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Witness of blood
Towards the end of the summer
of 1220, Fernando requested and obtained permission to
leave the Canons Regular of St. Augustine to embrace the
Franciscan way of life. Although it is not certain whether
he had personally met the first Franciscans to arrive
in the Iberian Peninsula, he had certainly heard about them
and found their way of life appealing.
At that time, the mortal remains
of several Franciscans, who had been martyred for their
faith in Morocco, had been placed in two silver chests and
transported by Prince Pedro and his retinue to Ceuta. They
were then transferred to Algeciras, then to Seville and finally
to Coimbra, where they were laid to rest in the Augustinian
Church of Santa Cruz.
The deeds of the martyrs were
written down and miracles were spoken of, which increased
devotion to Franciscanism among the local people. Fernando's
request to join the followers of Francis of Assisi stemmed
from a strong vocation to missionary life and, in particular,
from his desire for martyrdom in imitation of these
friars.
Anthony
the missionary
 In
September 1220, Fernando removed the white tunic of
the Augustinians and was invested in the coarse habit of the
Friars Minor.
He abandoned his baptismal name
for that of Anthony, the Egyptian hermit, after whom
the Franciscan Hermitage of St. Anthony dos Olivais
was named.
After a brief period of study of the Franciscan Rule, Anthony
was sent to Morocco
The itinerary he followed is
unknown. It is very likely that Anthony was accompanied by
another friar, a standard Franciscan practice, however, this
man too is unknown to us.
Having arrived in the territory of the Miramolino,
in Marrakech, it is said that Anthony was welcomed as a guest
into the home of a resident Christian family. To communicate
with the Muslims, Anthony may have spoken Arabic, not so surprising
as he had grown up in bilingual Lisbon, or he may have relied
on the linguistic abilities of this companion.
However, because of an undetermined
tropical illness, Anthony was unable to fulfil his
mission preaching of the Gospel to the Muslims.
The illness was so severe that,
while not giving up his aim of martyrdom, he was obliged
to leave Morocco and to return home to Portugal.
But fate was again to play a
part, when a storm and unfavourable winds carried the ship
off course to Sicily. Tradition says that St. Anthony
disembarked at Milazzo (Messina). As his talents were still
unknown, his new community did not give Anthony any responsibilities.
His Sicilian convalescence lasted for about two months.
Anthony then left Sicily for the Italian mainland to take
part in the General Chapter being held in Assisi
from May 30 - June 8, 1221. As a recent foreign recruit
from Lisbon, Anthony was not known and probably spent the
nine days of the assembly isolated and alone, immersed in
observation and reflection.
When the General Chapter came to an end, none of the Ministers
Provincial appeared interested in taking this undistinguished
friar back with them to their jurisdictions. But Anthony
was finally noticed by Friar Gratian, the Minister Provincial
of Romagna. Having heard that the young man was a priest,
Friar Gratian asked Anthony to come with him.
Hermit
at Montepaolo
 In
the company of Gratian of Bagnacavallo and other friars from
Romagna, Anthony arrived at Montepaolo in June 1221.
His days were spent in prayer, meditation and humble service
to his brothers.
During this period, the future saint was able to mature
his Franciscan vocation, renew his ascetic practices and
purify himself in contemplation.
Most biographies state that Anthony remained at Montepaolo
until Pentecost (May 22), or at the latest, until September
of the same year.
Right
from the start, given his obvious devotion, the brothers treated
Anthony with reverence.
Having
seen that one of his companions had transformed a grotto
into a solitary cell, Anthony asked if he could use it.
Thus,
every morning, after community prayers, Anthony hurried to
his grotto (which is still carefully preserved today), to
live alone with God in the discipline of penitence, intimate
prayer, prolonged readings of the scriptures and contemplation.
For the canonical hours and for meals, Anthony joined his
companions
But
by his fervent penances he so exhausted his fragile health
with fasts and vigils that, more than once, when the sound
of the bell called him to community events, it is said that
Anthony tottered in and would have collapsed had the other
friars not held him up.
