Saint Anthony of Padua

Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven:

by Fr. Don Anton Saman Hettiarachchi

Last year as we knelt in prayer right in front of the sacred relics of the Vocal Apparatus and Tongue of St. Anthony in the Chapel of the Relics in Padua, our memory rushed back to some incidents in the past, both far and near.

In 1981, a canonical recognition of the Body of St. Anthony was conducted with the permission of His Holiness John Paul II. 750 years after his death, the Saint’s mortal remains were examined a second time.

After these examinations, people were allowed and so millions and millions came to venerate the relics of our beloved Saint prior to re-burial. Perhaps you might have been among those millions.

The doctors and historians carefully analyzed the remains in order to reconstruct the physical appearance of the Saint. To the surprise of these experts, his Vocal Apparatus or the cartilage of the larynx (= the parts of the body used in phonation or speech) was found to be intact. Even 750 years after his death, it had remained incorrupt. Why is it so, dear believer?

The Body of St. Anthony was first recognized in 1263. When the sarcophagus was opened, St. Bonaventure found the Tongue of our Saint miraculously incorrupt. Given that tongue is a very fragile part of the body that is usually among the first parts to disintegrate after death, it can hardly remain incorrupt.

More than 700 years have passed since his death. But the Tongue remains incorrupt - a perennial miracle, unique in history! Why is it so, dear believer?

We find answers to these questions in the words of our Master, “But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5,17-19). Jesus did not come to abolish the Law. His mission remained within the framework of the Law.

He fulfilled it extending and deepening its meaning. His Death and Resurrection ushered in the new and final age, the age of the new heavens and new earth. The Law of Moses, completed by Jesus, became a standard of conduct for His disciples.

Saint Anthony of Padua not only studied but he also obeyed this New Law. Not only did he observe it, but he also taught it. He composed sermons for Sundays (around 1228) and feast days (between 1230-1231), as preserved up to this day.

He shaped the development of Franciscan theology by introducing the teachings of St. Augustine to the friars and founding in 1223 a theology school for the friars which eventually became the school of theology at the University of Bologna.

He travelled all over Italy and France preaching and teaching the people as well as friars attracting multitudes wherever he went. He preached against heresies of the day so passionately that he came to be called ‘The Hammer of the Heretics.’

It is because the Saint taught the New Law, his Vocal Apparatus and Tongue remain intact for ages. The Tongue is a seal that marks the laborious task of preaching and teaching, carried out by the Saint.

Hence Saint Bonaventure, having seen the Tongue when the coffin was for the first time opened in 1263, could not help but sing these praises, with his heart full of admiration: “O Blessed Tongue, you have always praised the Lord and led others to praise Him! Now we can clearly see how great indeed have been your merits before God.”

“But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Yes, our Saint was counted among the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

On the 13th of June in 1231, the dying Saint was taken on a farm wagon to Arcella near Padua. Having received the Last Rites, the Saint intoned the hymn to the Blessed Mother: “O glorious Queen, exalted above the stars!” His bright eyes gazed ahead. “What do you see?” asked friar Luke. Then the dying Saint, who was about to be counted among the greatest in the holy heavens in the bosom of the glorious Queen, murmured, “I see my Lord.”

Our Saint was counted among the greatest in the church of Christ as well. In the shadows of the evening crowds of children ran shouting at the top of their voices: “The Saint is dead! Friar Anthony is dead!” The Body of the Saint was laid in the small Church of Santa Maria Mater Domini in fulfilment of his last wish.

The entire population of Padua, dressed in mourning clothes accompanied the funeral bier. That very evening miracles began to occur around the grave of the Saint. Miracles continued at an increasing rate. Pilgrims from the farthest end of the world started visiting his tomb.

The process for canonization was commenced and concluded rapidly. Less than a year on May 30, 1232 in the Cathedral of Spoleto, Pope Gregory IX, who once called the Saint ‘The Ark of the Covenant’ being moved by his eloquent preaching in front of him, elevated Anthony of Padua to the honours of the altar. The one counted among the greatest in the kingdom of God was also counted among the greatest in the Church.

Today Saint Anthony is a unversal saint, venerated by Christians and non-Christians alike. I can still remember how we, as altar servers, could see large numbers of devotees from all faiths crowding our parish church at Batagama, dedicated to St. Anthony, on Tuesdays in deep veneration of the Saint.

It is not a cock and bull story that people from all walks of life and from all faiths join in celebrating the feast of this Saint in June. The roads are well-decorated and lit. The night is like the day. It is almost a national religious festival, celebrated without the barriers of class, creed or caste.

It was with the arrival of the Portuguese Franciscan missionaries in 1543 that the undying devotion to this Saint reached our shores. They spread it far and wide in the maritime provinces of the island. As a result, St. Anthony, greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, is honoured even today on the 13th of June (the day of his funeral procession at Padua) or in the month of June in churches, dedicated to him.

Such churches are significantly numerous, for example the shrines at Kochchikade and Wahakotte and the exceptionally magnificent church, situated in the verdant pastures of Batagama. The devotion of St. Anthony is rooted in the lives of the people so deeply that a considerable number of devotees bears his name.

The names of Antonio, Anthony and Anton are so popular among Catholics. The present writer, born on a Tuesday, the day of St. Anthony and to the parish family of St. Anthony’s Church, Batagama, is no exception.

The Sacred Relics of the Saint at Padua remind us of his zeal of the Gospel. Hence let us obey and teach the Gospel, the New Law of Jesus, which was once faithfully obeyed and valiantly taught by our Saint. May he intercede for us all!

“Jesus’ place should always be in the centre of every heart. From this centre, as if from the sun, emanate rays of grace to each of us” (St. Anthony of Padua).