ODOR OF SANCTITY

"And when he had opened the book, the four living creatures, and the four and twenty ancients fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full o/ odours, which are the prayers of saints. "—Apocalypse

At the very beginning Of the Christian era, perfumes were introduced as elements proper to the worship Of God. Myrrh, an aromatic gum resin, and frankincense were offered to the Christ Child by the Three Magi. We also read of the reverential act performed by Mary Magdalen when she "took a pound of ointment of right spikenard, of great price, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment." (John 12:3).

It is not surprising that the sweet aroma of perfumes should be associated with virtues, goodness and holiness Of God's Saints, and it is not surprising that one of the phenomena most frequently mentioned in the lives of the Saints is that of a perfume in which the Saints, by the grace of God, emitted a sweet fragrance from their bodies either during
their lifetime or after death. In this chapter we will consider the fragrances emitted from the bodies of the Saints while they were alive, or the perfumes that lingered about the articles they used in life. Anotherchapter will deal with the fragrances Of the dead.

POPE BENEDICT XIV (d. 1758), in his work, De Beatificatione Canonizatione, acknowledges this phenomenon and even indicates the procedure to be followed in verifying its existence when a soul is being considered for beatification. According to the Pontiff, it should be
considered whether the odor is both sweet and persistent and whether it could be explained as having come from anything other than the person.

He and I

On very rare occasions in her early life, Gabrielle had been surprised by a Mysterious Voice, which she heard and felt with awe, and sometimes anxious questionings, which she perceived to be the Voice of Christ. It was only at the age of 62, however, that this touching dialogue with the "Inner Voice" began in earnest, continuing (at least in her notes) until two weeks before her death on June 9, 1950.

The journal that she kept of her dialogue with the Inner Voice has been published in numerous languages under the title "He and I" (see note above) and has become a source of deep inspiration and edification for those who read it. Below are a few excerpts from this extraordinary dialogue between "the Inner Voice" and Gabrielle.


April 12, 1945. In the [train] station at Angers.

Coming from Paris I had a seat in spite of the dense crowd.

"You see what great care I take of My own. Even in the tumult I draw them into solitude where the heart is on the alert to hear the Beloved. Didn't I say to them in the past, 'When I sent you out without purse or staff did you lack anything?' And they answered, 'Nothing'"
'Lord, it is often l who am lacking.'

"For these omissions humble yourself, and don't be astonished by them. Wish to be cured of this lack of carefulness in My service. Take frequent stock not only of the value of your actions, but above all, of the value of your motive in doing them - the forthrightness of your will to glorify Me.

Perhaps if you paid attention more often to what you do for Me, you would intensify your fervor and tender­ness. You would be more faithful in the details - these precious details that can earn so much. They are the specks of goodness that fill life....You get the picture -the invisible grains of sand that make up the im­mense Sahara. Take great care in the very little things, My Gabrielle. Say to yourself, 'They are made to the Measure of My little nature'. And this thought will keep you humble.

Have you noticed how often the work of the hum­ble has to be done again? Put all your heart into it, knowing that you please Me. And since you want to live for Me, since you want to see everything in rela­tion to Me, and pattern your life after Me, then con­sider how short the time is that remains for you on earth. You can give Me glory in that time. Give it to Me unstintingly,"


April 20, 1945 - Le Fresne. At church.

I had seen flowers of all kinds at the edge of a ditch.

"You see how insurgent the spring is! Let a spring­tide of love in your soul blossom out in good deeds of every color. I shall look lovingly at them just as you looked at the flowers in the underbrush. Tell yourself that love alone can make fresh wonders spring forth.

Then give yourself to Love so that Love may pos­sess you. Don't divide yourself into two - one part for you and the other for Me - since I long to have all of you and cherish this hope. Your love quenches My thirst. I am most demanding: you see I want My chil­dren to be wholly and utterly Mine at every moment. So don't withhold a thing. Don't take anything of yourselves away. You would steal from Me if you did, because everything is Mine.

If I require this of you it is because My yearning for you is a consuming fire. And My yearning is born of My love. Do you understand? Do you at last believe? Do you acknowledge My power to love? And if Mine is a love beyond all others, then how could you fail to go beyond your usual ways of loving to make your home in the higher realms - the realms where all is simplicity in our oneness. Above all when you know that it is there that I'm waiting for you and that great is My need to Meet you.

Meditate on this need of Mine and you will call to mind that it is in your power to give Me this alms. Then remember the value of a free gift - the gift of oneself ­when offered out of tenderness. What inexpressible joy will be His who receives it. He will multiply His bless­ings so that the one that receives them will be lost in wonder and gratitude. 'What have I done to deserve the kindness of My God?' he will ask. And I shall reply, 'You loved Him with all your strivings and you let Him love you'"


April 26, 1945 - 'Lord, Your poor little girl, Your poor image is here before you, yearning for You with all the strength of her being.'

"Have you noticed how people talk among themselves, discussing all their personal affairs? They spend so much time this way and it does them so little good. Don't you think that if they gave themselves to Me, their Friend, I should rejoice to have My place in their thoughts and I should know how to reward their confidence in abundance? Don't you think that it would create a moment-to-moment intimacy between them and Me, and this would be a joy for them, because close to Me their lives would lose their tension.

You understand? It would be life together with Me- I carrying the heavy end of things. So again I say: speak with Me, My little ones. Speak with Me. And our hearts will Merge. Isn't this the aim of My Christians? Isn't that why you want to die? Then begin living this heart-oneness. Seize upon every opportunity. Find every pretext. You aren't bold enough. For some of you it is because you are indifferent.

But My close friends, why, why don't they call to Me from their heart's depths? If only their belief were less like unbelief! If their hope were fixed upon My help ... And if, in all simplicity, their love loved Me more. I should be there looking after everything in their day, and when night fell, their eyes would close again on My face."


Aug 12, 1945, Le Fresne Church.

"When you say to Me 'Beloved Jesus, I give You My entire life' do you realize that at the same time I have given you more, since even what you are giving Me is what I've given you? Admit that everything you have comes from Me. It's all a gift from Me, and not to display My power, not chosen at random, but by My most attentive love -chosen especially for you, My children -for your path in life, in order to help you reach the goal that is yours."

"You have everything you need to perfect the Gabrielle I dreamed of in creating you. Did you watch Me creating you? You see, you can have no idea of the tenderness that I pledged to your soul so long ago -from all eternity. Then I ask you not to consider Me too exacting if I say to you, as I do so often, 'Give Me everything'.


March 21, 1946 -Holy hour

"All night long I waited for you in My Eucharist -waited to give Myself to you in the morning. Why should this astonish you? You believe in My presence and a tabernacle, don't you? You believe in My immense love? Then put the two together. And when you wake up during the night, look at the One who is already longing for the dawn to bring you to Him. This will quicken your love and give you confidence in My power. Let Me profit by the days of your life, they are not many. Prolong Me in them as much as you can don't let a day go by without doing something for Me, for there is not a single day that I am not at work, you for your own happiness. Do you believe Me?"

'Yes Lord'

"Then humble yourself for not having responded better to all the loving kindness of your Creator. You know how I love to forgive? You know how your confidence attracts My compassion? Your trust can win anything from My heart. Count on Me. Call Me. Don't you love your name? I love to hear Mine on your lips. Don't deprive Me."


December 19, 1946

"Don't be afraid to discover how little it takes to touch Me. I am the sensitive One and you can never know how your gestures make music in My heart. Be afraid of hurting Me. Always try to give Me joy and above all don't imagine Me to be far off. You realize that I am in you, don't you? And if you do, why don't you think of Me more often? I was going to say, always. Then My longing for you, would be completely satisfied. I am the same for all people. They are all My children. I long for every one of them. So, in offering yourself offer the others to Me with My joy in mind."


February 6, 1947 –Holy hour

"Your desire in itself is a call that pleases Me and gives Me great honor. You make amends for yourself and you make amends for the ingratitude of so many others. Do they think of Me with a little affection even once a year? Do they accept the thought of My love for each one of them? When will you realize that time -the span of earthly life- is too short, that I need all eternity to love them? That this present life of theirs is not their goal, but only a Means given to them to earn the Alder life? Pray for them. You can do a great deal without seeing the fruit. But I see; I hear. I see that in helping others to arise you rise yourself. Do you believe Me? Come to Me and bring others with you."


February 14, 1947 -in a moment of sadness

"Remember that I traveled all of your roads".
"If you want to gain strength to make a sacrifice, don't look at the sacrifice. Look at My joy."
"Don't you realize that I have been waiting a long, long time for you? No two souls are alike. None other can give Me what I expect from you."


March 6, 1947

"Each soul is the object of My special love. That is why I am so grateful to those who are resourceful and bringing back sinners to Me. Keep this in mind then. I gave My life for them in the most atrocious torture, for these poor beloved ones. A humble repentance, and they are already on My heart. So speak gently to them. Speak with tenderness. A brusque remark could drive them farther away.

'I am going to meet one tomorrow, Lord'

"I will give you the necessary tact. As always, I will be in you. You will look at Me and call Me and say 'speak through me'. I will be the listening Brother."

'I have just received telegrams and telephone calls for 101 things'

"That his life, unforeseen events, moving from one place to another, rough weather. But, come what may, remain steadfastly in My heart. Keep your eyes fixed on Me as you ask Me for advice, or as you tell Me that you love Me always. Remember that nothing happens without My permission, and be very calm and serene. There is nothing like serenity for convincing people of the Good. This was My response to the craftiness of the Pharisees. So, be calm in your soul, and happily docile to My will. As you look back over your life, don't you see that My will was always for your good? This is because I love you, and it's the same for everyone, since I love each of you individually. I see you all differently; I see every detail about you, do you understand? My love is not of global love.

I need each one of you as though you were the only person in the world, as though the cosmos had been created for you alone, and My love is greater than the cosmos. So let this thought be a strength to you and your smiling calm.

Let us include My Mother in this life of ours. Do you really believe that Her love is active on your behalf? Oh, My little girl, have faith in the great things that you can do with Us. Without Us…but you are already aware of your nothingness. "


April 8, 1948

"Have you thanked Me for all I did for you, for mankind, for the angels, for My mother? What a concert of blessings, My child! Gather them all as though they were yours and join in the symphony of thanksgiving. Sing your part in the choir of number¬less voices, and I'll know it from all the others. Are there two voices alike in the whole world? Aren't you struck by the diversity in human creation? In heaven too, each saint differs from the other, and if you are enchanted by the variety of colors in your garden, you may be sure that Paradise flashes with a myriad of countless splendid things, all for My glory. There too, I know the voices, for I know you all. My children, I atoned for all of you and I know My redeemed ones.

‘Lord, who will teach me to thank You and what words should I use?’

"The most simple - straight from your heart. Say them to Me at Mass. Say them again after your Communion when we are only one. Once more it will be I who give them to you. How I love to act for Myself in you. Can you believe that? I feel at home, and I feel you are Mine. Be very much Mine ... I was going to say, 'Be your Christ before the Father, before others. Be the gentlest and the smallest'


April 17, 1948 - 'Lord, I should so love to live Your words, and I am always myself, still my old self.'

"Is it so difficult to think of your Lord? Is it so difficult to talk with Him and to keep Him company? When you meet someone in a waiting room, don't you instinctively approach that person and in a kindly way do your best to make the time pass pleasantly for him? And if he were a poet, or a scholar, or someone great in the eyes of the world, wouldn't you go even further and show more joy?

My child, it's a God who is waiting at the door of your heart, a God who is all yours and who is in you. You open to Him when you talk to Him, when you look at Him, when you try to take your thoughts off the things around you so that you may turn them to Him with the utmost tenderness.

Don't think that this is a fable I'm telling you. It is the simple reality. But as it's all happening in the shadowland where everything is imperfection, you find it difficult to believe, and you are slow in acting upon it. That is why I am like that person in the waiting room. If only you could approach Me more often with all your kind charm, you might suspect My long yearnings. You might think, 'He's waiting for the world: Yes, My little child, for everyone, and for such a long, long time ... I came to Bethlehem to seek them and I shall go on seeking them right to the end of the world.

This is the patience of God. This is His love. Then how could you ever understand? Yet it would be very sweet to believe, wouldn't it? So quicken your faith by telling Me about it often. More often. Don't get weary: you will hope more and love more. It's your great God who wants you greatly, My very frail little girl"


November 4, 1948

“I knock at your door. You don’t believe that I need my children, do you? An yet, My God-Love needs your love. That is how it is. Always. You remember My words, 'I thirst'? I am always thirsty. If you knew this thirst, more intense than the thirst of men, you would devise every means in your power to quench it. That is why I knock at your door.

