Ferdinand Bulonne, or Saint Anthony of Padua, is among the top miracle workers in the past of the Church. The number of miracles he has contributed is impressive. “If you are looking for miracles, go to Anthony! You will receive all graces of evidence from him" – we sing in a song that is simply a transformation of the medieval consequence to this saint. There is no Catholic in the planet who, seeking destruction, did not search his aid once.
We commonly call him Anthony of Padua, but he was not Italian at all, but Portuguese. He was born in Lisbon and already in his youth joined the Canon of Regular Saint Augustine. He stayed in Lisbon and then in Coimbra. He became a theologian and accepted priestly ordination in 1219. In 1220, he witnessed the ceremony of 5 Franciscans murdered by Mahamethane in Morocco. Shocked by this event, he joined the Franciscans and tried to go to Africa in missionary zeal. But God had another plans for him. After gathering Saint Francis, the leading hermit life to date, Antoni became a general minister of the Order (and then besides a province). Antony's sermons, preached throughout Italy and France, began to attract crowds of listeners. With a certain oratorial talent, and a phenomenal memory, he shortly became the most prominent minister of the Church, a humble and charismatic missionary with the gift of reaching people's hearts. And a miracle worker...
Listening fish
Everyone rushed to his sermon. In Padua, he gathered huge, tens of thousands of crowds. All they had to say was that he would come and preach them, and they utilized to be comfortable knights and nobles, as the medieval chronicler wrote, "they were up at midnight trying to run for each other, and having lit their torches, they rushed to the place where he would speak." But not everywhere it was so pink. 1 year, according to legend, the Franciscan came to Rimini on the Adriatic. The fishing town was the center of the then spreading heresy of colds. Not only did no 1 want to hear his sermons here, but – what is more – he was ridiculed.
People wouldn't perceive to him, so Anthony found another listeners... He went to seashore and started talking. "Listen to the word of God, sea fish and river fish, for the heretics of the infidels do not want to hear it," he began and... abruptly the smooth surface of the sea began to crinkle and bubbling. quite a few fish faces came out of the Adriatic. The fish froze in motion, greedyly catching all word spoken by a golden preacher. They only sailed erstwhile he finished and blessed them. The Catars—who saw it—could not believe it.
Mulica honored her Creator
In addition to condemning the material planet and human sexuality, the heretics and the Albigens related to them besides rejected the sacraments of the Church. Of course, there was disbelief in Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist. In Toulouse, 1 of the arrogant colds (probably Bononillus) challenged Antoni to a circumstantial “theological-zoological” duel. He claimed that consecrated Hostia was simply bread, not the Body of Christ, and wanted to prove to the Franciscan that it was no different from average food. That's what the mule was going to settle. "If a hungry animal skips the cycle and hastens to pay homage to his God, I will truly believe in Catholic faith," said the cold. For 3 days, the animal received nothing to eat, so that – as the heretic thought – the smoother and with a greater appetite to throw on the administered fodder, ignoring the Blessed Sacrament. But Anthony hoped that God would aid him to show that he would not, and even the animal would respect the Body of his Lord and Creator. By asking God to support him, he spent his time in prayer and penance. It's rehearsal day. The hungry mulice was brought out of the stables and placed between the manger full of feed and Anthony, holding the Body of Christ in his hands. "By the strength and name of your Creator, whom, though I am unworthy, I hold in my hands, I tell you, O animal being, and command you to come rapidly humbly, to worship him, so that out of this heretical anger it is easy for her to know that all creature is subject to his maker, whose priestly dignity he holds in his hands on the altar," said Antoni. And although the heretic powerfully urged the hungry animal to eat roundabouts, the mule ignored his encouragements, approached Anthony, looked at the Most Holy Sacrament, inclined her head and... knelt. amazed at the turn of the matter, the heretic acknowledged his defeat and converted.
This was by no means the only miracle and sign done by Anthony toward apostates. He managed to convert so many of them that chroniclers gave him the name “the hammer for heretics”.
Penient shrimp
The sermons preached by Antoni – like the sermons – were not specified displays of krasomism. That's not what they meant. Their task was to lead people to God – to encourage them to convert. And so it happened. Antoni was in that unsurpassed champion. After each of his speeches, he reaped much in the form of confession. He rejoiced immensely, but the joy of the ransom was a large sacrifice. For he would spend his days in confessional without eating or drinking.
