anthony — doctor of the Church, “hammer of heretics,” a Franciscan saint closely associated with Italy — was, in fact, not Italian at all and only Franciscan by happenstance. Or maybe it was divine Providence.

Born Ferdinand de Bulhoes in 1195 in Lisbon, Portugal, and destined by his family for the life of a nobleman in his home country, he showed early on that he was more interested in a life of prayer than one of privilege.

By the age of 15 he had entered the Abby of St. Vincent, an Augustinian community. Seeking greater detachment from such distractions as childhood friends who came to call, he left Lisbon for the Augustinian Abby at Coimbra. He was ordained an Augustinian priest in 1219 or 1220.

Not many months went by before he heard about a group of Franciscan missionaries who had been martyred in Morocco. Having met them prior to their leaving on their missionary journey, he was fired up with zeal by the news and by the martyrs’ relics when they were brought to Portugal. When still more Franciscans knocked on the monastery door to beg for food, he told them of his passion. They encouraged him to pursue entry into their order.

This he did in 1221. He took the name Anthony in honor of the great patriarch of monks, Anthony the Abbot (d. 356), and set out for Africa with some of his fellow Franciscans.

Just before arriving in Morocco, or shortly thereafter, Anthony fell so ill that he was forced to head home to Portugal.

He never made it. A ferocious storm drove his ship to the coast of Sicily. From there he made his way to Assisi. Long story short: St. Francis made quite an impression on him.

Anthony journeyed throughout northern Italy and France as “Christ’s perfect follower and tireless preacher of the Gospel.” He became known as “the wonder worker” for his miracles and drew tremendous crowds by the unprecedented power of his preaching.

He could evangelize unchurched sophisticates as well as he catechized Catholic commoners. And he did that as well as, or better than, any other priest in the history of the Church. Word has it that he’s pretty good at helping people find lost things, too.

Tongue Intact

Such was the popularity of Anthony — whose feast the Church celebrates on June 13 — that work on the basilica in Padua began immediately after his death in 1231.

The exterior was fashioned without a precise architectural style. The elaborate mix of a Romanesque Gothic facade with an eight-domed Byzantine roof and several small belfries give it an Eastern look. This beloved shrine is known to the residents of Padua simply as Il Santo (The Saint).

Today the basilica and its adjoining courtyard host about five million pilgrims annually. In 1993, Pope John Paul II recognized the Basilica of St. Anthony, which he said “holds the body of a great teacher and miracle worker,” as an international shrine and one of the Church’s most important pilgrimage sites.

St. Anthony was beatified by Pope Gregory IX less than one year after his death. When the immense basilica was completed 32 years later, the time had come to transfer the body to its new resting place. The opening of the sarcophagus revealed an astonishing development. The saint’s body had turned to dust while his tongue remained miraculously intact. It was red.

Today in the Baroque Chapel of Relics, in the apse at the back of the church, you can see the actual tongue. It’s presented in a gold reliquary. Also on display are the great preacher’s jaw bone and vocal cords.

Human Touch

Perhaps the most moving experience of the Padua pilgrimage is a visit through the Chapel of St. Anthony, located in the north transept. Here you can line up reverently with other pilgrims and slowly drag your hand along the tomb, expressing your trust and affection for the saint while also indulging the impulse to make physical contact.

The tomb is littered with hand-written petitions and cards, photos, personal keepsakes and thank-you notes. This popular, spontaneously created display illustrates how important a role St. Anthony plays in the daily lives of so many Catholics to this day.

The sight puts visual evidence on an informal but well-publicized survey on the saints taken several years ago. The poll revealed that, in terms of private devotions and overall popularity among Catholics, Anthony of Padua is second only to the Blessed Mother. 

The chapel’s walls are lined with nine splendid Renaissance marble panels depicting Anthony’s life. His miracles are illustrated in relief.

A good way to begin your pilgrimage is by visiting the multimedia room, where a free audio-visual presentation shows the life and work of the saint in nine languages, including English. It’s 25 minutes well spent, as the knowledge brings to life the specific sights and holy ambience of this historic house of God.

St. Anthony is the patron saint of Portugal, sailors, the poor and many other things — including travelers. That seems fitting, as Padua is easily included on any pilgrimage to Italy. It’s located just a few hours by train from the Vatican.

Stephen Bugno is based in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Basilica of St. Anthony

Via Orto Botanico, 11

35123 Padova, Italy

Web: basilicadelsanto.org

E-mail: [email protected]

Planning Your Visit

The basilica is open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. in the summer and 6:30 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. in winter. Mass is celebrated several times each morning and afternoon. A modest dress code is enforced.