Do you remember the heat of the Sahara? The desert burns less than I. Can you understand My thirst for your awareness of Me, for your desire to be pleasing to Me, for your gratitude for My pitiable sufferings, your compassion for all the disgrace, the filth and the hatred I received during the night before My crucifixion and on the morning of My death? And for the blows, and the torture of My body and mind. Do you sometimes think of it?

Can you measure this love that made Me give Myself up when I could have escaped into the invisible? It was My love that went out to meet the torture.

Don't you believe that I paid for the right to have at least your friendship? You recall what the thief said: 'Remember me when You come into Your kingdom'? And I say to you, 'Remember Me during your life'. Place Me as a lighthouse in the center of your mind, not just a lighthouse that illumines, but one that gives warmth. Where can you be where I am not? When you are hunting for Me, I am already there, and when you love Me, I love Myself in you.

I am your Source. Give everything back to Me in joy and simplicity. So few stop to think about this.

Then tell Me now, do you want Me to knock at your door?"


November 11 - Holy hour.

"Practice being more attractive for love's sake. You could do immense good with an affectionate look and a smile. If you keep yourself for yourself, you are your own slave. But if you go to meet people with delicate thoughtfulness, you bring peace and rest; you give the balm of Gilead. How a smile from you would have soothed X this morning if you hadn't shut yourself up in your ivory tower. There is a demon called the spirit of contradiction; he fraternizes with the spirit of self-seeking.

Remember that love is not puffed up with pride and that it will never pass away. What you do for yourself will perish miserably. What you do for others, for the love of Me, will go on re-echoing throughout all eternity.

Have you tried to see Me in others? Have you understood that I live in that old crippled woman on the 'sunken road' and all others like her? Couldn't you bring Me a little wood for this winter, and some clothing? Won't you give Me something to eat? Suppose she is bitter and doesn't thank you, what difference does it make? Since I am the One who receives, and I am rich.

Don't be shy when you give. Be daring in goodness:' I was thinking that I should be ashamed to wheel a barrow with wood in it right to that place.

"Perhaps. But I shall not be ashamed of you at the last judgment. Don't run away any more from what costs you something, and you will be among the happiest people. Besides, I've done so much for you ... You are free though. You will not even commit a fault by not going. I'll just have the sadness of wanting some¬thing without getting it."
"Lord, I'll go."


December 15, 1949 - Holy hour.

Coming back from Mass in the dark at 7am in the freezing rain. "This too, Lord, may I offer for Your sinners in this Marian year?

"I take all sufferings little and big, and place them in the treasury of the Church - the treasury used for the making of saints. You forget your past sufferings, but they continue to bear fruit in My sight. You have already forgotten your travel weariness, weather annoyances, desert thirst, the fears, exile in distant countries, the slow journeys back, the long tests of endurance, times of illness. But remember that you offered Me everything and that I've kept everything.

You love to look at the precious jewels in your mother's jewel box, or your favorite books in your library, or the unusual souvenirs given to you during your long tours. Often it's only a trifle, something that hasn't cost the donor much. You remember the Moslem's terebinth, the Indian's moose glove and the pressed leaf given to you in Larache? You treasure these things because those who gave them to you wanted to please you. For the same reason I have found joy in all the little presents given to Me by My children. Even, if they have not cost you very much, even if you gave them to Me only because My Father put them into your hand by some circumstance other than your own free choice, you offered them to Me like good and affection¬ate children. And so I treasure them as though they were a part of you. Such is your power over Me! You bind Me to you by a single hair of your head. And the more you believe how utterly disarmed I am by your love, the more My unfathomable tenderness overflows to you. The great wrong is to lack faith in it. Then offer Me everything –every gesture, every thought.

-Looking at the preparations for Christmas- ‘Thank you Lord. How could you come down to earth, knowing that You were going to suffer so much?’

“And, if I had not come down, should I have had the joy of instituting My Eucharist where I remain right to the end of the centuries?”
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The source for this article is from the excellent book "He and I" by Gabrielle Bossis, 1985, translated by Evelyn M. Brown, published by Editions Mediaspaul, Imprimatur- Msgr Jean-Marie Fortier, Archbishop, Sherbrooke, Quebec, available here: http://www.catholicfreeshipping.com/Products/cfs_heandibygabo.html 


Visions of Christ and the disciples

The stigmata appear :


Within a year of being cured of paralysis, the first signs of the stigmata appeared, beginning with the wound above the heart. Therese said:

One night, I was busy with my prayers, without being particularly conscious of the passion of Christ, when for the first time, I saw the Savior in the Garden of Olives sweating blood. He looked at me with a loving expression, and at that very moment I felt as if someone had pierced me through the heart with a sharp object, and then withdrawn it. I noticed that blood was flowing, and I felt this stabbing pain in my heart which, with the exception of Easter Week, has never left me completely.

Subsequently, on Good Friday, April 13 1926, Therese had her first vision of Christ’s entire passion. Once again, whenever Christ looked at her lovingly, new wounds would appear on her body. Therese received these wounds and those that appeared later as God’s will, sent to propitiate the sins of others and to draw souls closer to the Christ.


Visions of Christ and the  disciples :

During her weekly visions of the Christ’s passion, Therese experienced the same physical and mental agonies as Christ. The visions occurred every Friday, except for certain holy days, and increased in intensity during Lent, reaching a climax on Good Friday.

In her ecstatic state, Therese answered questions that elicited more details about the historical events. Linguists confirmed her accurate use of Aramaic and other foreign languages, unknown to her. Each year, Therese also had as many as a hundred others visions of the lives Christ and his disciples.

On August 6, 1926, following a vision of Christ’s transfiguration, Therese experienced no further need of food or drink, and little need for sleep. Therese told Paramhansa Yogananda in 1935: “One of the reasons that I am here on earth is to prove that man can live by God’s invisible light, and not by food only.”


Therese Neumann gave up eating and drinking !!




Soon after the stigmata appeared in 1926, she drank only a small cup of tea daily. That did not attract much attention. But one day in 1927 a vision again appeared before her saying that she no longer needed any earthly food or drink. From, 1927 till her death in 1962 she did not eat anything, she did not drink anything! 

Professors and Doctors were flabbergasted. One Dr. Otto Buchinger arrived in Konnersreuth with his team to expose "the pure fable" with his scientific equipment. After a thorough German fashion investigation, the learned Doctor wrote a book "Wirkliches and Wirkendes" (The Real and the Workable), in which he declared without any hesitation that this was no fraud. Here was something which defied the modern science. 

The phenomena and the miracles were inexplicable by any so called rational thinking. Some mysticism was at work here. How can a human being seemingly in mortal flesh stop eating and drinking? How can a simple woman actually physically suffer the same agony as Lord Jesus suffered on the Cross? And develop the same scene in her own person and body? 

Even the church had sent three nurses to find out the truth or otherwise of the miracle of "inedia" (the ability to survive without food and drink). She was kept under the closest -watch, even when she was bathing, to ensure she is not gulping down any water! When she rinsed her mouth, the water taken in and thrown out was measured, to find whether any water was swallowed. There was no escape. Miracle went on happening. 
(This checking by the Church was done from 14-7-1927 to 28-7-1927.) 

The only thing Therese put on he tongue was the sacred Wafer, which the Church Priest offered during communion ( a kind of collective prayer). The Wafer just disappeared on her tongue! It was observed that at times the wafer would fly from the priest's hand and float through the air into her mouth. This is recorded in a Book: "Therese Neumann von Konnersreuth" by Fritz Gerlich (1929), and even photographed. 

At times during her ecstasies, she would fall to her knees and stretch out her tongue, when a host wafer would suddenly materialise on it! (D. Scott Rego's "Miracles" Contemporary Books Inc Chicago - 1982, page 69) 

Therese's miracles do not end here. There is one more - perhaps most amazing to those who think that science explains everything and that anything defying the laws discovered by science does not exist. It was observed that the blood that came out during stigmata defied gravity. The phenomenon was carefully witnessed on 8-7-1927 by a reporter from "Berlin Hefte' at Therese's home. He was present during the Passion on that day. He reported: - 
"Soon a drop of blood which increased in size formed at one of the foot stigmata. It grew and grew in size until finally it dropped from the wound. Gravity would have commanded that the drop of blood flows downwards. But it didn’t. It flowed almost directly upward towards the toes, exactly as happened almost 2000 years ago on the Cross of the Christ". (D. Scott Rego - ibid page 69) 

This is then the story of a great woman Saint of this century, who defied all the egoistic psyche of modern science and modem thinking. She proved that the Lord of your Love has His eyes on you. He can come to you in unpredictable ways. Only one condition should be satisfied. you should be, as Marcus says, "desperately, deeply, violently in love with Him." 

May you, my Parsi reader, have the same Love and Attraction towards Asho Zarathushtra as Therese had for her Lord. Pray that your consciousness may awaken to the presence of your Paigambar Saheb within you. May His Lightening thunder on the dark clouds of confusion, and the Rain of His grace immerse you fully and completely.
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Dr. Otto Buchinger on Therese Neumann 

" I must declare that despite all care and watchfulness, we were unable to arrive at any conclusion or explanation as to the fasting of Therese Neumann or as to the phenomenon of Stigmata. There is no indication that hysteria is here at work. What we can conclude but that in the truly devout stigmatist of Konnersrenth there is - whether we like it or not – something spiritual which causes these phenomena. All honour to our science and its methods but there is something at work which defies rational explanation." 

("Wirkliches and Wirhendes." - quoted by Dr. Marcus Bach in "The Circle of Faith" Hawthom, 1956.) 

 (Parsi Pukar – JULY 1996 Vol. 2; No.1) 
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Saint Gemma

Gemma cured by Miracle :

Gemma soon began to grow ill. She developed a curvature of the spine. Also, meningitis set in and left her deaf. Large abscesses formed on her head, her hair fell off, and finally her limbs became paralyzed. A doctor was called in and tried many remedies which all failed. She only grew worse.

Gemma began a devotion to Venerable Gabriel Possenti of the Sorrowful Mother (Now St. Gabriel). On her sickbed she read his life story. She later wrote regarding Venerable Gabriel:

“… I grew in admiration of his virtues and his ways. My devotion to him increased. At night I did not sleep without having his picture under my pillow, and after that I began to see him near me. I don’t know how to explain this, but I felt his presence. At all times and in every action Brother Gabriel came to mind.”

Gemma, now 20 years old, was seemingly on her deathbed. A novena was suggested as the only chance for a cure. At midnight on February 23rd, 1899, she heard the rattling of a rosary and realized that Venerable Gabriel was appearing to her. He spoke to Gemma:

“Do you wish to recover? Pray with faith every evening to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I will come to you until the Novena is ended, and will pray together to this Most Sacred Heart.”

On the first Friday of March the Novena ended. The grace was granted; Gemma was cured.
As she got up, those around her cried with joy. Yes, a miracle had taken place!

On the 8th of June 1899, after receiving communion, Our Lord let His servant know that the same evening He would give her a very great grace.

Gemma went home and prayed. She went into ecstasy and felt a great remorse for sin. The Blessed Mother, to whom St. Gemma was tremendously devoted, appeared to her and spoke:

“My son Jesus loves thee beyond measure and wishes to give thee a grace. I will be a mother to thee. Wilt thou be a true child?” The Most Blessed Virgin then opened her mantle and covered Gemma in it.

Here is how St. Gemma relates how she received the stigmata:

“At that moment Jesus appeared with all his wounds open, but from these wounds there no longer came forth blood, but flames of fire. In an instant these flames came to touch my hands, my feet and my heart. I felt as if I were dying, and should have fallen to the ground had not my mother held me up, while all the time I remained beneath her mantle. I had to remain several hours in that position. Finally she kissed my forehead, all vanished, and I found myself kneeling. But I still felt great pain in my hands, feet and heart. I rose to go to bed, and became aware that blood was flowing from those parts where I felt pain. I covered them as well as I could, and then helped by my Angel, I was able to go to bed …”

During the remainder of Gemma's life, several people, including respected ecclesiastics of the Church, witnessed this recurring miracle of the holy stigmata to the pius maiden of Lucca. One eyewitness stated:

“Blood came from her (St. Gemma’s) wounds in great abundance. When she was standing, it flowed to the ground, and when in bed it not only wet the sheets, but saturated the whole mattress. I measured some streams or pools of this blood, and they were from twenty to twenty-five inches long and about two inches wide.”

Like St. Francis of Assisi and recently Padre Pio, Gemma can too say: Nemo mihi molestus sit. Ego enim stigmata Domini Jesu in corpore meo porto: Let no man harm me, for I bear the marks of the Lord Jesus in my body.