And he was besides a confessor, due to the fact that he could read in people's hearts and prophesy. There have been times erstwhile he spoke to human consciences with so much force that he had to later... heal his convicts. On 1 occasion, young Leonard of Padua confessed to him. “I kicked my parent and she fell to the ground,” he confessed. – The ft that hits the father or parent deserves to be cut off! – shouted the outraged Franciscan. Pork Leonard came home and in a penance... cut off his foot. But that was not the point of Antoni. He did not want to cripple a young man, but to shake his conscience. erstwhile he heard of what had happened, the Franciscan went to his house, and put his cut ft to his leg, and marked the sign of the cross on it, and the ft immediately grew to the stump. And surely Antoni himself understood that he should have been a small more careful with his prison members.
That's enough. “While inactive a saint was alive on earth, any came to their brothers and said with full conviction that a blessed father appeared in the mediate of the night, “Get up, Martin! Get up, Agnes! And go to specified a brother or priest and confess to him this sin, at specified a time and in specified a place by you, which no 1 knew but God. And so, this way, many sins were hidden in the sacramental confession forgiven”1 – read in Benignitas– 1 of the oldest lives of the saint.
Heart among coins
The church of that time powerfully condemned people who preyed on human poorness – extortioners borrowing at a advanced percentage. Anthony besides fiercely fought against all the ointments of debt sharks. "The riches are spikes that stab and wound into the blood; the cunning debt sharks are predatory beasts that plunder and devour," he thundered in 1 of his sermons. “One day, erstwhile the saint preached, there was news among the people of the abrupt death of a notorious debt shark. Anthony, seeing the crowd decision and proceeding whispers, asked what had happened. And erstwhile he had learned, he trembled and cried, Behold how the word of God was fulfilled, which warneth: where is thy treasure, there is thy heart. Open his crates and you will find his heart among the money! The corpse of the wrongdoer was opened, but in vain, for there was not in them a heart which was found among the beloved coins in his trunk."2 – wrote in the biography of Saint Vergilio Gamboso. In this remarkable way, the Lord God “visualized” the teachings of his faithful servant.
“He is my father”
By performing miracles that could be called... "Social wonders", Padev Franciscan besides cared about the well-being of household and social life. 1 man in Ferrara refused to accept as his infants, who his wife had late given birth. Suspicioning his wife of infidelity, he felt the baby was not his child. At a time erstwhile genetic investigating had not yet been done, it was only a miracle that made him think he was wrong. And specified a miracle happened. Called for help, Antoni faced the baby and called them to confess the truth. "I curse you, in the name of Jesus Christ, tell me loudly, so that all may hear who is your father," he commanded. And the baby... spoke. "He is my father," she said, looking at a amazed man.
Terror control
We can besides consider Antoni's courageous speech against the bloody tyrant Verona Ezzelino da Romano as a akin “social wonder”. The wicked man, who had many human lives on his conscience, was said to have “been punished... by the words of God's man, forgone all harshness, became a very gentle lamb, and fastened the line on his neck, and threw himself upon the earth before God's man, humbly confessed his guilt, promising to make good all the evil done, according to his wishes.” Tyran later told us that he saw a "divine flame" coming out of Anthony's face, who frightened him so much that at his terrible sight he thought he would fall into hellish pits.
