Anthony of Lisbon

Born in 1195 in a Lisbon just out of Muslim rule, Anthony of Lisbon lived in a house near the See that would later become a church dedicated to him.

Always with great taste for learning, António de Lisboa dedicated himself to the knowledge of the masters, finding great stillness in the scriptures and prayer, beginning his missionary life in 1220, when traveling to Ceuta. A serious illness forces him to return to Portugal, however, the boat where he travels ends up drifting to Sicily where he is welcomed until he got healthier. Traveling then to Assisi, António de Lisboa celebrated Mass for his friars and took care of the maintenance of the More of Monte Paolo in Forli, nowadays a sanctuary, retreating then to a cave where he practiced long hours of meditation.

Silent and peaceful, he sought to allay the conflicts with the Catholic Church that characterized the period in which he lived, even preaching messages of peace in empty streets and to the fish of the sea, which according to the legend appeared by the thousands to listen to his words: “Since you show yourselves to be unworthy of the word of God, behold, I address the fish, to confuse your unbelief more openly.” Texts say that his way of preaching was unique, being greatly esteemed for his competence and inspiration. The image of St. Anthony with the boy in his arms appears in a vision in his last weeks of life, in a cell to which he retired in prayer. On June 13, 1231, Saint Anthony collapsed due to tiredness and little food, eventually dying humbly and serenely in an agricultural car on his way to Padua.