St. Gemma’s Devotion to her Guardian Angel :

Gemma’s Guardian Angel would frequently appear to her. They would carry on a conversation the same way as if one were speaking to his best friend. Gemma’s purity and innocence must have drawn this Glorious Angel from Heaven to her side. Gemma and her Angel with his wings outstretched or kneeling beside her, would recite vocal prayers or Psalms alternately. When meditating on the Passion of Our Lord, her Angel would inspire her with the most sublime insights into this mystery. Her Guardian Angel once spoke to her regarding Christ’s Agonies: 

“Look at what Jesus has suffered for man. Consider one by one these Wounds. It is Love that has opened them all. See how execrable (horrible) sin is, since to expiate it, so much pain and so much love have been necessary.”


St. Gemma’s Last Illness and Heroic Death :

In 1902 Gemma in good health since her miraculous cure, offered herself to God as a victim for the salvation of souls. Jesus accepted her offer. She then fell dangerously ill. She could not keep any food down. Though briefly recovering her health, through Divine Providence, she quickly fell sick again. On September 21, 1902 she began to throw up pure blood that came with the violent loving throbbings of her heart. Meanwhile she went through a spiritual martyrdom as she experienced aridity and no consolation in her spiritual exercises. To add to that her enemy the devil multiplied his attacks on the young Virgin of Lucca.

Satan redoubled his war on Gemma as he knew the end was near. He strove to persuade her that she was entirely abandoned by God. He used hellish apparitions and even rained physical blows on her fragile body.

An eyewitness who was nursing Gemma said:

“That abominable beast will be the end of our dear Gemma - deafening blows, forms of ferocious animals, etc.- I came away from her with tears because the demon is wearing her out.”

Gemma unceasingly called on the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, still the battle waged on. Her Spiritual Director Fr. Germano regarding Gemma’s last struggle stated:

“The poor sufferer passed days, weeks and months in this way, giving us an example of heroic patience and motives for salutary fear of what may happen to us, who have not Gemma’s merits at the terrible hour of death.”

Yet through all these trials Gemma never complained, she only prayed. Gemma was at the end. She was practically a living skeleton but still beautiful despite the ravages of her sickness. She was administered Viaticum.

In her last words she said:

“I seek for nothing more; I have made the sacrifice of everything and of everyone to God; now I prepare to die.” She gasped, “Now it is indeed true that nothing more remains to me, Jesus. I recommend my poor soul to Thee … Jesus!"

Gemma then smiled a heavenly smile and letting her head drop on one side, ceased to live.

One of the sisters present at her death clothed Gemma’s body in the habit of the Passionists, which was the order to which Gemma had always aspired.

This blessed death happened on Holy Saturday April 11th, 1903 when Gemma Galgani was in her 25th year.


MIRACLES OF ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA

PART I


MIRACLES WORKED DURING THE LIFE OF ST. ANTHONY




1. The Miracle of Tongues

AMONG the saints of the Church  few are better known than the  great St. Anthony of Padua. Endowed with great natural gifts, enjoying excellent health, a powerful voice, combined with great eloquence, an  admirable delivery, a perfect knowledge of the Scriptures and theology, he was, soon after his ordination, sent to preach in France, Italy and Portugal. 

Although in his youth he had never spoken anything but Portuguese, he, like the apostles after Pentecost, re- ceived that wonderful gift of tongues, which not only enabled him to preach even with eloquence in French and Italian, but to make himself under stood by people from all parts of the world. 

An instance of this may be given: 
When ordered by the Holy See to preach the Lenten sermons at Rome he was perfectly understood by the immense multitude from all nations, whom the renown of his great sanctity and marvellous gifts had attracted. 
This same gift was of most frequent occurrence during his missionary career. 


2. Dumb Animals Obey the Saint  

There was near the monastery of the Friars Minor, at Montpellier, a large pool filled with frogs, whose perpetual croakings greatly disturbed the saint and his community. At last, wearied by this perpetual noise, he determined to put an end to it, and going to the pond, after blessing it, ordered the frogs to stop their croaking, which at once ceased, and the pond from that time was called St. Anthony's Pond. 

But stranger still, if a frog was taken out of this pond and placed in another, it instantly recovered its power of croaking, while it was just the reverse were a strange frog put into St. Anthony's Pond. 


3. The Sermon to the Fishes at Rimini 

During the eleventh and twelfth centuries Europe had much to suffer from various heresies, more especially from that of the Albigenses, which infested the south of France and north of Italy. 

God, ever watchful over His spouse, the Church, soon raised up two great men, St. Francis and St. Dominic, who, with their sons, came to her assistance. 

St. Anthony of Padua, on account of his great sanctity and learning, was chosen by his superiors to be one of the first to enter the battlefield. Rimini, in Romagna, in spite of all the endeavors of the Holy See and of its own saintly bishop, continued to remain the hotbed of heresy, and here it was St. Anthony began his arduous task of conversion. 

The heretics, on hearing who was to enter the lists against them, were filled with dismay, but instigated by the evil one, resolved at any cost to face their enemy. 

The saint on his arrival met with the reverse of a cordial reception; the church in which he was to begin his labors was empty, save for a few old men and women; but his longing for the glory of God and salvation of souls was too great to make him hesitate for a moment. He therefore ascended the pulpit, and preached with such earnestness and zeal that the heretics, on hearing about it, determined to leave nothing undone to get rid of one who was so dangerous an opponent. 

This great servant of God, being informed of their intentions, withdrew to a remote part of the city, to prepare himself by prayer, fasting and penance for the encounter, imploring at the same time the mercy of God on this poor benighted people. 

His enemies had, however, not lost sight of him, and on seeing him leave his retreat, some of them followed him to the place where the river Marecchia empties itself into the Adriatic. Here the saint stopped, and in a loud voice commanded the fishes of the sea and river to come forth and listen to the word of God, saying: "Come, ye senseless fishes of the deep, and by your attention to the word of your God and mine, put to shame these men, who in their blindness and hardness of heart refuse to hear it." 

The words were barely out of the saint's mouth before a great commotion was noticed in the sea. Thousands of fishes of every size and species were seen to come in the greatest order to its surface, the smaller ones placing themselves in front, and the larger ones behind. Then began one of the most extraordinary sermons ever preached. The saint addressed them as if they were beings endowed with reason. 

"Oh! ye fishes of the deep, praise and thank your God and Creator for the unspeakable blessings He has lavished on you, favoring you above all dumb animals. See and admire the beautiful home He, in His infinite goodness, has prepared for you; look at those crystal waters, in which it is so easy for you to find a refuge against the storm and the enemy. Not only has He provided for all your wants, but He has made you prolific above all other creatures. You alone have been exempted from the dominion of your fellow beings and from His wrath at the time of the deluge. To you it has been given to save His prophet Jonas; to cure His blind servant. Tobias; to be the food of the penitent; to procure for the Saviour of mankind and His disciples the tribute money due to Caesar; it was after His Resurrection by eating of your flesh He proved He was truly risen from the dead; it was over your heads He walked on the sea, and after the great draught of fishes, He called His apostles fishers of men." 

The fishes seemed to be filled with admiration, and anxious not to lose one of his words, their numbers ever increasing, marking their approval by the lifting up and down of their heads, the opening of their mouths, but not one of them thought of leaving the spot till the saint had blessed them, and ordered them to return to their homes below, when they immediately disappeared. But the commotion of the waters continued for some time after. In the meantime, so deep had been the impression made upon the bystanders, eye-witnesses of this remarkable scene, that many hastened back to the city, imploring their friends to come and see the miracle; others burst into tears, and kneeling at the feet of the saint, implored forgiveness, while only a few remained obdurate in their heresy. 

St. Anthony, availing himself of this opportunity, at the close of the sermon to the fishes addressed the immense multitude now gathered together, exhorting them to repentance, rebuking them for their unbelief and ingratitude, pointing out to them the heinousness of sin, and showing them what a lesson of obedience the fishes had just given them. 


It was through this sermon that Rimini was purged from heresy. 


4. Why St. Anthony is Invoked for Lost  and Mislaid Things 

The following incident in the life of St. Anthony accounts for his being invoked for lost and mislaid articles: 

During his stay at the Franciscan monastery at Montpellier St. Anthony was not only engaged in preaching, but also in teaching theology to his younger brethren. It was here a most extraordinary adventure happened to one of his novices. The latter, weary of the monastic life, suddenly left the monastery, taking with him a book of psalms, copied and annotated by the saint for the benefit of his pupils. 

The loss of this book was deeply felt by St. Anthony, as books at that time were only written, the art of printing being unknown, an ordinary book costing at least a hundred dollars of our money. 

In the year 1240 the monks at Camaldoli paid as much as two hundred gold ducats for an illuminated missal. (See History of Pope Innocent III., volume iv.) Whole fortunes sometimes were spent in the purchase of a single book. 

What pained the saint even more than the loss of a work invaluable to him, was the outrage committed against God,and the spiritual danger threatening the culprit. The saint, with his usual trust in God, at once betook himself to prayer, humbly imploring the divine mercy on the unhappy youth, and at the same time asking for the restitution of  his book. His prayer was barely finished before it was heard. Just at that moment, as the thief was about to cross a  bridge, the devil, in the shape of a hideous negro, appeared before him with an axe in his hand, threatening at once to kill him and trample him under foot if he did not immediately retrace his steps. The novice, terrified at the sight of the monster, hastened to obey, and falling at the feet of the servant of God, not only gave back the book, but implored forgiveness, begging to be readmitted into the monastery. 

The saint, full of gratitude to God, readily forgave the culprit, warning  him at the same time against the snares of the devil and encouraging  him to persevere in his holy vocation. 

The stolen book has been for years  preserved in the Franciscan monastery at Bologna. 


5. A Messenger from Hell Unmasked 

While the saint was preaching at Puy a messenger suddenly appeared in the midst of the congregation, calling out to a lady in a loud voice that her son had been foully murdered by his enemies. Anthony, who easily discovered who the messenger was, commanded silence by a motion of his hand, and, after consoling the lady by telling her that her son was never in better health in his life and that she would shortly see him, added that the supposed messenger was no other than the evil one, who had only come in the hopes of disturbing the sermon and marring its effects. This proved perfectly true, as the pretended messenger at once vanished. The saintly preacher then availed himself of the opportunity thus presented to him to warn his hearers against the artifices of the evil  one. 


6. The Consoler of Mothers 

Whilst at Brives God glorified His ervant by making him work many miracles. 

A poor woman had gone to hear the saint preach, leaving her child alone, with no one to take care of him. 

During her absence the little one fell into a caldron of boiling water, and on her return she found him playing unhurt in his dangerous bath. 

But a greater miracle than that was worked on another occasion. A mother having left her infant at home by itself, in order to go and hear the sermon, found him on her return dead in his cradle. In the midst of her grief she rushed back to the church and informed the saint of what had taken place. "Go home," he replied, "your son liveth," making use of the same words as Our Lord did when the father asked Him to cure his son. Full of confidence in St. Anthony, she hastened back, and to her great joy, found the baby up and playing with his little companions. 


7. The Rain respects the Friend of the Saints 

It happened one day that the cook of the monastery at which the saint was staying had nothing to give the brethren to eat, and went and told Anthony of his difficulty. The saint at once went to see a pious lady he knew, begging her to have compassion on his brethren and send them a few cabbages. So great was the veneration in which he was held that she immediately, in spite of the inclemency of the weather, for it was pouring rain, ordered her servant to go into the garden and cut as many vegetables as the monks would require.  

The maid obeyed and took them to the convent. Notwithstanding the drenching rain, she returned home perfectly dry, and, full of admiration, said to her mistress: "When you want something done for Father Anthony or the other monks, do, pray, send me; I would not care if the weather was a thousand times worse than to-day; see, there is not a drop of rain on my clothes and my shoes are not even damp." 

The lady, full of admiration, earnestly recommended the monks to the care of her only brother, a canon at Noblet,entreating him to assist them, as far as lay in his power, and to rest assured that God would reward him a hundredfold for his charity. 


8. An Extraordinary Prophecy 

While the saint was at his monastery at Puy he used sometimes to meet a lawyer, who led a very bad and profligate life. Every time they met the saint would uncover his head and bow most respectfully to him. Thinking the servant of God was only laughing at him, the lawyer one day turned round and said to him: "If I did not fear the judgment of God I would soon make you repent of insulting one who has never injured you, by thrusting my sword through your body." 

