SANTO ANTONIO DO MUNDO NOVO

Protector of the poor, aid in the search for lost objects or people, friend in causes of the heart. This is Santo Antônio de Pádua, a Portuguese Franciscan friar, who exchanged the comfort of his wealthy bourgeois family for religious life.

The books tell that this saint was born in Lisbon, on August 15, 1195, and received the name Fernando at baptism. He was the sole heir of Martinho, a noble belonging to the Bulhões y Taveira de Azevedo family. His childhood was Peaceful, without major emotions, until he decided to dedicate himself to religious life by joining the order of Saint Augustine.

The first eight years of the young friar’s life, spent in the cities of Lisbon and Coimbra, were dedicated to study. During this period, nothing escaped his eyes: from theological and scientific treatises to the Holy Scriptures.

Its general and religious culture was such that some colleagues called it the “Ark of the Testament”.

Reserved, Fernando preferred the solitude of libraries and oratories to religious discussions. Until the day a group of Franciscans crossed his path. The encounter, by chance, in one of the streets of Coimbra marked him forever. They were different young people, who had an unknown sparkle in their eyes. They went to Morocco, in Africa, where they intended to preach the Word of God and live among the Saracens.

The experience was often tragic. And that time was no different. Like most of their predecessors, none of the religious returned alive. After witnessing the courage of the young friars, Fernando decided to join the Franciscan Order and adopt the name Antônio, in homage to Santo Antão. Willing to become a martyr, he left for Morocco, but shortly after landing on the African continent, Antônio contracted a fever, became so ill that he was forced to return home. Once again, Heaven had new surprises in store for him. A strong storm forced his boat to dock in Sicily, in southern Italy. Gradually, he recovered his health and conceived a new plan: he decided to participate in the general assembly of the order in Assisi, in 1221, and thus met San Francisco personally.

It’s hard to imagine Santo Antônio’s emotion when meeting his teacher and inspiration, a man who spoke to animals and received the wounds of Christ himself. Unfortunately, there are no records of this particular moment in the history of Christianity. It is only known that the two saints got closer later, when the Portuguese friar began to preach. And what sermons! Saint Anthony was an inspired speaker. His preaching was so disputed that it even changed the routine of cities, causing the early closure of commercial establishments.