When
Anthony asked how he could be of service to the community,
the guardian of the friary assigned him to wash the crockery
and sweep the floors.
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The hour of the call
In
September, 1222, the Dominicans and Franciscans gathered
together at the cathedral in Forlì for the ordination
of some of their community members. As was the custom, a sermon
was to be offered at the liturgy, but for some reason no one
had been chosen to give it.
The superior of Montepaolo asked
Anthony to speak after the others had declined because they
were not prepared. The young friar tried to avoid the summons,
but he bowed to the superior's insistence and began to speak
serenely. As his speech progressed in articulate Latin, the
words became more entrancing.
In
spite of his initial reticence, Anthony's profound knowledge
of the Bible and his engaging eloquence could not help but
shine through and impress all who were present.
After
the ordination ceremony, the formerly unnoticed Portuguese
brother, the quiet and dutiful hermit, was thrust into the
centre of attention of his community. He returned to Montepaolo
and bid farewell to his peaceful grotto, asking his brother
friars to remember him and to pray for him.
Anthony the preacher
 After
the revelation of Anthony's abilities at Forlì, his
superiors asked him to preach in the towns and villages of
Romagna. Thus St. Anthony began his mission as a preacher.
He spoke to the people, sharing in their lowly and troubled
lives. He alternated his commitment to education with works
for peace; he taught theology to the friars, heard confessions
and confronted heretics in private and public.
Romagna
was also afflicted by civil war: the cities were torn
apart by suspicion, conspiracy and the violence of rival families.
As if this were not enough, the heresy of the Cathari
was rampant and attracting more and more followers.
The
Church was slow to react and when it did, its response was
unsuccessful. The heretics continued to spread distorted theories
and sow dangerous doubts.
An important incident took place at Rimini in 1223
where, according to tradition, St. Anthony overcame the obstinacy
of one heretic, who did not believe in the real presence of
Christ in the Eucharist.
Theologian
in Bologna
Toward
the end of 1223, Anthony was invited to teach theology
in the city of Bologna.
For two years he taught the fundamental truths of the Catholic
faith. For two years from the age of 28-30, he taught the
basic truths of faith to clergy and laypeople using a simple
but efficient method. He first read a sacred text and then
interpreted it in an involving way which spoke to the listener's
faith.
St.
Anthony was thus the first teacher of theology of the
newly-established Franciscan Order, the first link in
a chain of theologians, preachers and writers, who over the
centuries have brought honour to the Church.
"Anthony, my bishop"
Francis
of Assisi was hesitant about his brother friars dedicating
themselves to the study of theology, as the Rule made clear.
But given Anthony's solid foundation and his moral integrity,
an exception was made.
The authenticity of the brief letter sent to Anthony by
St. Francis is now widely accepted by scholars.
The
text, translated from the Italian version of Kajetan Esser,
is as follows:
"To
brother Anthony, my bishop, I wish you health. I approve of
your teaching theology to the brothers, provided that, on
account of this study, you do not diminish the spirit of holy
prayer and devotion, as is ordained in the Rule. Be well."
 The
great Franciscan scholar Raoul Manselli saw this letter as
authorisation for Anthony to teach sacred theology to the
friars. The letter is thus "a text of considerable importance"
having "great value and significance for the entire history
of the Order which must be understood and explained in view
of its importance".
And in his itinerant apostolate, both in Italy and in France,
Anthony began introducing intensive preaching into the catechetical
training of the new recruits of the Order, therefore "he
must have already received the permission granted in Francis'
brief letter… "
It
seems that Francis' initial hesitation regarding the study
of theology reflected the mistrust that often existed between
the learned and the unlearned of his day.
Francis never wanted his brother friars to forget 'humility'.
Theologian
for his brothers
The
friars asked St. Anthony to come and teach theology.
They
were in touch with the people and were saddened and alarmed
at the inferiority of the young Franciscan Order, which together
with the Dominicans was called by an ever-growing number of
faithful to fill the gap left by the diocesan in the areas
of pastoral work and religious instruction.
