St. Anthony of Padua II

Saint Anthony of Padua icon II
© Cecilia Lawrence
April 12th 2014
4.5 x 6 inches
Watercolor and Ink
About 13 Hours

"The just man shall blossom like the lily;
he shall flourish forever in the courts of our God.
He will be praised by all of God's chosen ones."
- Responsory from the Office of St. Anthony of Padua

I was commissioned to make another icon of St. Anthony of Padua several weeks ago, and here it, finally finished! Enjoy!



Saint Anthony of Padua (August 15th 1195 — June 13th 1231), born Fernando Martins de Bulhões, was born in Lisbon to pious and wealthy members of the nobility. He received an excellent education at the cathedral school in Lisbon and at the age of fifteen, against the wishes of his parents, decided to enter the Canons regular under the Rule of St. Augustine. He was ordained to the priesthood and at 24 he came into contact with five Franciscan friars named Berard, Peter, Otho, Accursius, and Adjutus who were on their way to preach the Gospel in Muslim-held Morocco. All five were martyred by the Muslim king and their bodies were sent back to Italy. St. Anthony was so impressed by the witness of these monks that he sought (and was granted) permission to join the new Franciscan Order. He chose the name Anthony, after St. Anthony the Great of Egypt, and lived a life of simplicity and poverty. Soon afterwards, he set out for Morocco to preach the Gospel, but fell ill instead and was unable to travel. He decided to go to Italy to meet St. Francis, was shipwrecked off the coast of Sicily, and traveled by land up the coast of Italy to Tuscany. There, he served in the kitchen of a Franciscan house as a simple brother, still in poor health. One day, some Dominicans had stopped by; there was some misunderstanding as to who was to preach for that day, and as the Dominicans said that they were unprepared, someone insisted that Anthony preach. Anthony protested, but finally was prevailed upon to preach, and his sermon was so beautiful that afterwards Anthony was sent out on a great many missions to preach the Gospel. His preaching was renowned far and wide, and he was known for many numerous and fabulous miracles. He was nicknamed the Hammer of Heretics and brought many people back to the Faith. He died at the age of thirty-six from edema, on June 13th 1231. He was canonized on May 30th, 1232, a little less than a year after he had died. He was named a Doctor of the Church on January 16th, 1946. His body lies in the chapel of St. Anthony in the basilica in Padua named after him. After some 780 years, his tongue is still incorrupt.



"The man who is filled with the Holy Spirit speaks in different languages. These different languages are different ways of witnessing to Christ, such as humility, poverty, patience and obedience; we speak in those languages when we reveal in ourselves these virtues to others. Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak. We are full of words but empty of actions, and therefore are cursed by the Lord, since he himself cursed the fig tree when he found no fruit but only leaves. Gregory says: "A law is laid upon the preacher to practice what he preaches". It is useless for a man to flaunt his knowledge of the law if he undermines its teaching by his actions.

But the apostles spoke as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech. Happy the man whose words issue from the Holy Spirit and not from himself! For some men speak as their own character dictates, but steal the words of others and present them as their own and claim the credit for them. The Lord refers to such men and others like them in Jeremiah: So, then, I have a quarrel with the prophets that steal my words from each other. I have a quarrel with the prophets, says the Lord, who have only to move their tongues to utter oracles. I have a quarrel with the prophets who make prophecies out of lying dreams, who recount them and lead my people astray with their lies and their pretensions. I certainly never sent them or commissioned them, and they serve no good purpose for this people, says the Lord.

We should speak, then, as the Holy Spirit gives us the gift of speech. Our humble and sincere request to the Spirit for ourselves should be that we may bring the day of Pentecost to fulfilment, insofar as he infuses us with his grace, by using our bodily senses in a perfect manner and by keeping the commandments. Likewise we shall request that we may be filled with a keen sense of sorrow and with fiery tongues for confessing the faith, so that our deserved reward may be to stand in the blazing splendour of the saints and to look upon the triune God."

- from a Sermon by St. Anthony of Padua, priest and doctor

The Feast of St. Anthony of Padua is celebrated on June 13th.

St. Anthony of Padua is the patron saint of finding lost things; of amputees, the shipwrecked, and barren women.

Almighty God,
You have given St. Anthony to Your people
as an outstanding preacher
and a ready helper in time of need.
With his assistance may we follow the Gospel of Christ
and know the help of Your grace in every difficulty.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.