BY ATTY. REX S. SALVILLA
ON June 13, Catholics celebrated the fiesta of San Antonio de Padua – a saint of many miracles. Here are some of them…
***
At one time, he had an argument with a heretic, Bononillo.
He challenged the heretic to bring to him a donkey who had not eaten for many days in the presence of many people.
When the appointed time came, he ordered the heretic to give hay to the donkey which refused to eat it.
He then gave a Host to the donkey which immediately knelt before it.
***
He was seen holding the Child Jesus.
***
A ring was lost at sea.
After St. Anthony prayed, a fish was caught with the ring inside its stomach.
***
His prayer book was stolen. But when he prayed, it was given back.
This is why San Antonio de Padua is always invoked for lost things.
***
After his death on June 13, 1231 at the age of 36 in Padua, Italy, many miracles happened at his tomb – people cured of sickness.
St. Anthony was also a famous preacher that Pope Gregory IX called him “The Ark of the Testament.”
A Franciscan missionary, he was born in Lisbon, Portugal in 1195./PN