The
teaching of Theology emulated the initiative of the Dominican
Order, known as the "Order of Preachers", which
established a theological school in Bologna in 1219, while
St. Dominic was still alive.
A lesson
with St. Anthony
What would a theology lesson with St. Anthony have
been like?
According
to the methods of the time, which Anthony also followed, allegory
played an important role in explaining doctrine, as did
constant references to the Bible.
This
style encouraged:
-
a clarity of concepts,
-
expressions which avoided useless redundancies,
-
a concern to be persuasive and practical,
-
involvement of the entire person (rationally, emotionally
and imaginatively),
-
all of which persuaded the listener to follow the biblical
dictates in daily life.
Doctor
of the Church
Among
his contemporaries and in the generations immediately afterwards,
Anthony was held to be a master of Christian knowledge
and an unequalled biblical scholar.
One
historian says that St. Anthony possessed such eminent knowledge
that he was able to use his memory instead of books, and he
knew how to express himself with abundant grace in mystic
language. The profoundness of his lecturing entranced his
listeners.
The Roman Curia welcomed Anthony to preach to them, and afterwards
Pope Gregory IX complemented him by calling Anthony "the
Ark of the Testament".
 In
1931, the seven-hundredth anniversary of St. Anthony's death,
the Congregation of Rites discussed Anthony's teachings. They
stated:
"Se
sia da confermarsi il culto di Dottore tributato per secoli
a sant’Antonio di Padova e se sia da estendersi alla Chiesa
universale, con ufficio e messa del comune dei dottori".
"The
cult of Doctor, attributed for centuries to St. Anthony of
Padua, is to be confirmed and extended into in the liturgical
office of the universal Church".
Pope Pius XII had the honour of affirming this title on January
16, 1946, with the Apostolic Letter Exsulta, Lusitania
felix ('Rejoice, happy Portugal'). "St. Anthony is
a Doctor of the Church with the title "doctor evangelicus".
In
fact, this formal apostolic recognition delayed by seven centuries
was merely a confirmation of a belief that had come
into existence shortly after Anthony's death.
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France thirsty for peace
A
land ablaze, a people in torment. This was the south of France
at the time of St. Anthony. The cause of so much agitation
can be attributed to the political and social struggle between
orthodox Catholics and the heretical Albigensian sect,
which had taken root there decades earlier.
The papacy united its strength with those worldly powers that
saw the economic advantage of such an alliance, and together
they fought the heresy. However, the persecutions that
raged for over 20 years were to no avail.
What drew the people back to the true religion was the witness
and preaching of the Cistercians, Dominicans and Franciscans,
who gave their all to this work in true accordance with the
teachings of charity. Eminent among them was St. Anthony.
Where the battle rages
 There
is no sure information concerning Anthony's time in France.
There is, however, one fixed date, 1226, when Anthony
established a Franciscan friary in Limoges.
Coming
from Bologna, Anthony passed through Provence to Languedoc,
then to Limoges and Berry.
Here he found a region troubled by the Albigensian heresy,
decimated by the crusades and rife with power struggles
Since January 1217, Pope Honorius III had been encouraging
the professors of theology in Paris to confront the Albigensian
movement.
Anthony
was thus sent, probably accompanied by qualified friars,
at the suggestion of the Minister General who had been informed
of the situation by friars living in the area, and under pressure
from the papal curia
Anthony
became a theology teacher and preacher in Montpellier,
a distinguished university and a stronghold of Catholic orthodoxy.
Dominicans and Franciscans were trained here both pastorally
and intellectually, preparing themselves for the preaching
of sermons to heretics throughout the country.
Arles: St. Francis appears
as Anthony preaches
The
fact is certain, but the date is unclear. The historian Thomas
of Celano recalls how Friar John of Florence, chosen by St.
Francis as Minister Provincial of the friars of Provence,
celebrated a provincial chapter, either in the second half
of 1224, or in the first half of the following year.