The saint replied that, far from having any intention of insulting him, he only bowed through a feeling of deep love and respect, for in thus saluting him he was saluting one who was to be a glorious martyr, and begged of him, when undergoing his tortures, not to forget  him in his prayers. The lawyer for the time being laughed at what seemed to him to be a most unlikely thing. Strange to say, the prophecy was shortly afterwards fulfilled. A bishop started for Palestine, with the intention of converting the Saracens, and urged on by a secret impulse from heaven, the lawyer followed him. On his arrival he  was suddenly filled with such a desire to convert the infidels that he himself at once began to preach the truths of the Christian religion to them and point out the wickedness of Mahometanism, which so enraged these fanatics that after making him a prisoner and torturing him for three days, they put him to death. When about to die he revealed to those present how the saintly Father Anthony had predicted his martyrdom, declaring at the same time that a great prophet had risen in their midst. 


9. St. Anthony the 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, the Life of St. Anthony. 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 remarkable beauty and highly gifted. Her rare talents, winning manners and accomplishments soon made her a general favorite in society, which so incensed 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 inspired 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 bystanders smiled at this childish question. But the servant of God had an object in view, the justification of the innocent. 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 sitting 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. 


13. The Apparition of the Holy Child.  


The Friars Minor had no monastery within the walls of Padua, the nearest one, at Arcella, outside the city, being about three-quarters of an hour's walk. It often happened that, owing to the gates being closed early in the evening, it was impossible for the saint on account of his missionary work, to return home. But he easily found a night's shelter among his friends, who were only too happy to have him for their guest. Tito Borghese, Count of Campo San Pietro,one of the saint's dearest friends, was among the few whom he honored the most with his presence. This noble man had so great a veneration for him that he carefully  noted down all that took place during his visits, even rising up at night to watch his guest through the keyhole. Once, when thus visiting him, he noticed an extra ordinary light piercing through the chinks of the saint's apartments. Anxious to discover the cause of this, he drew near, and to his great surprise saw through the cracks of the door St. Anthony holding a beautiful child in his arms, whom he was lovingly caressing. His host was first at a loss to understand how this lovely infant had entered the apartment of his guest, but soon discovered, through his majestic bearing and the rapture of St. Anthony, that the child was no other than our divine Lord, who, under this form, had come to console, encourage and strengthen His faithful servant. The apparition lasted some time, then suddenly disappeared, leaving the room in total darkness. At once the saint rose from his prayers, and on going to his bedroom, knocked against his host in the dark. 


As if guilty of a crime, he entreated his friend not to betray his secret. During the lifetime of St. Anthony the Count faithfully kept his word, but after his death, with tears streaming down his face, he gave a minute account of everything that had taken place. The heavenly light, of a bluish color, issuing forth from the divine Child, although brighter and more beautiful than the sun, did not dazzle the eye, whilst at the same time the heart was filled with unutterable joy. 


He, moreover, declared that the holy Child Himself had informed the saint,by pointing to the door with His finger, that he was watched, but that St. Anthony appeared to pay no attention to this, as if anxious not to deprive his friend of this heavenly consolation. He furthermore added that the holy Child was standing on the breviary of the saint. 

This apparition has been so frequently mentioned by old historians that its veracity cannot be doubted. It is for this reason St. Anthony is usually represented with the holy Child standing on his breviary. 


14. Flight to Lisbon


While the father of St. Anthony, Don Martin de Buglione, was living at Lisbon a murder was committed in the street close to his house and the corpse thrown into his garden, so that suspicion might fall upon him. The nobleman was in fact accused of the murder, thrust into prison, and a long and painful trial began, with every prospect of ending in his being condemned to death. St. Anthony was just then at the monastery in Padua working for the interests of that God for whose sake he had left everything dear to him. But God, in permitting this accusation, intended through it to make His beloved child known and  glorified in  his own land. Informed during prayer of his father's situation, he, in spite of his being provincial, went at once, according to his usual custom, to beg permission from the superiors to absent himself from the monastery for a few days. This granted, he started for Lisbon, convinced he would reach that city before sentence of death had been pronounced, meanwhile continuing his prayers for his unhappy parent. After journeying some distance he suddenly found himself transported to Lisbon, and his feelings can be easily imagined on receiving this fresh favor from heaven. 


He at once went to the place where the court was sitting, and began to plead his poor father's cause. The judges, although struck by the eloquence and cleverness of this strange Father, could not be convinced of the innocence of the accused. Anthony, repulsed by men, did not lose heart, and after a few moments spent in prayer, without asking leave or giving the judges time to recover from their  astonishment, went to the cemetery, followed by the judges and an immense crowd of people, attracted hither by curiosity, and ordered the body of the murdered man to be exhumed. As soon as the coffin was visible he then, in a loud voice, in the name of God, commanded the deceased to bear witness before the judges present as to whether Don Martin de Buglione was his murderer or not. The corpse at once obeyed, and sitting up, one hand raised and the other leaning against the ground, replied in a clear and sonorous voice: "Don Martin de Buglione is not my murderer." The youth then entreated St. Anthony to give him the priestly absolution from excommunication which his sudden death  had deprived him of. After receiving it he quietly laid him self down in his coffin, not to be disturbed again. As for St. Anthony, he suddenly disappeared from both judges and people, who cried aloud, as if awaking from a dream: "A miracle! a miracle! a great miracle!" It was thus that through the intervention of his son Don Martin de Buglione was declared innocent and restored to liberty. 


The reply, "I am come to save the innocent, and not to betray the guilty," which St. Anthony made to the judges when asked who was then the real culprit, soon spread far and wide. He returned back to the monastery of Santa Maria dell' Arcella in the same miraculous manner after an absence of one day and two nights. 


15. St. Anthony Again Rescues His Father  


St. Anthony's father held an important post at the court of Lisbon.What it was is not exactly known; but it is certain he had a great deal to do in the management of the royal revenues. Owing to the fact that he always thought others as good and honest as himself, he one day neglected asking for a receipt from certain officials of the royal household, to whom he had paid large sums of money. The latter, jealous of his high position, and more especially of the royal favors lavished on him, had long been waiting for an opportunity to ruin him. They, therefore, gladly availed themselves of this occasion, declaring they had not received the money. A lawsuit was begun, and he certainly must have lost it for want of proofs but for the intervention of his son, Anthony, who suddenly appeared before the dishonest officials, and, looking them straight in the face, bore witness as to the day, hour, place, and even coin, in which the money had been paid, at the same time threatening them with the vengeance of God did they not at once give the required receipt. Terrified at having to confront such a witness, the enemies of the count acknowledged having received the money, and from that time Don Martin de Buglione was no longer molested by his enemies. 


16. Where Your Treasure Is, 


There Also is Your Heart Among the many vices infesting Florence, usury was the one against which the saint waged the greatest war. 

St. Bonaventure himself relates an occurrence which took place in that city, and of which St. Anthony availed  himself in one of his sermons to illustrate how severely God punishes that vice. 

A rich usurer died, and whilst the saint was in prayer God revealed to him that this man's soul was in hell on account of his unjust dealings with others. An immense crowd of people had gone to hear the saint preach the funeral sermon. He at once, on ascending the pulpit, began by pointing out the heinousness of the sin of usury, declaring that usurers in their thirst for gold were the enemies of mankind, desiring nothing so much as war, famine, pestilence and so forth, so as to enrich themselves at the expense of others, and satisfy their craving for those riches in which their happiness alone consisted. Then, speaking with still greater emphasis, he exclaimed: 

"They are also the enemies of their own souls, for it is indeed rare for a usurer to become holy." Adding: 

"This is precisely what has happened to the one to whom these last honors are being paid," and pointing to the catafalque before him, he continued: 


"To prove the truth of my assertion you need only go and look at the chest of money, which, for the short time he lived on earth, was the joy and god of his heart, and you will find there that heart lying under his gold. For the Son of God Himself has declared, 'Where your treasure is there also is your heart.' " 

The people at this announcement remained at first perfectly dumbfounded, after which crowds of them rushed to the house of the deceased in order to ascertain for themselves the truth of this assertion, insisting upon the chest being opened, and there, to their great astonishment, found the heart still warm, lying under the gold. But not yet fully convinced of the truth, they again returned to the church where the corpse was lying, and on opening the body found no heart in it. Filled with indignation against the usurer, they declared his body should not be buried in consecrated ground, and taking it off the catafalque, dragged it out of the city and threw it on a place where dead beasts were buried. 

This wonderful occurrence did not fail to produce a good and lasting impression on the people. From that time usury was almost stamped out of Florence; but the respect and veneration in which St. Anthony was held were such that  he and his companion fled from the city to seek the solitude of Mt. Alvernia. 

17. St. Anthony Cures a Cripple 


Whilst the saint was at Padua a youth called Leonardo accused himself in confession of having kicked his mother so violently that she fell to the ground. St. Anthony, wishing to make him understand the enormity of his crime, said to him: "The foot of one who kicks father or mother deserves to be cut off." The young man did not understand his words in the sense he meant them, and on returning home actually went and chopped off the foot with which he had kicked his mother. This news soon reached the ears of the saint, who at once went to see the youth. After making the sign of the cross upon the mutilated limb both leg and foot were again joined together, without leaving any mark. 


18. Bilocation of the Saint 

Another wonderful miracle has been handed down to posterity. Whilst preaching on Easter Sunday in the cathedral  at Montpellier the saint suddenly remembered he had to sing the Alleluia at the convent Mass. He paused for an  instant and was silent, as if trying to get breath. But in reality he was singing the Alleluia in his own monastery,  after which he resumed his sermon. Such occurrences naturally caused St. Anthony to beheld in great veneration by  everybody. 


19. Wind and Rain Obey St. Anthony  

Another extraordinary occurrence took place at Bourges, in France, the representation of which was long to be seen carved on one of the portals of the cathedral. 


Owing to the vast crowds who wanted to hear the saint preach, it was found impossible for any of the churches or squares within the city to contain them. It was therefore decided to hire a large field outside the city walls, and the people, headed by the canons and clergy, walked in procession to the place. Fortunately it was summer. When St. Anthony began his first sermon the weather was magnificent, but suddenly the sky became overcast, a high wind began to  blow, dark clouds were seen floating in the air, and distant peals of thunder were heard. The immense crowd became alarmed and began to think of  seeking- shelter, when the saint, noticing the movement, quietly said to  them: "Do not be frightened, remain  in your places; not one drop of rain will touch you."  

Full of confidence in his words not one left, and St. Anthony continued his sermon in the midst of a most terrific hail and thunder-storm, and neither the saint nor his vast congregation received one drop of rain. 

Even the ground on which they stood was perfectly dry, just in the same manner as when ages before the Israelites passed through the waters of the Red Sea. 

At the sight of the miracle a hymn of praise and thanksgiving to that God whom the rain and winds obey burst forth from the lips of all those present, who were also filled with still greater respect and veneration toward one whom God so highly favored. 


20. Zeal for the Word of God  


The more St. Anthony endeavored to remain hidden and unknown, the more did God exalt His servant be fore his death. A noble lady, richly dressed, was going to hear one of the Lenten sermons preached by the saint, accompanied by her servants. Absorbed in her own thoughts, she paid little attention to the road, and fell into a pool filled with dirty water. She naturally expected to be covered with mud, which, to her great vexation, would have  prevented her from hearing the sermon. Strange to say, on her being assisted out of the pool, not a speck of mud was to be seen on her clothes. 


The news of this miracle was soon repeated from mouth to mouth, and was universally attributed to the prayers of St. Anthony. 


A twofold lesson can be learned from it. First, that extravagance in dress, even in the wealthy, is displeasing to God, and secondly, that the hearing of the word of God is certain to bring down a blessing. 


21.The Saint's Sermon is Heard at a Great Distance 


A woman, living at about an hour's distance from the church where the saint was to preach, wanted very much to hear him, but was prevented, owing to her husband's illness. Not able to console herself for the loss, she stepped out on to the balcony and leaning on the railings, longingly looked in the direction where the sermon was being preached. Suddenly she fancied she could hear every word the preacher said, as distinctly as if she had been inside the church. Fearing it might be an illusion, she ran and begged her husband to come and listen. The sick man at once complied with her request, and he also distinctly heard what the saint said. Their joy can be easily imagined; but in order to be sure it was no illusion on their part, they asked their neighbors on their coming home what was the subject of the sermon, and then informed them of what had taken place, to the greater glory of God and of His holy servant Anthony. 


