‘Miracles of St. Antonio of Padua’ ~ Chapter I – Miracles during his life; pages 27-37; points 9-12 – ‘St. Saint Anthony Consoler of persecuted Women.’, etc.’
[St. Anthony of Padua XII-XIII Century AD; Lisbon, Kingdom of Portugal/Padua, Holy Roman Empire; (aged 35); powerful preaching, expert knowledge of scripture, and undying love and devotion to the poor and the sick; canonized less than a year after his death; Doctor of the Church]9 ~ St. Saint Anthony Consoler of persecuted Women
St. Anthony always took a great interest in women in- distress, or persecuted, and they therefore look on him as their special protector.
Among those who, owing to the sanctity of the Franciscans, held them in great veneration and aided them in their daily wants, was a lady who suffered much from a jealous and irritable husband. One evening, after finishing some work and making some purchases for the Brothers, finding it too late to take them to the monastery that night, she took them home with her. This so greatly roused the anger and jealousy of her husband that, not content with loading her with reproaches, he pulled almost all her hair off her head. The poor woman was naturally greatly hurt at such treatment, but full of confidence in her good Father Anthony, after carefully gathering up all her hair, she wrote, begging of him to call on her the next day. Her trust in the saint was not misplaced. After hearing her story he immediately on his return to his monastery, summoned his community together and begged of them to unite with him in praying for their benefactress. These prayers were not in vain, for before they were finished the pain left her and her head was covered with hair, as if nothing had happened. The sight of this miracle was not only the means of converting her husband, but also of making him a great benefactor to the monastery.
10 ~ Truth from the lips of a little Child
St. Anthony, when travelling through Romagna, not only visited Padua, but also Polesine and Ferrara. He remained some time in the last place and worked a miracle as touching in its circumstances as it was beneficial in its results. A nobleman in that city had married a lady of remark able beauty and highly gifted. Her rare talents, winning manners and accomplishments soon made her a general favorite in society, which so in censed her husband and excited his jealousy that it was hardly possible for her to live with him, and their home became one scene of continual strife. The birth of a lovely boy, far from bringing peace to the unhappy couple, only increased the suspicions of the wretched father, who now, under the complete power of the evil one, determined to destroy both mother and child. Whilst he was thus fostering these evil thoughts in his mind, St. Anthony came to preach a mission in this city, and the lady, like Susanna of old, came to this new Daniel, certain that she would through his intercession obtain the conversion of her husband.
What follows will show how success attended the prayers of the servant of God. Not long afterward, whilst this gentleman and several others were talking together with the saint on the public square, the mother, as if in spired by God, sent the nurse to take a walk with the infant. At the sight of the child the jealous husband bit his lips with vexation and anger. St. Anthony, on the contrary, drew near the nurse and began caressing the child, asking him, as if in a joke, “Who is your father, my little one?”; The by standers smiled at this childish question. But the servant of God had an object in view, the justification of the in nocent. The little babe, only a few weeks old, smilingly turning his face to where his father stood, replied in a clear voice, to the astonishment of all present: “There is my father.”; St. Anthony, putting the child into the arms of the now delighted parent, said: “Take the child and never again doubt he is your son, since he himself has told you so.”; The happy husband at once carried him home in triumph to his mother, and from that time peace and joy reigned in this favored household.
The news of this event spread far and wide, and there is a memento of it to be seen sculptured in marble in the chapel of the saint at Padua.
11 ~ Broken Goblet and Running Barrel
The Vicar-General of the Franciscan Order, Brother Elias, on the death of the saintly founder, St. Francis of Assisi, in a pathetic circular convoked all the superiors of the various provinces to attend a general chapter, in order to proceed to the election of his successor. It was probably in the autumn of A. D. 1226 that Anthony, accompanied by one of his brethren, went to Italy, passing through Provence in order to be present at this general chapter.
On their way through Provence they stopped to rest at one of the towns, in the house of a pious woman. She, being anxious to pay her weary guests as much respect as she possibly could, borrowed a splendid cut glass goblet from one of her neighbors for them to drink their wine out of. Unfortunately the companion of the saint, wanting to examine it more closely, took it up in his hand and broke it. This was not the only mishap. The kind hostess, thinking only of the comfort of her guests, forgot to turn the tap of the barrel when she went to draw their wine, and on returning to the cellar found it had all run out. The saint, seeing how distressed she was by these misadventures, bowed his head in prayer, and to the great astonishment of the good woman, who was silently watching him, she saw the broken pieces of the goblet unite together, leaving no mark of breakage. Full of hope, she ran to the cellar, and to her great joy, the barrel, which before the occurrence was half empty, was now filled with the most delicious wine. St. Anthony, in his deep humility, at once continued his journey to Italy, so as to avoid the applause awaiting him as soon as the news of this fresh miracle got abroad.
12 ~ The Carved Capon
St. Anthony was one day invited by a party of heretics to come to dine with them, in order, as they said, to give them the opportunity of laughing at his stupidity. He good-naturedly accepted their invitation. After sit ting down to table a large bat, such as are found in Sicily, was served up to him, with the request to carve it. When, without being the least disconcerted, he began to do so, they could hardly refrain from laughing aloud; but soon their laughter was changed into astonishment, for hardly had the saint begun to carve the wretched bird before it was changed into a magnificent capon, emitting the most delicious smell. This miracle so completely changed their hearts that they not only acknowledged the power of the servant of God, but renounced their errors and were received into the Church.”
Image: Giovanni Battista Pittoni – ‘St. Antonio and Christ Child’