During the assembly, Anthony gave a fervent sermon on the
Passion of Christ. As he spoke, Friar Monaldo received a vision
of "the blessed Francis raised in ecstasy above them
with his arms extended in the form of the cross, in the act
of blessing his friars". Saint Anthony's sermon was on
the mystery of the Crucifixion of Christ, in particular on
the inscription: "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews"
(John, 19,19).
It is very probable that this sermon was delivered on one
of the days marked by the mystery of the cross: Good Friday,
28 March 1225; the finding of the Cross (Inventio crucis)
on 2 May 1225; or even (and this would be particularly significant)
the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross in 1224, the
very day on which St. Francis received the stigmata.
Anthony in Toulouse and Limoges
 Toulouse
lies in the present day province of Haute-Garonne and has
ancient origins. Anthony's itinerant apostolate could not
but echo throughout an ideological cross-roads such as Toulouse.
It is more than likely that in this neo-Manichaean stronghold
Anthony taught theology to the friars. Around 1226,
Anthony moved further north, to Limoges. He stayed in the
abbey of Solignac, on the Briance, which belongs to the diocese
of Limoges, and here he performed a miracle for the monk who
served as his nurse.
Limoges
remains
one of the most important places in Anthony's life because
he held the position
of custos
(superior) of the Franciscans of the city and its environs.
While we are certain that Anthony was the custos of Limoges,
this fact has to be accepted with a certain degree of circumspection
since the evidence was only recorded some seventy years later.
According
to a chronicle of the Friary of St. Martial, in Limoges,
Anthony gave his first speech in the cemetery of St. Paul
taking as his text Psalm 29.6. He preached a second sermon
in the Friary of St. Martin using Psalm 54.7, "Who will
give me wings like a dove, to fly and find rest?"
It
was in Limoges that another astonishing event occurred in
the Church of St. Pierre-du-Queyroix. At about midnight on
Holy Thursday, St. Anthony was transported among his friars
to sing the liturgy since it was his responsibility.
In Bourges, Le Puy and elsewhere
 The
year 1226 saw Anthony establishing a friary in Brive.
It was here that Anthony found the necessary peace to restore
his strength after the exhausting labours of preaching. He
withdrew to some caves just outside the town. Here he dedicated
himself to penance and contemplation.
After his death, his memory was kept alive among the inhabitants
of Brive, and the caves where he stayed have become a place
of pilgrimage
Although
having been confiscated by the state during the uncertain
times following the French Revolution, the sanctuary of Brive
was bought back by the friars in 1874 and re-consecrated in
1895. Since then it has become the national centre of Anthonian
devotion in France.
The superb cathedral of Bourges, a gothic jewel, welcomed
Anthony the missionary. He also went to Le-Puy-en-Velay, in
the present-day province of Haute-Loire, at the foot of Mount
Anisan. It is uncertain whether or not he held the position
of guardian of the community here. It
is impossible to say when St. Anthony returned to Italy,
why he returned or where he lived as he continued on his missionary
pilgrimage. Anthonian biographers state that his return to
Italy would have been for the occasion of the General Chapter,
held at Pentecost in Assisi 30 May 1227.
St.
Francis had died the previous year on the evening of 3 October
1226. Thus the assembly had to elect a new Minister
General.
As
custos of the Limoges region, Anthony would have been required
to take part in the chapter in which the St. Francis' successor
was to be chosen. Other biographers believe that Anthony may
not have actually been custos of the chapter at the time,
but rather was recalled to Italy by Friar Elias or Friar Giovanni
Parenti. All that is known is that, on his way to Italy, he
crossed Provence on foot.
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Minister
Provincial
Because
St. Anthony was held in such esteem by his brother friars
he was chosen Minister Provincial of Northern Italy,
including the region of Romagna, a position which added further
burdens to his already numerous responsibilities. Who assigned
him this position is not known, but the majority of Anthonian
scholars theorise that he held this position for only three
years, from 1227 to 1230.