22. Cure of a Paralyzed Child  


One day after his sermon, as the saint was hurrying back to his monastery, in order to avoid the applause of the multitude, he was stopped by a man carrying in his arms a little girl, both of whose feet were paralyzed, so that it was impossible for her to walk. Besides this, she suffered from epileptic fits of extraordinary violence. The unhappy father, full of confidence in the saint, determined to ask his assistance, and kneeling at his feet, holding the little one in his arms, implored him to bless her. Filled with pity for the unhappy parent, St. Anthony immediately did as requested. On his return home the poor man, certain his child was cured, placed her on the ground, making her stand, holding by the rail of a bench. Shortly afterward, when she began to take a few steps, he  gave her a stick, but soon  that was discarded, and Padovana, full of glee, was seen running about the room,  perfectly cured. From that  time she never suffered either from epilepsy or paralysis. 

These wonderful cures were almost of daily occurrence, so that the same thing could have been said of the saint as of Our Lord : "He went about doing good and curing all." 


23. A Martyr's Death Predicted 


God also bestowed upon His servant the gift of prophecy, and the saint predicted to a woman at Assisi that the son about to be born to her would suffer martyrdom, which indeed happened. He was called Philip, and after joining the Franciscans was sent to Asia, recently recaptured from the Christians by the Saracens. After courageously refusing to abjure Christianity and embrace Mahometanism, he was cruelly tortured, being flayed alive, and he, with several other Christians whom he encouraged to suffer martyrdom, was beheaded. 


24. Death of St. Anthony 


The Great Miracle Worked After His Death The city of Padua, so often the scene of St. Anthony's apostolic labors during his lifetime, was also to witness his death. On his return to that city, just before Lent, he was entreated to preach the Lenten sermons. This, in spite of his excessive weakness, he agreed to do. 

But hardly were they finished before he felt himself attacked with that illness which he knew would be his last. He received all the sacraments with the greatest devotion, having only one desire left, that of soon beholding the face of his God. 

On the 13th of June, whilst the saint was lying in his death agony on his  wretched pallet, in a small convent near Padua, towards evening, the news reached the city that he was ill, dying. 

Immediately an immense crowd of people hastened to the monastery to ascertain the truth, and receive a last  blessing from their beloved father. 

When about to breathe his last the dying saint, as if anxious to give one more token of his love for our blessed Lady, was distinctly heard, in the midst of the tears and sobs of those surrounding his bedside, to sing in an angelic voice the beautiful line: gloriosa Domina, excelsa super sidera "O glorious Mother of God, raised above the skies," and with these words on his lips he expired. 

God, to glorify His saint, worked many miracles in his behalf, but the greatest took place A. D. 1326, thirtytwo years after his death. The inhabitants of Padua had built a magnificent church in his memory, and St. Bonaventure came himself to superintend the removal of the body. On opening the coffin nothing but bones were found, except the tongue, which was exactly the same as when the saint was alive. At this sight St. Bonaventure, falling on his knees, thus apostrophized it: "O blessed tongue, who hast so often praised your God, now does He, in His turn, make manifest how great are your merits." He then placed it in a magnificent casket, covered with precious stones, and  carried it to the chapel, where it is still to be seen. 


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PART II


MIRACLES WORKED AFTER THE DEATH OF ST. ANTHONY


25. A Skull Injured  


A YOUNG relative of the saint had so injured his skull through a fall that there was no hope of saving him through human means. The child was taken and placed on the altar dedicated to St. Anthony, and was so completely cured that he never suffered from any pain in his head again. 


26. The Picture of St. Anthony 


In the year 1683, Antonia Palormi, a young girl of fourteen, living at Naples, fell on her head from a great height on to the top of a stone building. She bled profusely from her right ear and was half killed. The child, who had a great devotion to her name sake, St. Anthony, not only wore a picture of the saint round her neck, but used daily to recite the thirteen Our Fathers and Hail Marys in his honor. In the midst of her battle between life and death, he appeared to her, and taking hold of her by her hair, said: "Even had you not called upon me, I would have come to your rescue, on account of your devotion to me." She, at once, out of gratitude, joined the Order of St. Francis. 


27. In Company with St. Anthony


A child had fallen into the water, and its mother, who, from a distance, saw the accident, cried out: "Oh! St. Anthony, help." She looked in vain for her son, but at last, discovering him among the reeds in the river, succeeded in saving him. He was not at all hurt, but laughed heartily. On being asked the cause of his merriment, he replied: "I was playing with St. Anthony, who told the water not to harm me, and I like playing with him." 


28. Boys Playing in a Mill Stream 


A nobleman had promised to make every year a pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Anthony, in thanksgiving for his having obtained for him the birth of a lovely boy, the darling of his heart. When the child was old enough, he used to accompany his parents to Padua. But one year, just as they were about starting, the boy fell ill, and the father went alone. In a few days he was quite well again, and one day went out with his little companions to play in the dry bed of a mill stream, near the fields. Whilst they were amusing themselves, the water was suddenly turned on, and  no trace of the ten children could be found. The grief of the distracted mothers on hearing the news of this accident, can easily be imagined. In the meantime the count returned from Padua, and his first thought was to ask for his son. At first no one dared tell him the truth, but soon it eked out. 


In the midst of his anguish, on learning this news, he had recourse to St.Anthony and said to him: "My dear, holy protector, it rests with you to restore to me the child you gave me, for surely you will not take him back." 


After this prayer, he rose from his knees, certain that his heavenly friend would not desert him. He was right, for hearing the noise of boyish laughter, he looked out of his window and saw the merry little band of children, with his son in their midst, returning home from the meadow. It would be impossible here to describe the feelings of the happy parents. The boys, on being questioned how they had spent their time, replied they had had lots of fun, but knew nothing of what had happened. In this manner did the saint reward the pilgrimage of his pious votaries, by saving the lives of those little  
ones so dear to them. 


29. Back from Paradise


A Spanish princess had died, and her funeral was already ordered, but the queen mother, who had a great devotion to St. Anthony, now that all human assistance was of no avail had recourse to his intercession. In her grief she never left the corpse of her beloved daughter, and, with streaming eyes, said to our divine Lord: "It will not cost you more to raise my daughter from the dead than it did when you raised Lazarus from the grave, after being buried four  days." 

St. Anthony in heaven joined in her supplications, and to the joy and astonishment of all present, the young girl arose, and said to her mother: "Dearest mother, while you were praying to St. Anthony, I was in heaven, amid the choir of virgins, and I so clearly understood all the vanities of this world that I entreated God not to hear your prayers. He replied He could not refuse any favor to His servant, St. Anthony, and that also, on account of your earnest prayers, I must return to this world, to change your grief into joy, promising me, at the same time, I should return to my place among the blessed in a fortnight." Everything happened as she predicted. 


A fortnight afterwards she expired, and went back to enjoy forever the presence of God. 


30. Assassins Frightened  


A priest in Padua, who had a great devotion to St. Anthony, had several enemies, who were eagerly watching for an opportunity to destroy him. One night, whilst they were waiting in ambush for the priest, a Franciscan monk suddenly placed himself a few steps before them. Finding he had no intention to move, one of them surlily ordered him in loud voice to move on. The Father gently, but firmly, replied, "Go your way yourselves; I shall remain here." Seeing him so determined, another rudely asked him: 


"Pray, who are you?" "I am," he replied, "the saint of Padua." Upon which, as if struck down by some invisible power, they fell on their faces to the ground, just at the time when the priest, who, suspecting nothing, passed by, and was informed by his holy patron of the danger he had escaped. The would-be assassins, filled with remorse, humbly begged his forgiveness, and related how the great St. Anthony, without being called upon, watches over those who trust in him. 


31. A Strong Shield  

The following incident took place at Puglia, in the kingdom of Naples, before so many witnesses that the news of it soon spread all over the country. A peasant boy was digging a hole beside a steep rock, when it fell suddenly, carrying the boy with it in its fall. His younger brother, who had seen the accident, ran to tell his mother of it. Her first thought was to call on St. Anthony to help her, as well as those who were going to the rescue of her child. At last, in the presence of an immense crowd, the stones were removed, and to the great astonishment of all present, not only was the boy alive, but he had not even a scratch on his face or head. Being asked how he had been able to save himself, he replied: "As soon as you, mother, began praying to St. Anthony, he at once came and shielded me with his hand, so that not only did the sharp stones not fall on me, but I could breathe freely." 


32. Dragged by a Mule 


Once Father Coinage, S. J., who had a great devotion to St. Anthony of Padua, was returning to Palermo from Mazzara, in Sicily, accompanied by one of the Brothers, and saying his breviary. He had just come to that verse in the canticle of the youngmen in the fiery furnace: "Praise the Lord, all His works," when his mule, which was considered a quiet animal, took fright, and broke the bridle. The Father was thrown out of the saddle, and dragged for a considerable distance over a rough and ragged road, with his feet caught in the stirrups. He went on all the time saying his prayers, as if nothing was wrong. At last the mule was stopped. On getting up from the ground he told his companion, who expected to find him either dead or seriously injured: "It is to the prayers of St. Anthony that I owe my safety." 



33. A Scoffer Changes into an Admirer


The following- account of a most extraordinary conversion, through the intercession of St. Anthony, was written by  a gentleman living in Venice, A.D. 1677. 

For many years he had been a Calvinist, and on his way back from Rome, visited Padua, where he heard so much about the miracles of St. Anthony, that, having no faith in them, he was sick of hearing them mentioned. Curiosity, however, made him visit the "Church del Santo," considered one of the most beautiful in the city. Whilst looking- at the chapel under which the body of the saint lay, he could not help thinking of the necessity of saving his soul, and on drawing near the sarcophagus, he began reading an account of the miracles engraved on it. He was so struck by the story of the mule adoring the Blessed Sacrament  that he could not forget it. Trusting that travel would drive these thoughts, which pursued him night and day, away, he left Padua and started for Milan, but to no purpose. At last, yielding to grace, he became a fervent Catholic, and a devout client of St. Anthony. He was often heard to say he would rather lose all the goods of this world and suffer any amount of torture than desert the Catholic Church. 


34. A Glass as Hard as a Rock 


A Protestant soldier named Aleardino San Salvatore went to see his family at Padua. One day, whilst at table, the conversation naturally ran on the miracles of St. Anthony of Padua, recently deceased. Full of pride, and not believing a word of them, the heretic scoffingly said: "I will become a Catholic, if this glass,which I hold in my hand, does not break into pieces when I throw it against that stone," pointing to a large stone not far off. No sooner said than done. He threw the glass with such violence that the stone against which it was thrown was shivered to pieces, whilst the glass remained uninjured. Astounded at the sight of this miracle, he became a Catholic and made a present of the glass to the Franciscan monastery at Padua, where it may still be seen. 


35. A Wish Granted 

A lay Sister of the Order of the Poor Ladies of Mount Olivet approached the corpse of St. Anthony whilst it was still lying unburied in the church, and reverently kissing his hand, implored him, in her simplicity, to have her purgatory here on earth, so that she might go straight to heaven at her death. Her petition was granted. 

On her return home she was seized with such violent pains all over her body that her screams could be heard all over the convent. At night they gradually abated, and she was able the next day to get up and go to the refectory. 

She had hardly sat down, before they returned with such intensity that the mother abbess was compelled to send her to the infirmary. Here she had again recourse to the saint, begging of him this time to cure her. Remembering a poor woman had a piece of his habit, she sent for it, placed it on her body and instantly recovered. 


36. A Poor Clare Cured


Sister Victoria, a poor Clare, belonging to the monastery at Vienna, certainly deserved her name, owing to her great confidence in God, even when laboring under the greatest difficulties. On one occasion, after being bled, one of the sinews of her right arm was so injured that the whole arm swelled up and became so inflamed that her life was despaired of. The pain, which was intense, never ceased, and the doctor lost every hope of saving her. Victoria alone, full of confidence in God and in the intercession of her patron, St. Anthony, felt convinced of the contrary. In stead of joining in the prayers of those surrounding her bedside, she repeated the Te Deum and antiphons. On the eve of the feast of St. Thomas, the inflammation had so increased that the Sisters expected every moment the bell to be tolled for her decease. Towards midnight a slight improvement was noticed in the state of the patient, which continued, so that in a few days she was able to move her hand without danger. On her recovery, she informed the prioress of what had taken place. About midnight the mother abbess had brought two Franciscan monks to her bedside, St. Anthony, and St. Bernardin of Sienna. One repeated the antiphons to her, and ordered her to stretch out her hand; the other had blessed her in the name of our dear Lord, and she was instantly cured. 


37. Places Exchanged 


During the Middle Ages, leprosy was very prevalent in Italy, and St.Bonaventure used often, in the antiphons, to implore the assistance of St.Anthony to obtain the cure of those attacked by this dire disease. 

