In 1220, five Franciscans whom St. Anthony had met were martyred at the hands of Muslims in Morocco. St. Anthony received permission to leave the Canons Regular of St. Augustine and to become a Franciscan. He took the name Anthony at that time and set off for Morocco to preach the Faith, fully expecting to suffer a martyr’s death as well. Becoming severely ill, he tried to return to Portugal, but his ship was stranded on the coast of Sicily. When he recovered, he traveled to Assisi for a general meeting of the Franciscan order, and he would spend the rest of his life in Italy and France.
In Italy, his preaching came to the attention of St. Francis, the founder of the Franciscans, who directed him to teach theology to the Franciscan brothers. He preached so strongly the Cathars and Albigenses that he earned the title “Hammer of the Heretics.” During his life, he performed many miracles, including rendering poisoned food innocuous by making the Sign of the Cross over it; bilocating (appearing in two places at one time) so that he could celebrate Mass and sing the Divine Office; and reattaching an amputated foot.
St. Anthony is often portrayed with the Infant Jesus in his arms, in honor of an apparition of the Infant Jesus, in which He kissed St. Anthony and told him He loved him for his zealous preaching. He died on June 13, 1231, and his feast is celebrated on that day. His canonization took less than a year. In 1263, St. Anthony’s tomb was opened to transfer his relics, and his tongue was discovered to be incorrupt, which the great Franciscan St. Bonaventure took as a sign that God had been pleased with St. Anthony’s preaching. On January 16, 1946, in recognition of that preaching, Pope Pius XII declared St. Anthony a doctor of the Church.
