Miracle Prayers to St. Anthony of Padua

Since the inception of the church, there have been holy men and women whose lives and deaths have been a source of inspiration and encouragement to all. One of such saints is St. Anthony of Padua.

Today, he is known by many as a miracle worker. Over the centuries, a lot of people have invoked him, believing in God’s power, and have received incredible answers to their prayers.

So who exactly was this man? And what was so special about him? 

This article tells the story of the life of St. Anthony and gives you some uplifting prayers to guide you in asking for his intercession for your life’s challenges.

St. Anthony Life Story

Born with the name Fernando Martins de Bulhões, St Anthony was a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order.

He was known majorly for his forceful preaching, deep knowledge of Scripture, and devotion to the less privileged.

His birth date reads the 15th of August, 1195 and he was born into a wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal, who raised him up well.

He later joined the Augustinian canons in 1210 and was made a priest.

In 1220, he greatly admired the simple, evangelical lifestyle of the friars of the Franciscan order and after an encounter with them, he joined the order. 

He was canonized on 30 May 1232, in Spoleto, Italy by Pope Gregory IX. He then was later decreed to be a ‘Doctor of the Church’ by Pope Pius XII on 16 January 1946.

His life and ministry was fully impactful to the church and millions outside of the church.

Sadly, he became sick with ergotism in 1231, and on 13th June of that year, he died in the Poor Clare monastery at Arcella which is presently part of Padua, at the age of 35.

He was declared a saint less than a year after his death, making him one of the most quickly canonized saints in church history. He is remembered worldwide today on the 13th of June each year.

He lived his life teaching, preaching, and catering to the needy with great apostolic zeal.

St. Anthony of Padua is majorly venerated in the Catholic and Anglican churches today. To commemorate him in Christian art, he is usually depicted in a Franciscan habit, holding the Infant Jesus or with a lily, book, or tonsure.

Two of the most famous churches dedicated to St. Anthony are: The Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua, in Padua, Veneto, Northern Italy and Church of Saint Anthony in Lisbon, Portugal.

What Is St. Anthony The Patron Saint For?

He is widely known as the patron saint of lost things and miracles. But his patronage also includes;

• Travelers,
• Finding one’s spouse, 
• Pregnancy, 
• Harvests, 
• Animals, 
• Lost people, 
• Lost souls, 
• Poverty, 
• Sterility, 
• The sick, 
• The disabled, 
• The oppressed, 
• The hungry, 
• The elderly, 
• Faith in the Blessed Sacrament,
• Sailors, 
• Fishermen, 
• Watermen, 
• Swineherds, 
• Mail carriers,
• Order of the Custody of the Holy Land,
• Indigenous peoples of the Americas,  
• And, counter-revolutionaries.

He is also the patron of places including;

• Tigua,
• Padua,
• Lisbon, 
• Portugal, 
• Brazil, 
• Pila, 
• Laguna, 
• Taytay, 
• Rizal, 
• Iriga, 
• Camaligan, 
• Camarines Sur, 
• Tuburan, 
• Cebu, 
• Cusco, 
• And Peru.

Why Is It Important To Follow God’s Guidance?

We are all rookies when it comes to navigating life. Each of us is only facing it for the first time, so we’re bound to face challenges and obstacles on the way and not know how to go about them.

But as believers, we have an advantage in Christ. God our Father and Creator has not only existed before time began, but His wisdom is what put the earth in place. What’s more? He loves us. 

So you can be sure that God wants the best for you, even more than you want the best for yourself. 

When we understand that He is in control and we actively follow His guidance, we can be assured that whatever happens along the way is all for our good.

St. Anthony Miracles

Apart from the thousands of miracles people have gotten by invoking him, he was known for three in particular during his lifetime.

• Preaching to the fishes

Here, St. Anthony went to Rimini, Italy to preach and was treated in contempt. So he turned to the shoreline and preached at the edge of the water until a crowd of fish gathered.

When people flocked to see this extraordinary sight, he rebuked them saying that even fish were more receiving of the gospel than they were. The people were then moved to listen to his message.

• The Miracle of the Eucharist in Toulouse, France

Here, he was challenged by a heretic to prove Christ’s presence in the Holy Eucharist. 

The man in his jest brought a starving mule and showed it fresh fodder on one hand, and then communion on the other. The mule is said to have rejected the fodder and bowed before the communion host.

• Eating of Poisoned Food

 He realized that the food that was given to him was poisoned and confronted the culprits. They admitted to the poisoning but challenged him to eat the food since the Bible says that Christians would eat poison and would not be harmed (Mark 16:18). 

St. Anthony blessed the food, ate it and nothing happened to him. Everyone who witnessed it was left in shock.

St Anthony Day Tradition

A feast is usually held every year on the 13th of June to commemorate the life and ministry of St Anthony. 

A special mass is being conducted at the church hall, followed by the traditional procession with St Anthony’s statue. This takes place outside the church and lasts for about 30 minutes.

Christians on this day take out time to reflect on God, review teachings to inculcate into their lives and they also perform good works and give to the needy.

At their various homes, a feast is prepared to be shared with friends and family and stories about St Anthony will be told to the kids on that day. It’s usually a great celebration within the Catholic Church.

St. Anthony Prayers.

Firstly, what do you pray to St. Anthony for? There’s no limit to what you can ask him to pray for, as long as you need divine intervention. 

But being the patron saint of lost things, he is most invoked for all things missing. Here’s a collection of prayers you can use as a guide;

Final Thoughts

The story of St. Anthony of Padua is one that reemphasizes God’s ability to make a great cornerstone out of the stone that the builders rejected.

A young man who seemed sickly and weak to his peers went on to become one of the greatest preachers and theologians of his time.

In the same way, God is still bringing hope out of hopelessness today. No matter the situation you’re going through, keep on trusting Him. 

Say a prayer to St. Anthony to help you to follow through with God’s plan for your life. Also, pray that you would imitate a good example today and every day, just as the example imitated Christ.