The following incident proves how powerful his intercession was: A poor leper, having heard of the miracles worked by St. Anthony, determined, full of confidence in his intercession, to go and pray on his tomb. On his way to the church, he met a soldier, who scoffingly said to him: "Where are you going, you simpleton? Do you think the ashes and bones of that Brother can heal you? Go, tell him with my compliments, I am not afraid of death, and he can send me your leprosy if he likes." The leper went his way, not heeding the words of the scoffer, but full of trust in the saint, and kneeling before his shrine soon fell into a beautiful sleep, during which he dreamt he saw St. Anthony, who kindly said to him: "Arise, brother, you are cured; go, give your crutches to the soldier; he sadly needs them." On awaking, he found it was no illusion; he was perfectly cured, and went at  once, as he had been bidden, to seek the soldier, whom he found covered with leprosy. Giving him his crutches, said:  "I am cured; my saint has told me to give you my crutches." 


In this manner, two miracles were wrought: one of mercy, the other of chastisement. As for the soldier, the sight of this miracle touched his heart, and, full of repentance, he allowed himself to be carried to the shrine of the saint, hoping he would have compassion on him. Nor was he mistaken, for after his promising to lead a better life and become a good Catholic, he was also restored to health. He never forgot his promise, and became a most devout client of St. Anthony. 


38. "Do You Know Me?"  


Aldonisia, the daughter of Queen Taraxia, of Portugal, lay on a sick bed, given up by all, save the queen mother, who could not believe her child was going to die, for she felt confident that St. Anthony, whose devout client she was, would cure her darling. 

"Come," said she to him in her anguish, "come, you were born in this land, come and obtain, through your powerful intercession, the cure of my child." Shortly after midnight, the young girl fell asleep, and the saint, appearing to her, said: "Dost thou know me? I am St. Anthony, and am come here at the request of your mother. You can have your  choice, either to be with me to-day in heaven  without passing through the flames of purgatory, or to recover and  return  to your mother." The child chose the health of the body and was immediately cured. Taking hold of the cord of St. Anthony, she cried out to her mother: "See, mother, here is St.Anthony, who has come to cure me." 

The queen and her suite rushed to the bedside of the princess, and on finding  her child cured, the mother fell on her  knees to thank God and St. Anthony. 


39. A Son Restored to his Parents 


The following miracle took place at Rome, in the month of March, 1683: Don Nicholas Grassi, the president of the royal board of administration at Naples, having to go to Rome, took with him his wife and only son. They had scarcely reached the city before the child fell dangerously ill, and was given up by the doctors. His mother, a devout client of St. Anthony, full of confidence in his intercession, implored the saint to befriend her on this trying occasion.  Suddenly at about three o clock in the afternoon of Shrove Tuesday, she heard her son calling out to the saint. She immediately ran to the sick-bed, but he, waving her away with his hand, distinctly cried out: "Anthony." She again asked him whom he was calling, and this time he replied: "I saw a monk in a dark habit; it must have been St.Anthony himself, for he held in one hand some lovely red and white roses, and in the other a book, on which a beautiful boy was standing." From that time the child got better, and in a few days was completely  cured. On being taken to a church, where there was a picture of the saint, he at once pointed it out to his mother, saying: "Look, mother, there is the monk who appeared to me during my illness and cured me." Every time he met a Franciscan Father, he would exclaim : "There is a monk who wears the same habit as St. Anthony." 


40. Gangrene Cured 


In 1674, Count Mirola, the commander-in-chief of the papal army, sent  to reinforce the Venetians in the war against the Turks, was seriously wounded in the ankle at the siege of Sebenico. In the hope of saving his life, the foot was amputated, but in spite of this, gangrene set in. The count, full of confidence in the intercession of St. Anthony, sent for one of his pictures, and placing it on  the wounded limb, said: "Although I am only a miserable sinner, knowing how good thou art to us, I am certain, dear St. Anthony, of being cured  through your powerful intercession." 

The count's confidence was not misplaced; in a short time the wound was  completely healed, and soon the news of this fresh miracle spread far and wide. 


41. "Take Courage"  Such were the words which St.  Anthony himself addressed, in 1682, to a poor man dying at Naples, of dropsy  in the head. Emmanuel Caravascione,  in spite of being given over by the doctors, and speechless, never lost  hope, and although those round his  bedside were expecting him every moment to breathe his last, he was himself  silently imploring the saint to intercede for him and to come to his rescue.  It was not in vain. About midnight,  St. Anthony appeared to him and said:  "Take courage, friend. I will help  you," and disappeared. The sick man  at once recovered his speech, called his  wife, and, relating all that had  just taken place, told her to go  to the Franciscan church and  earnestly implore the saint's intercession. To this the poor woman gladly acceded, immediately going  barefooted to the church, where she had several Masses, together with the antiphons of the saint, said in his  honor. On her return home, she found the doctor perfectly astonished at the marked improvement in the  state of the patient. Whilst he was  thus talking with her, her little three-year-old boy, who had been staying in  the sick-room, suddenly ran up to her,  pulling at her dress, wanting her to come and see St. Anthony, who was  talking with his father. Not paying  attention to what the little one said, she continued her conversation with  the doctor and then went back to the  sick-room, where, to her great astonishment, she found her husband perfectly recovered from his illness. "Oh, mamma,"said the child, reproachfully, "why did you not come sooner? See,  St. Anthony is gone." 


42. A Good Name Restored  


In 1641, a parish priest in the Tyrol  was falsely accused by some of his parishioners of having committed a dreadful crime, and denounced to his bishop.  The priest, conscious of his innocence,  did not hesitate for a moment, anticipating the summons, but, after appearing before the consistory, he was condemned and sent to prison. 


Finding his good name gone, and  that there seemed no chance of his  obtaining redress from man, he did not lose heart, but at once wrote to St. Anthony, imploring his assistance.  As it was impossible for him to take the letter to the monastery at Kattern, he sent it by a messenger, begging the monks to place it on the altar dedicated to the saint, which they  did. 


St. Anthony, ever the friend of the  persecuted, came at once to the rescue  of his devout suppliant, and soon made the judges discover the injustice of  the accusation. The sentence of imprisonment pronounced against him was at once annulled, and he was honorably reinstated in his former parish. His calumniators, in order to save themselves from heavier penalties, were forced not only to retract  their accusations, and pay all the expenses of the trial, but also to perform  great works of charity. 


43. A Lunatic Cured 


In 1701, Herr Franz Zallinger, a  gentleman highly respected in Botzen,  was suddenly seized with madness  while attending the services at the  Franciscan church, and became so convulsed that it required several  strong men to carry him out of the terror-stricken congregation, and to put  him in one of the cells of the monastery, where he had to be closely watched. His brother George, a devout client of St. Anthony, had at  once recourse to the saint's intercession in behalf of the unfortunate lunatic, who was immediately cured  and restored to his family. 

A magnificent ex voto, in the form of  a large silver heart, was placed by the  grateful family on the altar of St.Anthony, at Kattern, as a memento of  this miraculous cure. 


44. A Happy Death Obtained  

A Spanish nobleman, noted for the  ordial and respectful welcome he gave  to the Franciscans who asked hospitality from him, lay at the point of  death, when two Franciscan Fathers came and wanted to see him. On  hearing of their arrival, he immediately  ordered them to be shown up to his  room, and said to them: "I have always longed for two of your religious to come and assist me in my last moments, and God has heard my prayer;  do, pray, I entreat you, remain with me  till all is over." 

"Most willingly," replied the elder  of the two monks, whose hands  were marked with the stigmata; "we  are here for that purpose. I  am Francis and my companion is Anthony. We have only come down from heaven in order to bring you back with us." What a consolation for a man on his death-bed! 


45. Crushed by the Fall of a Tree 

In the year 1666, one of the laborers  of a nobleman, called Johannes Kaspar Inderman, residing at Kurtasch, in the Tyrol, experienced the protection of St. Anthony in a most wonderful manner. One day whilst engaged in felling down a large tree, just after giving the last stroke his foot slipped,  and the whole weight of the immense trunk fell on his body, rendering him  unconscious. The wife of the noble  man at once, on hearing of the accident, had recourse to the intercession  of St. Anthony, promising to have two  Masses said in his chapel at Kattern, if he would only save the life of the  poor fellow. The promise was hardly made before the man got up unhurt.  Out of gratitude to St. Anthony, he  placed an ex voto in his chapel at Kaltern. 


46. Carriage portion

In 1649, St. Anthony did a great  act of kindness to a poor girl. The  mother, pressed by extreme poverty,  wanted to sell her beautiful daughter  for money. The unhappy girl, in her anguish, went and knelt before the  picture of St.Anthony, in the Franciscan church, imploring him, weeping bitterly, to save her honor. In the  midst of her prayer,the saint stretched  out his hand and handing a note to  her, said: "Go to the bishop's administrator, and tell him in my name to  give you for your marriage portion as  much money as this paper weighs." 

Full of joy, she at once obeyed, and  presented the note to the aforesaid  gentleman. He at first laughed at  her but after putting the paper in one  side of the scales, and finding it weighed two hundred silver crowns,  remembered a promise he had made  the year before to give the above-  named sum of money, as a marriage  portion, to a poor girl. He at once  handed the sum over to her, thus saving her from dishonor. 


47. Saved from Suicide

Discord is the greatest of all evils  which can enter into a house. Union in wedlock, and in one's family makes life a real paradise on earth. Heaven  cannot exist without harmony. Hell  is one continual discord. 

A most unhappy family lived in one  of the small villages of Portugal. The  husband, not content, on coming home at night, with calling his wife  bad names, used to beat her, kick her, and even threaten to turn her out of doors. The cause of such conduct  can be easily guessed; he used to stay  out late at night and frequented bad company. The poor woman, at last despairing of her husband turning  over a new leaf, determined to destroy herself. One night, after her husband had gone to his usual haunts, just as she was about fetching the  rope which was to put an end to her  misery in this world, she heard a  knock at the door. On opening it,  two Franciscan Fathers humbly asked  if she could give them a night's lodging, saying: "We are come a great  distance, and are called Francis and  Anthony." On hearing these words,  the poor woman exclaimed: "Oh,  what beautiful names!  

They are the names of two saints I love very dearly. Do, pray, come in, reverend Fathers; you are indeed welcome." She at once set about getting everything ready, so as to make them as comfortable as possible. While listening to their conversation about heavenly things, at supper, all thoughts of despair and suicide vanished, a feeling of peace and gratitude stole over her heart, making her thank God for having sent her such guests. As soon as the strangers seemed to be preparing to retire to rest, she withdrew to a little room, and there, falling on her knees, humbly implored God's forgiveness, promising Him, for the future, never to yield to despair, being certain that He who is constantly watching over those who place their whole trust in Him, never permits anything to happen to them but for their greater good. 

Whilst still on her knees, she heard her husband enter the house. But oh, how changed! Instead of beginning to curse and swear at her, as soon as he saw her, he fell at her feet, his face bathed in tears, and humbly entreated forgiveness. What could have changed him so? It was soon explained. Immediately after the poor woman had left  the Fathers, they had appeared to the cruel husband, and, after sternly reproaching him with his crimes,  threatened him with eternal damnation if he did not at once amend. "Richly, indeed, do you deserve to be among the damned, after committing crime upon crime. You will certainly be cast into hell in three days if you do not at once quit this place. Repent of your sins, confess, do penance for them and amend. 

Hasten home to your wife, ask her for the cord with which she was about to destroy herself, and beg her to forgive you. Tell her the two monks she received and welcomed into her house tonight are no other than St. Francis and St. Anthony." It would be impossible to describe the joy and gratitude of this now reconciled couple towards the two great saints who had been the instruments used by God to save them, soul and body. They at once, both of them, approached the Sacraments of Penance and of the Altar, and from henceforth led lives which  were a foretaste of heaven. 


48. The Great Harvest

A poor woman living near Padua had only a single field of wheat, which was so devoured by sparrows that hardly an ear of corn could be seen. No sooner had she driven them off one part of the field than they flew to another, with the greatest impudence. Finding her labor useless, she had recourse to St. Anthony, and, asking him to take care of her field, promised to visit his tomb nine times. Certain of his protection, she at once began her novena, and during that time left the field entirely under his care. After the novena was finished, she went to see how things were going on, and to her surprise found that not a sparrow was to be seen. That year she had a finer harvest than she ever had before. 