The dead man has spoken
It happened that Antoni besides helped his household with miracles, specifically his father Marcin. 1 day, a young aristocrat was killed before the cathedral of Lisbon. His body was found in Martin's garden. They were planted there by a murderer, but as expected, the guilty spirit of the owner of the property was accused of killing God. Innocent Martin was imprisoned. Antoni, then surviving in Padua, learned miraculously. He went to the rescue immediately. Like a Franciscan, he walked... on foot. He had to travel – bagatela! – over 2,200 km (Google Maps calculated that the infantry would need... 463 hours). But for God – if he wants to aid individual – there is nothing impossible. After only a fewer miles, Antoni abruptly and to his own surprise, he was at a trial in Lisbon. After facing a advanced court, he declared his father innocent. Yeah, but a message like that is just words. Anthony was a clergyman, but as the boy of the accused, he did not have much convincing power. He wasn't trusted. We needed strong evidence, any solid alibi. “He himself will attest to the fact of my words!” said the Franciscan. This was a unusual speech, but the friar had already enjoyed the opinion of a miracle worker, the intrigued justice – most likely in many curious company – went to the cemetery. The tomb of the murdered man was opened, and Antoni... called the deceased to testify. We can imagine the large surprise of the people watching, erstwhile the corpse abruptly rose, sat down, and... declared the suspect innocent. After giving his testimony, the murdered man asked Anthony to be released from excommunication, which he was granted, and erstwhile specified pardon was granted, he again fell asleep in eternal sleep. amazed justice – or possibly judges – wanted Antoni to tell them who was guilty of the crime. They were convinced that she knew it well, and expected further explanations. However, they met with a definite refusal. "I came to purify the innocent, not exposure the guilty," the friar said. Then something even weirder turned out. It was established that Anthony was not in Padua for just 2 nights and 1 day. The nuns had no doubt: only bilocation could be active – an extraordinary gift that allowed man to be in 2 different places at the same time.
In 2 places at once
Anthony’s ability to bilocate besides proved another miracle. In the French city of Montpellier, Antoni was giving a sermon erstwhile he abruptly remembered that he had neglected something. At precisely this time, he should be among his fellow believers and sing "Allelujah" at the Holy conventional Mass. He was very upset due to the fact that he didn't ask anyone to replace him. And then – consciously or not – he interrupted the sermon for a moment, covering his head with a hood, leaned over the desktop and... in 1 minute he was where he should be. The nuns saw him singing in the brothers' choir. erstwhile he did his duty, he lifted his head up and as if he had never finished his sermon.
Healing and Resurrection
Of course, among many miracles attributed to Anthony were many healings. 1 of the most spectacular was the healing of the legless and epilepsy 3 – or possibly four-year-old Padovana. On 1 occasion, Antoni met the man who carried her on his way. The father of the kid – due to the fact that he was the 1 who carried it – knew who he was dealing with. With tears in his eyes, he began begging the Franciscan to bless his daughter. Seeing his simple, strong, hopeful faith, Antoni fulfilled his request. The man came home with Padovana, put her on the ground, and this... stopped. What's more, she hasn't had a single seizure since she met Antoni.
In addition to the healings of physical infirmities, disability, and various diseases, Antoni, by the power of God, besides performed resurrections. Among another things, he described how he resurrected a girl drowned in a barrel, revived a kid who died while sleeping, healed a boy of the paralytic.
With a small Jesus
One of the last miracles due to the Padev Franciscan happened at the end of his life erstwhile he was in his cell on the property of number Tiso at Camposampiero close Padua. 1 day, passing by the cell, the number noticed a unusual light coming out. He looked inside and saw an extraordinary scene. The ecstatic contemplation engulfed the friar in the arms of “a kid of unparalleled beauty, filled with joy and happiness.” This kid was, of course, the small Jesus. After the ecstasy, Antoni banned the Earl from talking about the event. Only after his death did the aristocrat feel relieved of his promise. This subject became later very popular in the play.
Miracles at the Grave
An tremendous number of miracles performed by Anthony may surprise us for another reason. For Antoni lived only 36 years. The fact is that after his death, the wave of miracles increased.
The first miracle asked at Anthony’s grave is the healing of Cunizzy. For a year, a female suffered from a tumor that developed on her shoulder. In addition, she could only walk with the aid of bullets. On the day of the funeral, she kneeled at the grave of a deceased Franciscan and sank in prayer. After a while, she felt the tumor was gone. Not much – she got up and... straightened out, and the bullets stopped being needed. Crying with joy, she went home, thanking God and Anthony.
Since then, the practice of pilgrimage to his grave has spread. Many, touching the tomb plate and praying fervently, recovered. Already a fewer months after Antoni's death, 53 miracles were reported to the pope.
Taking all these miracles into account, as early as May 30, 1232 – little than a year after his death in Spoleto, Pope Gregory IX canonized Anthony. In 1263 the holy body was excavated. His tongue was found intact. The later Saint Bonawentura had him placed in a separate relic in which he is inactive present today. In 1946, Pope Pius XII declared Antoni Doctor of the Church with the title of “evangelical doctor”.
More than 800 years have passed since his birth, and the saint continues to support us and to perceive to our requests. Before the grave of “Il Santo” in the Basilica in Padua, about 5 million people inactive pray annually. Many are heard.