As
Provincial, Anthony distinguished himself by his spirit
of service and fraternity, supporting encouraging and
guiding his brothers through example and advice.
A reliable source tells us that he remained the provincial
until May of 1230.
Friendship with Thomas of San Vittore
While he was Minister Provincial
of northern Italy, Anthony always maintained the ideals
of St. Francis in the many different circumstances in which
he found himself. He cultivated relationships with the
church hierarchy, presenting himself as a faithful Catholic,
avoiding conflict and fostering a climate of harmony. The
proof of this trust and respect by the hierarchy is evidenced
by the personal participation of the Bishop of Padua during
the Lenten sermons of 1231,and the fact that his quick canonisation
met with little or no objection.
A second objective of his pastoral
action was his intention to harmonise the activities of
young Franciscan Order with those of the older religious Orders.
While still in France, Anthony was warmly received by the
monks of the Abbey of Solignac.
He also maintained a cordial
and fraternal relationship with his former Augustinian community.
Although he had become a Franciscan he did not want to cut
off his ties with the past, rather he kept all the valid ideas
he had learned and loved in the monasteries of St. Vincent
and Santa Cruz in Portugal. His closest friendship
during his years in Italy seems to have been with the Parisian
Thomas of San Vittore, abbot of Sant'Andrea in Vercelli.
As custos, Anthony's travels
eventually took him to the city of Vercelli, where he met
Thomas of San Vittore and remained for a few weeks to preach.
Thomas had gone to Vercelli in 1220. He was nominated prior
in 1224, and, in 1226, he became abbot.
Sources say that the two saints
held a mutual respect for each other in both their
academic and fraternal relationships.
Apostle of Peace
While the Venetian Giovanni Dandolo
was the mayor of Padua (29 June 1229 - 28 June 1230), the
desperately longed for peace began to settle over the region.
Let us hear the testimony of a contemporary, the Paduan notary
Rolandino:
"For the space of about
one year the cities of the region of Treviso enjoyed such
peace that almost all were convinced that from then on there
would no longer be unrest or wars. Almost the entire population
was spiritually restored, elevated to celestial realities
by means of exemplary preaching. And it was at this fair moment
that the Blessed Anthony also entered the region announcing
the Word of God in a captivating voice".
The
writing of the Sermones
 The
Assidua biography of St. Anthony (11,3) affirms that he wrote
his Sermones for Sundays during his stay in Padua,
where a deep and mutual affection grew up between him and
the inhabitants. It would be difficult for us to date the
Sermones with precision. We do, however, know that his place
of residence was Santa Maria Mater Domini.
The Assidua (11,7), speaking about the tireless zeal for saving
souls that urged Anthony to give himself entirely to the apostolate,
notes that he continued his pastoral work until sundown, very
often fasting. He preached, taught and heard confessions.
In his apostolate, St. Anthony was accompanied by some companions,
and in the last period he was accompanied by Blessed Luke
Belludi.
Apostolic
preacher
It
was on the occasion of the General Chapter in 1230,
that took place during the translation of St. Francis' remains
to the new basilica built in his honour, that Anthony
was released from his responsibilities of leadership.
Because of the esteem in which the other friars held him,
however, he was commissioned as a preacher with the
privilege of travelling wherever he felt best. Along with
six other friars he was also chosen as one of the
Order's representatives to Pope Gregory IX.
The
development of the Order
Did
Anthony have personal contact with Gregory IX? When and
for what reason was he sent to the papal curia? What position
did he take concerning the questions of the development of
the Order? What was his relationship with one of the most
enigmatic leaders of the Franciscan Order, Brother Elias?
Sources reveal that the General Chapter of 1230 had to seek
the pope's intercession because of the discordant discussion
that had arisen as to whether or not the Last Will and
Testament of Saint Francis held any juridical value. St.
Anthony played a role in discussing and debating such questions
with the pontiff.
During
this trip, which took place partly in Rome and partly in Anagni,
Anthony became known in the highest circles for his outstanding
saintliness and extraordinary biblical knowledge, not only
through private meetings with various dignities but through
spiritual conferences and homilies. Upon orders of Gregory
IX, he gave a speech to many pilgrims in the eternal city.