49. The Storm Ceases and the Sea becomes Calm

A Maronite bishop, Timothy di Sarca, had left Mesopotamia to go to Rome. The coast of Ostia was al-ready seen in the distance, when suddenly a terrific hurricane arose on the Tyrrhenian sea, the ship being tossed about like a ball and her mast broken. All hopes of reaching land were given up, even by the oldest sailors, who only thought of preparing themselves for death. The good bishop, a devout client of St. Anthony, alone did not lose courage, and urged the passengers and crew to have recourse to St.Anthony, and to promise, did they reach the land, to burn a candle in his honor. To this all unanimously agreed. Immediately the storm ceased, the waters became as smooth as  glass, and the vessel glided into port, driven by a favorable wind. 

During his stay at Rome, the same bishop experienced another favor from his heavenly friend and benefactor. The Propaganda had given him a bill of exchange, in order to help him on his journey. Somehow or other, just as he was going to leave the city, it got mislaid and could not be found. In this dilemma he had at once recourse to his holy patron, and, having said Mass in his honor,begging of him to assist him, he returned to the house at which he was staying, where, to his great surprise, he found the bill lying on his table in his room.  

50. "She is all Right Now" A ship, heavily laden with silk from Catalonia, had just reached the coast of Sicily, when a terrific storm arose, and the vessel was driven back to sea with such violence that she became perfectly unmanageable. Everybody on board thought they were lost, except one of the crew, who, in a loud voice, called upon St. Anthony to come to their rescue, saying: "Dear St. Anthony, become the pilot of this vessel; we hand her over to you. 

"Immediately, on the sailors responding to this appeal, St. Anthony was seen at the helm, and, smiling at the crew, addressed them thus: "Let the vessel  go by herself, she is all right now," after which he disappeared, and a gentle breeze drove the ship into harbor, without   mast or rudder. 


51. The Beacon 

The remembrance of the protection of this great thaumaturgus is still preserved in the lagoons. Shortly after the canonization of the saint, a gondola containing more than twenty-six persons, whilst passing through Venice, during a night which was pitch dark, was caught in a sudden squall, and the boat was struck by the wind with such violence that for a moment the people in it did not know whether it was capsized or not. In this dilemma, they all cried out with one voice: "St. Anthony, help us; St. Anthony, help us." At once, in the midst of the darkness, a bright light was seen, and they found the boat was close to the little island of San  
Marco Piccolo, where they were safely landed. The light then disappeared, and the rescued party fell on their knees to thank their heavenly benefactor. 


52. The Singer in the Boat 

During a violent storm, a poor fisherman in Portugal, whose sole means of getting an honest livelihood depended on his boat, had the misfortune to see it break from its moorings and drift into the open sea. In his distress, he at once appealed to St. Anthony. Two days afterwards, one of his neighbors came and told him how some young men, during a terrific storm, had seen a boat in the open sea, with no other occupant than a Franciscan monk at the helm, who was singing beautiful hymns. Struck by the coincidence, the poor man at once ran to the shore, where,to his great joy, he found his boat stranded on the beach. 


53. Chains as an Altar Decoration 

In the year 1672, a poor man, living in Cracovia, Poland, was unjustly accused of murder and condemned to the rack. This punishment, most terrible in itself, was frequently resorted to in the Middle Ages to force suspected criminals to confess the crimes of which they were accused, and it is certain the most innocent have declared themselves guilty of offences of which they had not even the remotest idea, rather than undergo this terrible torture a second time. Once a Capuchin Father was known, through fear of being again placed  on this cruel instrument, to confess having struck Our Lord whilst He was hanging on the cross. What happened to the priest also happened to the poor Pole, who, whilst stretched on the rack, finding death preferable to what he was suffering, although quite innocent, declared he was guilty. On being taken back to prison, he began preparing himself for death, by receiving the sacraments of the Church, giving abundant alms and recommending himself especially to St. Anthony. 

The good saint would not permit his devout client to suffer such a disgraceful death, and on the night before his execution appeared to him, opened the prison gates, and, breaking his chains, ordered him to take them to his judges, so as to have his sentence revoked. The proofs of his innocence were too palpable to be doubted; the man was set free, and at once, out of gratitude, placed the chains on the altar of the saint, where they are still to be seen. 


54. St. Anthony is Never Invoked in Vain 

The celebrated Jesuit Father, Daniel Papebroch, relates the following incidentincident which took place at Antwerp, in his youth, and which he never forgot: It happened that a woman in business who had received a note of hand from the head of a mercantile house could not find it anywhere, just at the time it became due. The loss of it did not at first trouble her very much, as having had dealing with the above-named house for several years, and her honesty being known to the firm, she felt certain payment would not be refused. She was mistaken; not only was she informed that the money had been already paid, but she was grossly insulted, which hurt even more than the loss of the money. 

She therefore determined to consult a well-known soothsayer as to the best means of finding the lost note. Fortunately for her, she met on her way the mother of Father Papebroch, to whom she related what had taken place. After hearing her story, the lady strongly advised her to have a Mass said to St. Anthony, to which she at once agreed, and assisted at it herself. On her return home, she found a servant waiting for her, who informed her that his master, believing what she said to be true, was quite prepared to pay her the money with out the note being produced. 


55. King Charles II of England

In 1655, Charles II, who had been banished from England, went to reside at Cologne. Whilst there, the little gold and silver plate he had, and which he greatly valued, was stolen. In spite of being a Protestant, he sent one of the gentlemen of his suite to beg of the Friars Minor to pray for his intentions. The following day, Father Werner Burich, a highly respected priest, whilst passing through the church, noticed a stranger beckoning to him and pointing to a confessional. Thinking something was wrong, he went at once to the place, and found there the sack containing the lost plate. He immediately sent for the superior of the monastery, Father Thomas Martine, who ordered two of the Brothers to restore the plate to the rightful owner. The king, delighted at having recovered his lost property, ordered an account of it to be published, which he attested and signed with his own hand. 


56. The Grateful Captain 

In 1674, a Swiss captain, stationed at Dunkirk, in French Flanders, one night on retiring to rest, put his purse, containing sixty gold doubloons, under his pillow, but on awakening the next morning could not find them; the purse had disappeared. He at once went to ask the assistance of St. Anthony, and had a Mass said in his honor at the Franciscan church. During the Offertory, somebody knocked at the door of the monastery. 

On the porter opening it, a soldier, accompanied by another man, gave him the purse, which the Brother at first hesitated to receive. The soldier insisted, and, throwing it at his feet, exclaimed: "I did not steal the purse," and disappeared. When Mass was over, the money was restored to the captain, who, out of gratitude, made a present of the greater part of it to the monastery. A picture, commemorating this and other miracles worked by the saint, was  
placed in his chapel. 


57. A Child Stolen 

In 1720, a poor woman left her little four-year-old child alone in her garden, surrounded by high walls, as she was obliged to go to Botzen on business. On her return from town, she went to fetch her little girl, who was nowhere to be found. Full of anguish, she immediately made a pilgrimage to St. Anthony's chapel, at Kattern, and on coming home, found the little one safe and sound in the house. On being questioned by her mother, she replied: "Whilst you were away, a man climbed over the wall of our garden, and carried me to the top of a big  hill, but I had not been long there before a priest found me, and brought me home, telling me I must be a very good little girl and always say my prayers and mind what you tell me, which I certainly shall try." The grateful mother easily guessed that the good priest could be no other than St. Anthony. 


58. Erysipelas Cured through 

Invoking St. Anthony The youngest son of John Amaldus von Buren, a lad of thirteen, owing to a severe attack of  erysipelas, had to have the knee bone of his right leg taken out. In spite of this painful operation, cancer set in, and the only hopes of saving the sufferer's life was by amputating the diseased limb. The boy, on hearing this, asked for a picture of St. Anthony, and full of confidence in his powerful intercession, implored him to take pity on him and cure him; promising if he did so, to make a pilgrimage to his shrine at Padua, and always to wear a gray dress in his honor. No sooner was the promise made than he felt himself perfectly cured. Shortly afterwards he started for Padua to fulfil his vow, and was able to kneel at the altar of the saint without feeling any pain. Those who had seen him during his illness could hardly believe in the cure, but, after carefully examining the knee, they found to their great astonishment no trace of the bone having been taken out. 


59. The Bishop's Ring 

Don Ignatius Martiques, Bishop of Cordova, had a great devotion to St. Anthony and received many favors from him. Once he lost his bishop's ring, which he had received at his consecration, and naturally, for this reason, the loss of it greatly troubled him. He at once had several Masses said for his intention, but the saint 
seemed to have turned a deaf ear. 

One day whilst at table with several gentlemen, the conversation ran upon the miracles the saint was working, and which filled the whole world with astonishment. The bishop also spoke about the many favors he had received, and how greatly he trusted the dear saint, but added: "I am just now rather inclined to quarrel with him, for in spite of my repeatedly asking him, he has not yet given me back my ring." Hardly had he uttered these words before the ring, to the astonishment of all present, fell on the table, as if coming from the ceiling, and every one joined in giving three cheers for St. Anthony. 


60. The Manuscript Ready for the Press 

The Dominican bishop, Ambrosius Catherinus, as renowned for his virtue as for his great learning, has written several books, among others one bearing the title of "Honor due to the Saints," from which the following anecdote is extracted: The bishop, on his way home from Toulouse, after travelling a considerable distance, discovered that a valuable manuscript, ready for printing, was missing. He immediately retraced his steps, in the hopes of finding it,  
and even took the trouble of asking the governor of the city to assist him. Finding earthly aid of no avail, he had recourse to St. Anthony, promising to mention this favor in his book, were the manuscript found. Full of these thoughts, he resumed his journey and on the road met a stranger, who, drawing near to him, asked if he had not lost a manuscript. The bishop replied in the affirmative, and gave a description of the lost treasure. Upon which the man, after returning it to him, showed him the place where he had dropped it. Full of gratitude, the bishop faithfully kept his word, and gave an account of his loss in the book, which was printed at Lyons, 1541. 


61. Heard during Mass

John Comez Cano, chamberlain to the Duke of Brabant, had a great lawsuit to carry on in the Senate House, but unfortunately some very important documents had been mislaid, with out which the case would be lost. In this predicament, John Comez Cano's only hope was to make an appeal to St. Anthony and implore his assistance, promising, in return, to have three Masses said in his honor. Full of these thoughts, he went to the Franciscan church in Brussels, and, while on his way to the chapel, met one of the Fathers in the cloisters, who, looking at him most benevolently, asked in Spanish the cause of his sadness. On being informed of it, he said: "Go and hear a Mass in honor of St. Anthony, and you will receive the lost documents to-morrow," which was, in fact, the case. The lawsuit was gained and an ex voto was placed in the chapel of the saint to commemorate the miracle, which happened in 1646. 


62. An Ant Employed as Porter  

St. Anthony is ever ready to help those who fully trust in him, even in the most trifling matters. Supposing you lose a key, only ask St Anthony and he will certainly find it for you. The following incident clearly proves the truth of this assertion: A lay Capuchin Brother had a rosary which, for the many indulgences attached to it, he greatly prized.  

One day he accidentally broke the string on which the beads were strung, so that they were scattered all over the ground. He at once began to pick them up, but to his great vexation, one was missing, and not being able to find it he at once said a prayer to St. Anthony, which was no sooner finished than to his great astonishment he saw an ant coming with great difficulty towards him, carrying on her back the lost bead. Filled with gratitude, the good Brother wept for joy at the sight of the kindness of his dear saint. 


63. Returned at Midnight  

In 1664 a rich merchant from Augsburg sent his confidential servant on business to St. Andrew's market, at Botzen, and gave him at the same time two hundred and thirty guldens in coin and several thousands in paper money, which were carefully packed up in his travelling bag. 

The servant being obliged to go to Trent on business, returned by way of Tramin. Worn out by his long journey, and finding it impossible to proceed any further until he had rested a little, he lay down near the roadside close to Tramin, and was soon fast asleep. On awaking, he found his bag had disappeared. He at once  made use of every means he possibly could to discover the thief, but finding it useless, went to Kattern on the 23d of November, and on seeing the superior of the Franciscans, informed him of his loss, at the same time asking for three Masses and other prayers to be said in honor of St. Anthony, and returned again to Botzen, fully convinced that the money would be found. In the meantime, the antiphons in honor of St. Anthony were daily said by the choir Brothers, in order to obtain his assistance. On the 13th of December, whilst matins was being sung, a terrible noise  was heard at the church door, which increased so much that the Brothers, greatly alarmed, went to see what was the matter. Suddenly all was silent, and, on their reaching the door, they found it forced open and inside a quantity  of paper scattered over the floor, together with two bags of money, a pair of stockings and an old veil, all of which was the stolen property of the merchant, M. Morrell, who was then staying at Botzen. On his  receiving the stolen things, he found only twenty-one gulden and thirty-eight kreuzers missing; out of gratitude he  had an ex voto placed in the chapel, on which was a representation of the church door being forced open, and bags of money being thrown inside the church. 


