The Story of How Saint Anthony Preached to the Fishes

This is the story of Friar Anthony, who, though a learned youth with a great gift of preaching, was so humble that he was scarce known among the brethren, who thought him an ignorant friar, knowing just enough Latin to get through his Mass.

Now it came to pass that on one occasion the Brothers of the Franciscan Order gave a supper to their guests of the Order of Saint Dominic, and when the meal was finished, the Father Guardian begged that one of the Dominicans would speak to the Order about the things of God. But no one would undertake to speak on these matters.

And as the Friars Minor at that table were few in number and for the most part unskilled in speech, the Father Guardian bade Brother Anthony say a few simple words as God should put them in his mouth.

Then did Saint Anthony humbly beg to be excused, but when his Superior insisted, he rose up under obedience and spoke such burning and eloquent words that all the brethren of both Orders sat amazed, seeing that they had amongst them a preacher of most notable gifts.

So presently Saint Anthony was sent to Rimini, where there were many heretics. And there, in his great longing to win back their souls, he preached to them for several days; but their hearts were hardened, so that they would not hear his words.

At length Saint Anthony, being prompted thereto by his Master, Jesus Christ, went down to the sea-shore, where the river runs into the sea, and having placed himself on a bank between the river and the sea, he began to speak to the fishes as if the Lord had sent him to preach to them, saying:

"Listen to the Word of God, O you fishes of the sea and of the river, as the faithless heretics refuse to do so."

No sooner had he spoken these words than suddenly a great multitude of fishes, both small and great, approached the bank on which he stood, and never before had so many been seen in the sea or in the river. They all kept their heads out of the water and appeared to be looking attentively on Saint Anthony's face. And all were ranged in order and most peacefully, the smaller ones in front near the bank, after which came those a little bigger, and then, where the water was deeper, the large ones.

And Saint Anthony said to the fishes:

"My little brothers, you are bound to return thanks to your Creator who has given you such a noble element for your dwelling. For you have at your choice sweet water and salt water; you have many places of refuge from the tempest; and God your Creator, when He made you, gave you this blessing. In the Deluge, when all other creatures perished, you alone did God preserve from all harm. You it was who gave the tribute money to our Saviour Jesus Christ, when through His poverty He had not wherewith to pay. And by a wonderful and mysterious favour, you were the food of the eternal King after His Resurrection. Because of all these things you are bound to praise and bless the Lord who has given you so many and so much greater blessings than to other creatures."

At these words the fishes opened their mouths and bowed their heads, and endeavoured as much as was in their power to show forth their reverence and their praise.

Then Saint Anthony, seeing the reverence of the fishes towards their Creator, rejoiced greatly in spirit and cried in a loud voice:

"Blessed be Eternal God! For the fishes of the sea honour Him more than men without faith, and creatures without reason listen to His Word with greater attention than the heretics."

And whilst Saint Anthony was preaching, the number of the fishes increased, and none of them left the place he had chosen.

Then the people of the city, when they heard of that miracle, made haste to go and witness it, and with them came the heretics of whom we have spoken, who, seeing such a wonderful event, were touched in their hearts, and threw themselves at the feet of Saint Anthony to hear his words.

And he preached so eloquently that all those heretics were converted and returned to the true faith of Christ. The Faithful, too, were filled with joy and greatly comforted and strengthened in the Faith. And after this Saint Anthony sent away the fishes with the blessing of God.

- text taken from A Little Book of Saint Francis and His Brethren, by Ethel Mary Wilmot-Buxton