On that occasion, miracle similar to what happened to the
Apostles at Pentecost took place; each listener heard the
speech in his or her own language.
A
Franciscan tradition states that Gregory IX invited Anthony
to remain by his side. However, "He, humbly renouncing
this honour in order to work for the good of others, and after
having obtained the apostolic blessing, he chose to isolate
himself in Verna. He remained there for some time, dedicating
himself to preaching and penance. He then went to Padua."
Anthony
the Franciscan
 What
relationship was there between Anthony and other Franciscans,
especially the leadership of the Order? Biographers have
often shown Anthony as standing on his own, almost removed
from the context of the Franciscan movement. At the beginning
of the order, the followers of Francis were men of diverse
personalities and their sense of belonging to a group was
probably rather weak. After all, the official document which
gave the order its identity was the Rule which dates only
to 1223. Anthony and Elias, by their natures, moral temperaments,
and spiritual maturity appear to have been quite different.
They
lived in different worlds. We do not know what influence St.
Francis, his life or his spirit had on the faith and various
activities of Anthony. In the Sermones, Francis' name is never
mentioned. It is a noticeable void, especially considering
that the Sermones constitute such an extensive work and were
published after Francis' canonisation. Anthony was a temperate
person, who tried to unite being faithful to the Franciscan
charisma with the urgent demands made on him in the various
surroundings in which he undertook his pastoral task.
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The
great Paduan period
 Anthony
stayed in Padua on two occasions. The first was between
1229 and 1230 and the second between 1230 and 1231,
during which he met his early death. Together the two occasions
constitute a period of slightly more than twelve months
in the city where he is the patron saint.
What type of Padua attracted
and welcomed him? A place which while composed of many
different elements, was unanimous in its appreciation of Anthony
at the foot of his pulpit or in the confessional, just a few
months after his arrival. Padua functioned as a scriptorium
for his biblical and liturgical commentaries.
We
can also hypothesise that Padua provided him not only with
a supply of libraries but also with collaborators and clerks
to help in drawing up the texts.
The
Sermones are considered as the most remarkable literary
work of a religious nature compiled in Padua during the Middle
Ages.
Padua interested Anthony because of its university;
he had a preference for cities with centres of higher learning
- Bologna, Montpellier, Toulouse, Vercelli.
A university was also a place with a high concentration of
youth. And Anthony was an expert "fisher of youth
Perhaps
feeling that his end was near, he aspired to secure new recruits
for the demanding and joyful task of spreading the Gospel.
What is more, the Veneto region was in a period of unrest.
Anthony felt the need to intervene, doubling his efforts to
ward off the spark of new conflict. Even in faithful Padua,
there were still subtle and blatant followers of heresy.
The
days of salvation
At
dawn on February 5, Anthony put down his quill and stopped
writing. The city was living a magical moment of peace.
Word spread that he was going to preach daily for forty days
of Lent, taking his inspiration from the daily readings.
Before long, the small church of Santa Maria Mater Domini
was not able to contain the growing multitude. No church seemed
large enough to contain the people, and soon not even the
public squares were able to hold the crowds. Being heard was
not a problem, since Anthony was endowed with exceptionally
booming voice; however, the large numbers obliged him to
speak outside the city, in the middle of the fields, just
as he did in France. The nobility and the lower classes, women
and men, young and old, fervent church-goers and people "distant"
from the Church, gentlemen and scoundrels, religious and lay
people alike all assembled to await the arrival of the man
of God. Bishop Jacopo, together with his clergy, took
part in the Lenten event, which he had authorised with
the joy of a shepherd seeing his flock gathered in fertile
pastures.
