Discover the Intriguing World of St. Anthony: Top 12 Fun Facts You Never Knew

1. Divine Detective for Lost Items

If you've ever found yourself praying to the patron saint of "find my iPhone" or wracking your brain for the last known whereabouts of that one darn sock: look no further than good ol' Saint Anthony! Known for his divine knack for restoring lost items through prayer, this heavenly Sherlock Holmes helps us stay focused on our blessings even when we can't find our keys.
Source => thecatholiccrusade.com

2. Miraculously Preserved Tongue

Tongues may wag, but St. Anthony's tongue never decayed: His tongue, miraculously preserved after his death in 1231, is displayed in an ornate gold reliquary at the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua, while his jaw bone is kept separately and the rest of his remains are entombed in a chapel.
Source => atlasobscura.com

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=> Fun Facts about Pythagoras

3. One-Man Choir Superpowers

Who needs a cloning machine when you've got Saintly superpowers? St. Anthony sure could have moonlighted as a one-man choir band: While he was busy preaching to the masses at the Cathedral of Montpellier, he astoundingly managed to send his angelic voice over to a nearby church's mass, flawlessly performing double-duty and singing harmoniously from the choir at the convent – never skipping a beat at either location!
Source => catholicsaintmedals.com

4. Medieval Matchmaker

Before Tinder swiped right, St. Anthony was the original medieval matchmaker: Known for providing dowries for poor girls seeking marriage in the Middle Ages, this saint played cupid through miraculous interventions - such as helping a Neapolitan girl by making a merchant donate the exact sum he had once promised to St. Anthony's Bread charity, thus kickstarting her journey to wedded bliss.
Source => messengersaintanthony.com

5. Mary's Number One Fan

If Mary had a number one fan, it'd most certainly be St. Anthony: this devoted disciple was not only born on her feast day, but made sure to live and preach while keeping the Queen of the Angels close to his heart, earning the title of her earthly extension!
Source => stanthonysguild.org

6. Lost and Found Saintly Assistance

Losing your keys never felt so saintly – at least not until you invoke St. Anthony's divine assistance: The patron saint of lost things earned his prestigious title when he famously prayed for the return of his pilfered prayer book (psalter), causing its thief to be consumed by guilt and promptly return it, thereby kickstarting a centuries-long tradition of beseeching the holy man's aid in locating misplaced and stolen items.
Source => encyclopedia.com

7. Bread Blessing Tradition

Bread and blessings abound: On St. Anthony's feast day, June 13, churches and parishes honor the saint by blessing loaves of bread and distributing them to the faithful, rooted in the charitable tradition of providing "bread of the poor" for those in need.
Source => santantonio.org

8. St. Anthony's Philanthropigs

Did you hear about St. Anthony's pigsty opera? His swine were real philanthropigs!: St. Anthony is often portrayed with a pig by his side, symbolizing his connection to the Hospitallers of St. Anthony, who raised pigs to fund their charitable work for the poor, especially treating diseases in medieval cities. Some scholars even think the pig could represent Anthony's commitment to feeding the needy or his conquest over pagans, heretics, and overindulgent Christians.
Source => christianiconography.info

9. Golden Reliquary Attraction

In a twist only M. Night Shyamalan could dream up: the legendary St. Anthony's tongue, jawbone, and vocal cords remain miraculously preserved in a golden reliquary – attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors to St. Anthony's Basilica in Padua, Italy annually, as they flock to seek his powerful intercession and blessings.
Source => deseret.com

10. Biblical "Thor" Against Heretics

If Thor had a theological brother, he'd carry a Bible instead of a hammer: Meet St. Anthony, the "Hammer of Heretics," who demolished doubters and skeptics with his unparalleled preaching prowess. As a Doctor of the Church, he wielded nothing short of expert scriptural knowledge against non-believers and sermonized his way into many a conversion.
Source => catholic.org

11. Fishy Sermons and Conversions

They say there's plenty of fish in the sea, but when St. Anthony tried to make a splash in Rimini, the local humans gave him the cold shoulder, so he decided to scale it back and cast his sermons to a more receptive audience: the fish themselves! It's said that upon addressing the aquatic congregation along the Marecchia River, the townspeople were reeled in by the sight, ultimately swimming back to St. Anthony's side and converting to his teachings. Ah, the power of the ripple effect!
Source => santantonio.org

12. Saintly TED Talk Inspiration

Rumor has it that St. Anthony of Padua could give TED Talks a run for their money back in the day: this sermonic superstar, known for emphasizing a love-filled relationship with God, not only became a foundational influence of Franciscan theology but was also declared a Doctor of the Church in 1946 for his ever-relevant spiritual insights.
Source => vatican.va