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Anthony of Padua

Anthony of Padua (15 August 1195-13 June 1231), born Fernando Martins de Bulhoes, was a Portuguese Roman Catholic priest, friar, and saint who was known for his preaching and educating during the early 13th century. He was canonized on 30 May 1232, less than a year after his death.

Biography[]

Fernando Martins de Bulhoes was born in Lisbon, Portugal in 1195, and he became a Roman Catholic monk at the age of 15. He was later ordained to the priesthood, and, after learning of the beheading of five Franciscan monks in Morocco, he decided to join the Franciscans and live at their hermitage in Olivais. Fernando adopted the religious name "Anthony" and planned to travel to Morocco, but the ship was forced to turn back after he fell ill, and it was blown off course to Sicily. From Sicily, he made his way to Tuscany, and, in 1222, he was sent to Romagna after his oratory and scriptural skills were discovered. Saint Francis of Assisi placed Anthony in charge of educating his other friars, and he became associated with the finding of things lost or stolen after his prayer persuaded a novice to bring a stolen psalter back to him. In 1226, he was appointed provincial superior of northern Italy after evangelizing in Provence, and he chose Padua as his base. Pope Gregory IX called him an "Ark of the Testament" for his preaching, and he died in 1231 at the age of 35.

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