Chapter X - Saint Anthony at Padua

Padua is the scene in which God wished to manifest the most abundant treasures of grace with which He had enriched the soul of His servant. Padua will bear his name in the records of the Order of the Friars Minor. From Padua he receives his name. But Anthony is not thinking of this. On looking out upon the city he thought of the ravages which the heretics had wrought in it. Then his heart was moved with compassion and yearned for the people. He wished to lead back the wandering children and warm them at the fireside of the charity of Jesus Christ. He arrived at Padua with the reputation of a saint and of an incomparable orator, and at a most opportune moment. As Ash Wednesday was at hand, and the Lenten time was about to open, the bishop of Padua entreated him to preach the Lenten devotions. The apostle yielded to the wish of the prelate, and put his hand to the work at once.

This station proved most fruitful in conversions and miracles. Although sick and suffering, Anthony preached every day, and in the ardor of his faith and his charity seemed to gain supernatural strength. The people came to his sermons from all the cities and from villages several miles around. The roads were lined with pilgrims, anxious to hear the eloquent voice whose accents aroused the world. More than thirty thousand persons pressed about the pulpit of the wonder-worker; bishops, prelates, religious of all orders, the clergy and nobility of Padua regarded it as an honor to assist at his sermons. They listened in silence and recollection when the holy man arrived. At his approach not a sound, not a breath was heard; every eye was fixed on him with anxious curiosity. His face was beautiful but pale, and bore marks of suffering. When he spoke every soul received with happiness the heavenly seed which he scattered and sowed among them, and when he left the pulpit, had not some strong men protected him from the demonstrations of respect and admiration of the multitude, he would have certainly fallen under the weight of their transports of faith and love.

To speak of the results of this last preaching is well-nigh impossible. Heretics were converted, the most hardened sinners led back to the practice of good, prisoners set free, the poor assisted, the sick healed, etc. Such are the new titles which won for Anthony the veneration of men. In the great city of Padua, where the clergy were so numerous, there were not enough priests to hear the confessions of the faithful. Miracles took place every day. One day the saint met a poor man carrying his little daughter who was afflicted with epileptic fits and was deformed in both feet. The sorrowing father approached the saint, and, laying the child at his feet, begged him to make the sign of the cross over her. Touched by the poor man's faith, the saint blessed the sufferer with the sign of the cross, and she was immediately cured. At another time a noble lady, on returning from a sermon, fell into a deep and muddy ditch and arose without accident. She had recommended herself to God, through the merits of the apostle. At another time twenty-two robbers came, in the middle of the sermon, to cast themselves at the feet of the saint, giving every sign of a true conversion and asking pardon for their iniquities. And again, a woman, as virtuous as she was beautiful, who had been slain by her husband in a paroxysm of jealousy, was recalled to life by the saint, who made the sign of the cross over her. One day a lady, who was prevented by her husband from assisting at the sermon, went to her room, and from her window distinctly heard all the words of the preacher, although she was very far distant. Again, while the saint was at Padua, a youth, named Leonardo, accused himself in confession of having, in a fit of passion, kicked his mother so violently as to throw her down. Wishing to make the young man understand the enormity of his offense, Saint Anthony said to him: "The foot that kicks father or mother deserves to be cut off." The penitent, who was of a weak mind, understood these words literally, and going home, actually took a hatchet and chopped off his foot. The news of this unfortunate occurrence soon spread throughout the city, and coming to Saint Anthony's ears, he hurried to the youth's home. Making the sign of the cross over the mutilated limb, the saint applied the dismembered foot to the stump, when they immediately joined and healed without leaving a scar.

Saint Anthony spread peace about him, even as the rose spreads its perfume. He gave peace to souls that were severely tried. He did not, however, always keep this privilege for himself, since the angel of darkness frequently made fierce and terrible assaults on him. One night, at the beginning of Lent, the demon appeared to him in a visible form, seized him by the throat, and endeavored to strangle him. Anthony at once invoked her who is more terrible than an army in battle array: "glorious Sovereign!" Hardly had he pronounced these words when the enemy of man took his departure.

The Queen of Heaven visibly blessed the zeal and the efforts of her devoted servant. The Lenten services had been remarkable for wonders of every kind. The feasts of Easter were a worthy crowning for them. Padua celebrated the triumph of Christ. She sang also the triumph of Anthony and the renovation of souls.

- taken from Saint Anthony, The Saint of the Whole World by Father Thomas F Ward