Fernando Martins de Bulhões was born in Lisbon, Portugal. While 15th-century writers state that his parents were … See more

The story of Anthony "preaching to the fish" originated in Rimini, where he had gone to preach. When heretics there treated him with contempt, Anthony was said to have gone to the shoreline, where he began to preach at t… See more

Anthony became sick with ergotism in 1231 and went to the woodland retreat at Camposampiero with two other friars for a respite. There, he lived in a room built for him under the branches of a walnut tree. Anthony di… See more

Anthony was canonized by Pope Gregory IX on 30 May 1232, at Spoleto, Italy, less than one year after his death. In the words of Pope Benedict XVI:
The richness of spiritual teaching contained in the Serm… See more

Anthony's fame spread through Portuguese evangelization, and he has been known as the most celebrated of the followers of Francis of Assisi. He is the patron saint of Padua and many places in Portugal and in the countri… See more

As the number of Franciscan saints increased, iconography struggled to distinguish Anthony from the others. Because of a legend that he had once preached to the fish by the mouth of the river … See more

• The 1931 silent film Saint Anthony of Padua (Antonio di Padova, il santo dei miracoli) was directed by Giulio Antamoro.
• He was played in the 1949 Italian film Anthony of Padua by Aldo Fiorelli.… See more