The Resurrection of Parrisio
Among many miracles there were besides the top ones: resurrections. On 1 occasion in Lisbon, small Parrisio, without telling his parents, went out with another boys to swim by boat. Unfortunately, a storm broke out shortly after it sailed. The boat fell. The older boys managed to scope shore, but Parrisio could not swim and went underwater. An alarmed parent came ashore. A desperate female begged fishermen to hurry to rescue her.
The men managed to catch the boy, but, unfortunately, the CPR was no usage – he was already dead. However, Parrisia's parent did not quit – in a tragic minute she began to pray to God for the intercession of Saint Anthony. She promised that if the boy came to life, she would get him to join the Franciscans. She trusted the saint so much that erstwhile the next day the boy was wanted to be buried, she would not let it to be done. She did well due to the fact that on the 3rd day of constant prayer the boy abruptly and unexpectedly returned to life. He woke up like he was sleeping. erstwhile he grew up—as promised by his mother—he became a Franciscan.
Honest Finder
Saint Anthony is commonly called “holy of destruction.” Catholics around the planet ask him for aid erstwhile they lose something. However, where did the belief in the extraordinary abilities of the saint in uncovering lost objects come from? There are 2 stories about this. any relate to the miracle that happened in the French Montpellier. It happened 1 day that a young monk fled the monastery, taking with him a book serving Anthony to teach. Apparently, any hellish ghost replaced his way and thwarted his evil plans. The repentant Franciscan returned to the monastery and returned the book.
Other sources of this tradition view the miracle that occurred in Portugal after the death of the saint. A hardworking large worshiper of Saint Anthony from the town of Alcácer to Sal wanted to freshen up in the well. Before he dipped his hands in cool water, however, he removed the gold ringing from his finger and placed it on the cerbation. erstwhile he washed himself to put him back, the precious object was no longer there. erstwhile the search came to nothing, the man prayed to Saint Anthony to aid him find his doom. A fewer months later, erstwhile a holy man prayed in the church in memory, 1 of his servants approached him and... gave him a lost ring. Turns out he found him pulling a bucket out of the well. The ringing attached itself to the stick he utilized for this purpose.
Bread for the poor
Antoni patronizes the poor. The alleged Saint Anthony's bread is simply a common Catholic tradition. There was no church to be given, in which there was no statue of it with an inherent treasury, to which donations were put on this "bread" – being nothing but material aid to the poor. Legend has it that it has to do with the resurrection of a small boy – a 20-month-old Tommasin who, while playing in the kitchen, fell into a large garage with boiling water. The parent caught him, he didn't give any signs of life. A distraught female then asked Saint Anthony for help. She promised that if she brought her boy back to life, she would offer him as much bread (or wheat) as the kid weighed. The kid miraculously came to life, and the parent fulfilled her promise. And so was the practice of giving bread to the mediocre – and present giving money to aid them – as forms of gratitude for the graces received through St. Anthony's intercession.
The Virgin Saint
Antoni – like Santa Claus – besides has virgins in his care at the edition. Many of them have been asking him for aid in uncovering a good husband for centuries to this day. erstwhile upon a time, a certain high-born but indecent Italian woman was urged by her parent to find herself a wealthy lover who would aid financially the full impoverished family. The godly girl, however, was not in the taste of immorality—but most likely a time - the command of a parent. She went under the figure of her venerated Saint Anthony, asking God to aid her get out of a hard situation. And suddenly, the statue of Saint Anthony... revived and reached out to the girl's hand, handed her a part of paper with the instruction written on it: “Go to the richest merchant in the town and tell him to give you as much gold as the paper weighs.” The girl was eager to follow orders. The buyer, laughing, assured that he would grant this request. “How much can specified a cartel weigh,” he thought. He put a part of paper on his weight and he didn't. The paper turned out to be dense as lead. After weighing the card, the merchant then remembered that that is precisely how much gold he promised Saint Anthony to gild his altar. The point is, he never made that promise. Ashamed without hesitation, he gave the girl a large amount of gold. In specified a unusual way, the maiden gained a dowry and could marry who her heart was inclined to marry. And the saint most likely knew what he was doing due to the fact that the chosen 1 was not only a good, but besides a blue man.
