Saint Anthony of Padua

Anthony's journey as the servant of God began as a very young man when he decided to join the Augustinians in Lisbon, giving up a future of wealth and power. Later when the bodies of the first Franciscan martyrs went through the Portuguese city where he was stationed, Anthony was filled with an intense longing to be one of those closest to Jesus himself: those who die for the Good News.

So Anthony entered the Franciscan Order and set out to preach to the Moors; however, an illness prevented him from achieving that goal. He went to Italy and was stationed in a small hermitage where he spent most of his time praying, reading the Scriptures, and doing menial tasks. 

Recognized as a great man of prayer and a Scripture and theology scholar, Anthony became the first friar to teach theology to the other friars. Soon he was called from that post to preach to the Albigensians in France.

After he led the friars in northern Italy for three years, Anthony made his headquarters in the city of Padua. He resumed preaching and began writing sermon notes to help other preachers. In the spring of 1231 Anthony withdrew to a friary at Camposampiero where he had a  treehouse built as a hermitage. There he prayed and prepared for death.

On June 13, he became very ill and asked to be taken back to Padua, where he died after receiving the last sacraments.