From
one sermon to the next, news of what was happening in Padua
spread, causing a steady increase in listeners. An
incessant crowd thronged around Anthony's confessional. He
was unable to cope with them all, even though priests from
his Order and diocesan priests of the city tried to lighten
his load. All he could do was wait for the stream to die down
at sunset. The Assidua narrates that Anthony resigned himself
to fasting until sunset. Some flocked to the sacrament of
penance, declaring that an apparition had driven them to confess
and change their lives Assidua
states:"He
converted discord into fraternal peace; he restored freedom
to prisoners, that which had been stolen by usury and violence
was given back to its owners."
House
and land were mortgaged and the proceeds were laid at his
feet. He dissuaded prostitutes from their base commerce; he
made notorious thieves desist from laying their hands on other
people's property. Thus, at the end of the 40 days, he gathered
a harvest which was pleasing to the Lord.
I
cannot keep silent about the multitude that he inspired to
confess their sins, so great a number of men and women that
not even the group of priests that accompanied him were sufficient
to hear their confessions."
Anthony
had a hand in changing the municipal legislation of Padua,
in particular, a statue regarding insolvent debtors, dated
17 March 1231, Monday of Holy Week (the day after Palm
Sunday).
Here
are the contents of the statue, from the original Latin:
"By
request of the venerable friar Anthony, of the Order of Friars
Minor, it is established and ordained that no one convicted
of one or more debts of money, in the past or the present
or in the future, will be held in prison provided that he
is willing to relinquish his possessions. This holds for
both debtors and creditors. If, however, a renunciation or
a relinquishment is made fraudulently, either by the debtor
or by the creditor, it has no value and shall not bring damage
to the creditor. When fraud cannot be demonstrated in an evident
way, then let the mayor be the judge. This statute cannot
be modified in any way and must remain unchanged in perpetuity."
At
the hermitage of Camposampiero
 There
are various reasons why Anthony withdrew to the hermitage
at Camposampiero.
The first is rarely mentioned but easily imagined. After the
intense mission of preaching and reconciliation during
Lent and the Easter season, he was simply exhausted.
The
second reason is given in the Assidua (15,2) and echoed by
subsequent biographers. For practical reasons Anthony was
obliged to suspend his preaching so that the people could
attend to their crops.
The third reason
was that he wished to isolate himself in a tranquil, out
of the way place, to continue writing the Sunday Sermones
and perhaps finish them.
The
fourth motive was that he wished to avoid alarming his brother
friars who were witnessing Anthony's declining health.
And most importantly, no doubt, Anthony wished to retreat
from active life, to immerse himself in prayer and prepare
his spirit for his coming death.
We
can theorise that Anthony departed from Padua on Monday, May
19, and, therefore, his sojourn at Camposampiero, including
a short stay at Verona, lasted approximately twenty-five
days.
Death of Saint Anthony
 In
late spring 1231, Anthony was taken ill. Knowing this
to be his final illness, he asked to be taken to Padua, wishing
to breathe his last in that city. He was laid on a cart pulled
by oxen, and set off for the city in the company of some other
friars. But when they reached Arcella, a small town
on the outskirts of Padua, death took him. His final words
were, "I see my Lord." It was 13 June, and Anthony
was 36 years old.
The
Saint was buried in Padua, in the church of Santa Maria
Mater Domini, which had been his spiritual refuge during
the period of his most intense apostolic work. At the end
of the funeral celebrations, St. Anthony's body was buried
in the small church of the city's Franciscan friary. It was
probably not placed underground, but left suspended in an
ark-tomb so that the growing number of faithful could see
and touch it.
A
year after his death, the fame of many miracles brought
about through his intercession convinced Pope Gregory IX to
shorten the period for his canonisation, and Anthony was proclaimed
a Saint on 30 May 1232, only 11 months after his death.
The Church has also done justice to his spiritual doctrine,
since Pope Pius XII proclaimed him "Doctor of the
Universal Church" in 1946.
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He
stayed at St. Vincent for approximately two years. But, distracted
by continuous visits from friends, he asked to be transferred
elsewhere. He thus undertook his first great journey to
Coimbra, then the capital of Portugal. The new monastery
of Santa Cruz was about 230 km from Lisbon.