Not just Padua
Saint Anthony is besides known for his many revelations. Many sanctuaries around the planet were created in places where – miraculously – he appeared to the faithful. This was, among another things, in the tiny town of Radecznica close Zamość lying in Poland. "I am Anthony the Holy, I have it by the will of the Most High, to tell you that in this place the glory of the Most advanced God will be celebrated," said Saint Antoni to Simon Tkacz on May 8, 1664. And he assured that through him "the sick, the blind, the lame, the lame, and the various ailments of problem find and receive their comforts, the sick health, the blind sight, the lame walk, all who hotel to this place without gain of grace shall not go." During the apparition, Padewski blessed the water from a spring gushing on the hillside. People believe to this day that this water has wonderful properties. Almost immediately after the apparitions, a tiny Radenik became celebrated for her miracles and graces and is celebrated for them to this day.
He took me by the wire...
It is with Radecznica sanctuary that the evidence is that Saint Anthony never leaves his worshipers without help. During planet War II, Poles Władysław Wypych, a late resident of Podborcze village, little than 5 kilometres from Radecznica, experienced this.
On the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, 23-year-old Władysław went to confession, and the following day he went to visit his father, who worked with another 5 men working on woodworking.
Suddenly, the workers caught sight of the low German aircraft coming. There was an army coming behind the planes. Men have come to the conclusion that you gotta get your feet behind your belt. – It would be best to hide in the house, but we were afraid they would set it on fire3 – said Władysław. They've decided to go in the field. I ran distant in the grain, but they saw me. They chased me with coppers, firing device guns. Balls whistling over my head, dropping grain ears.
Mr. Władysław fled to the flax field, and it was there that he was captured, and then, together with 4 another mediocre people, he was sent to the village – to Black Stok. “We were escorted by 3 soldiers, pushing rifles,” the man reported years later. They drove us out of here where the firehouse is. They said to stand in a ditch. Then my 8 - year - old sister approached me. They didn't run her off. She gave me a rosary. I took this rosary and started praying. "My life is ending," I thought.
From their death, they were saved by a man who explained to the Germans that they were not bandits, but young boys collecting tobacco and fleeing due to the fact that they were afraid.
We were afraid that we would go to a concentration camp in Majdanek, while we went to a camp in Zwierzyniec.
In the Animal, they put the prisoners behind the wires and then into the barracks.
Everyone at home was very worried about me. My wife went to Radecznica to give mass in my intention. I had another dream that night. I dreamt he came to me for Saint Anthony's wires. He woke me up. "Get up, get dressed and come with me," he said. He took me by the wires, through the gate into the woods, told me to go home and disappeared. I got up this morning and prayed. I started reasoning about my dream.
Mr. Władysław then decided to run distant and along with the another boy went to the gate where the soldier stood. We saw that the furman was carrying a barrel, heading for the river. We stuck to that barrel. erstwhile we got out for the first wires, the barrel headed for the river, and we headed right. The soldier followed us. At any point, shots were fired on the highway. The soldier came down from the reflection post and went to see what was going on. I rapidly approached the wires. I jumped through the wires and ran into the woods. A friend behind me. We ran about 200 meters and stopped. We were weak and hungry, but free.
I think Saint Anthony brought me out, that he helped me through this dream. Saint Anthony was at my home that night. I firmly believe that," he concluded.
The text comes from the album “The Miracle of the large Saints”, Henryk Bejda.
Publication courtesy of Frond Publishing House
1
Quotes from Benignitas in the crowd. Ceciliana Discord OfmConv., for: Disagreement, Cecilian, OFMConv, The Wonder of Padua: The Lives of St. Anthony “Assidua”, “Benignitas” and Raymundin”, Kraków, Bratni Zew, 1995 (pp. 85–86, pp. 93, p. 95), and quotations from The Lives of the First Saint Anthony “Assidua” In the crowd. Joseph Korpanty for: Gospel Teacher. St. Anthony of PaduaFrancis, Kraków–Assisi 1998.
2
Gamboso, Virgilio, OFMConv, The Life of Saint Anthony, Wrocław, St. Anthony's Publishing House, 1995, p. 110.
3
Fragments of the Tale by Mr. Władysław Pushes for: “The Monthly of Catholic Families. Miracles and Graces of God” No. 6/2006, pp. 12–14.
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