64. The Victorious Admiral 

The very reverend Father Provincial Kuck, of the Franciscan province of Bavaria, heard, himself, the following incident related by Admiral Don Mondemar, during his visit to Spain, when convoked to the General Chapter, held at Murcia. The then reigning King of Spain, Philip IV., determined to send a fleet to recapture Oran from the Moors. Several attempts had already been made, all of which had failed, and the fortress was considered impregnable. In spite of everything the admiral could say, the king persisted in his determination, and,  consequently, nothing remained but to obey. On reaching Alicant, Don Mondemar allowed his troops to disembark, and availed himself of this opportunity to visit the church of the Franciscans, dedicated to St. Anthony, where he placed the whole business in his hands. With this intention, after spending some time in prayer, he called upon the superior, begging of him to have the office of St. Anthony said. This being ended, he, in the presence of a great many people, asked the Father Superior's permission to have a ladder placed before the high altar, over which a life-size statue of the saint stood. This granted, he mounted the ladder and clothed the statue with all the insignia of a Spanish admiral in active service, and thus addressed the saint: "You, St. Anthony, must capture Oran, for I am unable to do so;" and laying his hand on the head of the statue, continued: "You are now the admiral, and I am only your humble servant and soldier, ready to obey your orders, for after God, I place my whole trust in you." 

This ceremony concluded, he came down from the ladder and returned with his men to the fleet, where they embarked. As the squadron drew near Oran, all waited anxiously for the enemy to begin the attack. Seeing no notice was taken of them, the admiral ordered his men to fire. Again no response from the citadel. At a loss to understand what this meant, the command was given to land the troops, and, to the great astonishment of every one, the city gates were wide open. Thinking this was a stratagem of the enemy, they proceeded very cautiously through the empty streets, which, like the fortress, were completely deserted. Here an old Moor was discovered, concealed in his house, and was immediately brought before the admiral, who demanded an explanation of this extraordinary behavior on the part of the garrison and inhabitants. "As soon," replied the old man, "as the Christian squadron appeared in sight, a legion of soldiers was seen in the air, led by a Franciscan monk, wearing all the insignia of an admiral on duty, who threatened to destroy every one of us if we did not at once leave the city." Terrified beyond description at this unexpected apparition, both citizens and garrison had  fled in the greatest disorder. 

It was in this way that, thanks to the assistance of St. Anthony, Mondemar captured the city of Oran, without shedding a drop of blood. He at once sent a dispatch to the king, informing him of all that had taken place. 

The statue, clothed with an admiral's insignia, is still to be seen at Alicant, but the miracle was only confirmed in Rome in 1770. 


65. Saved from the Scaffold 

A Franciscan Father, who lived at Naples in the monastery dedicated to St.Lawrence, relates the following incident which took place in that city. 

One stormy night a young fisherman was sitting alone with his mother, in his little cottage close to the sea, when he heard, in the midst of the howling of the wind, some one in great distress calling for help. He immediately went out and found a man mortally wounded, lying close to his door. The murderer had fled, but the coastguard had also heard the cries for help, and seeing the young fisherman bending over the dead man, naturally concluded he was guilty, and, in spite of all his protestations, he was brought before the judge and accused of murder. 

His guilt was, in fact, only too evident; he had been found bending over the corpse of a man, still warm. No one else could be found in the neighborhood, and there was only his mother who could prove his innocence, and what is a mother's evidence in such a case, even had she come in time? 

But the poor creature was so stunned by grief on hearing the accusation against her only son, that she reached the court just before the sentence of death was pronounced on her child. On hearing which, the wretched mother, in spite of all the rebuffs she received from the judge, persisted in asking him to spare her child's life. 

At last, weary of her importunities, and perhaps also in the hopes of getting rid of her, he informed her that if she could see the king, there was a small chance of a reprieve being obtained. Full of hope, the unhappy parent at once started upon her mission, but what appeared so easy was truly beset with difficulties. On reaching the palace she was told she must have a petition presented to the king, and who was to write that petition? When she at last succeeded in getting it done, it was far too late for her to obtain an audience of the king. Broken hearted, she left the palace, and, as she was passing by the Church of St. Lawrence, she entered, and kneeling before the railings which separated St. Anthony's chapel from the rest of the church, she implored the saint's  intercession in behalf of her unfortunate son. She would have remained there longer, had not the sacristan told her he must shut up the church, and then, in her despair, she threw her petition on his altar, crying out: "St. Anthony, St. Anthony, you must save my child." She then returned home, consoled and comforted, convinced that the saint would assist her. 

It was ten o clock in the evening, and the king, having some important work to do, had dismissed his attend- ants, when suddenly he heard a knock at his door and a young Franciscan monk entered. There was something so modest and prepossessing in his appearance that the king was perfectly fascinated, and received him most courteously.  

"Pardon me, sire," said the priest, "for disturbing you at so late an hour, but my errand is urgent and brooks of no delay, since the life of a fellow creature depends on it." 

"Speak, Brother, how can I help you?" 

"Your majesty has to-day signed a sentence of death on a young fisherman found near the corpse of a murdered man. Although appearances are against him, I declare to you he is innocent." 

"When the law has pronounced judgment," answered the king, "it is not for me to change it or to presume that the sentence is unjust." 

"I can swear to the innocence of my protege," responded the monk. "All I entreat your majesty to do is to write the  word reprieved under this petition." 

The Franciscan Father uttered these words in so determined a manner, that the king, in spite of himself, took up his pen, then paused, and said : "Where do you come from?" 

"From the Franciscan monastery, which bears the name of St. Lawrence." 

"Even if I grant the reprieve, the young man will have been executed before it can reach the prison." 

"I am well aware the time is short, but do what I ask you," replied the Franciscan, firmly, pointing to the petition. To this the king, in spite of himself, acceded. The petition was signed and, after thanking his majesty, the monk disappeared. The king felt strangely impressed by this visit, and, after remaining a few minutes absorbed  in thought, said to himself: "How could this man have come here at this time of night?" And sending for one of his chamberlains, he asked who had introduced the monk into the palace? But neither the chamberlains nor any one else had seen the monk enter, and how he had done so remained a perfect mystery. The king, finding it was impossible to discover who the Father was, determined to make inquiries at the convent of St. Lawrence. 

The following afternoon the king, anxious to unravel the mystery of the preceding night, went to the Franciscan monastery of St. Lawrence and, summoning all the community together, asked the superior whom he had sent the night before to the palace. To his astonishment the superior informed him he was not aware of any one being out of the monastery the preceding night. After carefully examining the faces of the monks and not finding  the one he wanted, his majesty ordered the mother of the boy to be sent for, in order to question her as to the person to whom she had given the petition, and to while away the time inspected the monastery and then went to visit the church. After examining the different altars the king paused before the picture of St. Anthony and exclaimed, pointing it out to the superior : 

"Ah! here is the priest who came to see me last night." 

"Pardon me, sire, that Father is not under my jurisdiction," replied the superior. 

It may be interesting for some to know how St. Anthony finished saving the young fisherman. The day after he was condemned to death was the one appointed for his execution, and early that same morning the public prosecutor, on awaking, found lying on the table near his bedside a paper containing the free pardon of the condemned, signed by the king and dated the night before. Thinking his servant had forgotten to give it to him the preceding evening, he hastily dressed himself and not daring to trust it to any one, for fear of it not reaching the prison authorities in time, took it himself to the jail. The surprise of the poor youth on seeing the royal official enter his cell, bringing with him not only the reprieve, but also the order for him to return to his mother, can be very easily imagined. 

This occurrence soon spread all over Naples, and St. Anthony of Padua was chosen to be one of the patron saints of the city. 


66. A Choir Master without Employment

For some time a choir master had vainly sought employment in Rome and Naples in order to procure the bare necessaries of life for his little family. On the 13th of June they were on the verge of starvation, and the poor man, in order to obtain the assistance of St. Anthony, approached the holy Sacraments of Penance and of the Altar, and heard several Masses in his honor. On leaving the church a stranger came up to him, and placed sufficient money in his hands to satisfy his most pressing necessities. 

But the good saint's favors did not cease here. When he came home, his wife, with a beaming countenance, told him how an unknown benefactor had sent his servant with enough food to last them several weeks; and that very day a letter came from Spoleto offering him the post of music director in the choir of the cathedral, which was, of course, accepted. The grateful family never afterwards omitted reciting the antiphons in honor of the saint. The last line, Dicant Paduani, is an everlasting testimony of the wonderful manner in which St. Anthony still watches over Padua. For six hundred years he has justly been considered its patron and protector. 

In every direction churches have been built, altars erected, and pious and charitable institutions founded in his honor. The citizens are almost daily eye witnesses of the marvellous power God has bestowed on His faithful servant. Thousands of pilgrims, from every part of the world, are constantly flocking to his shrine, either to thank him for past blessings or implore his aid. His altar is so covered with ex votos that it has been found necessary toto set a room aside to receive the treasures which his grateful clients are constantly sending to his shrine. 


67. A Costly Ex Voto

The Franciscan architect, Father Valentine, a native of Worms, who built the magnificent church dedicated to St. Anthony, at Padua, related the following incident, which took place in the year 1871: 

A Portuguese prince had long been wishing for a son to inherit his vast possessions. At last, after promising a present of a silver statue of the holy Child to the above-mentioned church, a son was born. Filled with gratitude, he ordered a statue of solid silver to be cast of the same weight as the infant prince. Fearing, on account of the persecution of religious houses in Italy, it might not fall into the right hands, he forwarded it to Rome, by a special escort, where it was delivered over to Pope Pius IX. His Holiness immediately sent for Father Valentine, ordering him to place it in the newly erected church of St. Anthony, at Padua, where it is still to be seen. 

Few among the rich or learned of this age of incredulity and unbelief, in the pride of their hearts, place any faith in miracles. Let us not allow ourselves to be ranked among their number, but rather, like those believers in the Gospel, thank God He has given such power to men, and more especially to His faithful servant, St. Anthony. 


68. The Franciscan Church of  St. Anthony in the Tyrol 

It has been the design of God to glorify His faithful servant, St. Anthony, by spreading his devotion, not only in Germany, France, Italy and Spain, but throughout the whole Catholic world. It is not here my intention to mention the names of the principal places where this great saint is honored, but simply to give an account of the origin of the pilgrimage to the Church of St. Anthony at Kattern in the Tyrol. 

In 1638, the ruined castle of Rottenburg and grounds adjoining it were conceded to the Franciscan Fathers of the Tyrolese reformed Province, for the purpose of building a monastery, which, to the great joy of the inhabitants of the neighboring country, was completed in 1643. The picture for the altar dedicated to St.Anthony of Padua, was destined by divine Providence, on account of the many favors, spiritual and temporal, which the devout clients of the saint were to receive at this favored spot, to be the means of making the monastery known far and wide. 

A nobleman, Christopher Ulrich von Bach, was to be the instrument chosen by God to procure this miraculous picture. He had in 1638, thanks to the protection of the saint, escaped a most dangerous plot laid by his enemies.  

Filled with gratitude, he determined, at his own cost, to erect in the church of Kattern an altar dedicated to St. Anthony. It was found, after the altar had been set in its proper place, that a picture of the saint was wanting. God, desirous of spreading the devotion to His faithful servant, sent an unknown painter to Herr von Bach, who had just gone on a pilgrimage to Padua, to ask permission to paint a picture for him. The nobleman, being a stranger in the city, and a lover of art, gladly consented and, inspired by God, ordered a painting of St. Anthony. A few days afterwards, the artist returned, bringing with him a life-sized picture, representing the saint with two angels above his head. In his right hand, he holds a lily, the symbol of his virginal purity, and in his left  book, on which the holy Child is standing. St.Anthony has a gentle but serious expression on his countenance, and is clothed in the habit of  the reformed Tyrolese Province. Under his feet the spire of the church is seen. 

The nobleman, finding he had not enough money in his purse to pay the painter, left the room to get some more. To his great astonishment, on his return, the painter had disappeared, and, in spite of every inquiry, was nowhere to be found. This circumstance has led many to believe that the picture is the work of an angel, and they are probably right in their conjecture, for it has never been found possible to make a correct copy of it. For two hundred years St. Anthony worked so many miracles at the church at Kattern that it was impossible to inscribe them on the registers,  and the walls of his chapel were so covered with ex votos from the grateful clients of the saint that the old ones had to make room for the new. It was a common saying: "If St. Anthony will not hear you at Padua, go to Kattern; he is sure to hear you there."