In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Saint Anthony of Padua is a popular saint, some often call him the saint of the whole world.
His life is really wonderful.
He performed a hundred miracles.
After his death, 53 authentic miracles were compiled for his canonization, which were
read before Pope Gregory IX, who canonized him before the year of his death.
He was a great theologian and scripturalist who knew Saint Augustine of Hippo perfectly,
since before being a Franciscan he had been a regular canon of Saint Augustine of Hippo.
But he was enthusiastic about the evangelical spirit of the first Franciscans who arrived
in Coimbra, in Portugal, where he resided.
He fought fiercely against the heretics of his time to convince them with his preaching
and miracles of the truths of the Catholic faith.
Pope Venerable Pius XII appointed Saint Anthony of Padua a doctor of the Church and we are
all proud of the life of this brother of ours, a brother of the whole world.
Saint Anthony of Padua led a one hundred percent evangelical life, and he gives us an example
to follow his path, intensely loving the Eucharistic Jesus and Mary Our Mother.
A kid had a deformed left foot from birth; he turned his instep to the ground, his toes
were left behind, against the heel of his right foot.
In order to straighten his foot, his father used to tie splints to him; but if for whatever
reason he unleashed himself, he would instantly return to his usual twist.
One day, the mother and the child came to the ark of blessed Anthony of Padua, and she
brought the child's foot to the tomb.
Thus the child remained for a short time, sweating profusely, until he was returned
by the guardians of the ark to his mother, and he returned to his house with the bottom
of the foot turned to the ground.
Another case.
A friar of the Order of Friars Minor named Theodorico, who had been blind for two years
in his left eye, went devoutly from Apulia to the ark of Saint Anthony of Padua.
He stayed for some time with the friars of Padua while he insistently asked for the grace
of healing; until finally obtaining the much desired sight, he departed thanking God.
There was a man in the city of Venice by the name of Leonardo, who because his ears had
been blocked, had been completely deaf for four years.
One supplicating day he arrived at the tomb of blessed Anthony, and immediately he regained
his long-awaited hearing.
A woman named Michelle was mute for eleven years, unable to utter a single word.
Having heard the miracles that took place through the servant of God Saint Anthony of
Padua, she was carried to his tomb, where she, after having prayed from the heart for
a short time, she left being able to speak and with health.
A boy named Simeon, who for three years had been plagued by attacks of the evil one, very
often fell to the floor; he trembled pitifully when he fell, and try as he might, he was
no longer able to move to another place.
He made a promise to his mother, and his mother took him to the tomb of Saint Anthony of Padua.
When he returned home after praying, there was no trace of any evil.
Another miracle.
There was a woman in the city of Treviso who for more than two years had a hump like a
loaf on her chest.
She went to the tomb of Saint Anthony of Padua, and she prayed for two days, after which she
was able to return home with her hump flattened and healthy.
In Padua County, a little girl was found by her mother, floating on her back in a pond
full of muddy water.
The weeping mother took her child and put her on the edge of the pond.
The little girl was not giving any signs of life.
The mother made a vow to our Lord Jesus Christ and to His servant Saint Anthony of Padua
to bring a wax image of the child to his tomb, if he deigned to bring her little daughter
back to life.
As soon as the mother made her vow, in full view of all, she moved the little girl's lips,
and, inserting a finger into her little mouth, the child returned the waters that she had
swallowed, and on the merits of Saint Anthony of Padua, she came back to life.
A gentleman from Salvaterra, who from the earliest years of his youth had been seduced
by heresy, went one day to Padua.
While sitting at the table he started having a conversation with other people about the
miracles bestowed on Saint Anthony of Padua.
Everyone was saying that Saint Anthony of Padua was truly a saint of God.
The gentleman emptied the glass that he had in his hands, and said: If that man who you
say is a Saint of God maintains intact the glass I have in my hand when I throw it to
the ground, I will convert".
So the man threw the glass against the ground, and the glass resisted the collision with
the stone and remained unscathed, before the eyes of the many present who were in the street.
Dragged into penance at the sight of the miracle, the gentleman rushed to pick up the intact
glass and taking it with him, he told the friars in an orderly manner how everything had happened.
The gentleman accepted with anointing the penance that for his sins was imposed on him,
adhered to Christ with fidelity, and became a tireless preacher of His wonders.
Many other miracles the Lord of Majesty deigned to work through His servant Saint Anthony
of Padua which are not shared in this video.
These are only a few of many that we chose to give opportunity to those who feel rejection
towards the miracles.
And for the rest, these miracles are great prodigies and powerful wonders which we hope
will inspire us and strengthen our Catholic faith.
One of the most widespread devotions is that of the Tuesdays of Saint Anthony of Padua
because the funeral of the saint was celebrated on Tuesday and that day many miracles occurred.
But above all, due to a miracle that happened in 1617.
A lady from Bologna who couldn't have children and aware of the innumerable favors that Saint
Anthony of Padua did, started to beg him to have mercy on her in order to have offspring.
One night, Saint Anthony of Padua appeared to her in a dream and said: Go nine Tuesdays
in a row to visit the chapel of the Order of Friars Minor of Franciscan Friars,
take Communion and your wishes will be fulfilled.
The lady did as the Saint said and the lady had a child, but the child seemed not to be
a normal boy and she went to the chapel, where she placed him on the altar of Saint Anthony of Padua
and the child became beautiful and handsome, to the surprise of all and the joy
of his mother.
As a result of this miracle, the devotion of the nine Tuesdays in honor of Saint Anthony
of Padua began, which was later extended to thirteen in honor of the 13th day on which
he died.
Another tradition is about the "bread for the poor".
Throughout the centuries many initiatives have been carried out in favor of the poor
in honor of Saint Anthony of Padua.
In many of his images, there is a piggy bank with the inscription: Bread for the poor.
So the money that is gathered in there is to help the poor, even if the donors do this
in gratitude for some benefit received from the saint.
Many consider him an advocate to find lost things.
It is not known exactly what is the origin of this devotion.
The truth is that it is attested in an ancient liturgical invocation
when the saint only died nine years before.
And since then, it is very common to go to him to find lost things.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.