When I see the word, “lost” my immediate thought is to St. Anthony of Padua, the patron saint for lost items. Did you know that St. Anthony of Padua is also known for finding things that are missing that aren’t material? St. Anthony can be summoned when we are lost on our journey and need to find our way, or when we have lost our sense of self and need the reassurance to feel whole again. How has St. Anthony helped you in your life?

I love thinking about the saints and how real they all are. It is a fantastic thought to think that an average person could achieve the greatness that is so close to our father in heaven. The story of St. Anthony is special and unique.

Anthony of Padua was a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order. He was born and raised by a wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal, and died in Padua, Italy. Noted by his contemporaries for his powerful preaching, expert knowledge of scripture, and undying love and devotion to the poor and the sick, he was one of the most quickly canonized saints in church history. He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church on January 16 1946. He is also the patron saint of lost things. (read more)

This prayer to St. Anthony, much like the Prayer to St. Joseph, “has never been known to fail, provided that the request is for one’s spiritual benefit or for those whom we are praying for.” We must remember that while God welcomes our prayers and requests, sometimes the answer is no, sometimes yes, and many times, not yet. God always answers our prayers, his response may not be what we hope for, but he always grants us what we need in our lives.

The Unfailing Prayer to St. Anthony is for anything that is lost and needs to be found. Like all prayers, declare with faith, petition, and confidence. Believe in the intercession of the Holy Spirit and trust in God that He hears and answers you, in his will.

Prayer to St. Anthony of Padua (Feast Day June 13):

O Holy St. Anthony gentlest of Saints, your love for God and charity for His creatures, made you worthy, when on earth, to possess miraculous powers. Encouraged by this thought, I implore you to obtain for me (request).

O gentle and loving St. Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the sweet Infant Jesus, who loved to be folded in your arms. The gratitude of my heart will ever be yours. Amen.

The depiction of St. Anthony of Padua traditionally is shown holding the infant Jesus and grasping Lillies. These symbols indicate the childlike and pure faith of St. Anthony, along with the precious flower that is a symbol of purity and hope. Read below for more information on the incredible, St. Anthony of Padua.

According to the story narrated in The Life of St. Anthony published in 1895:

While traveling through Limoges a pious benefactor gave [St. Anthony] lodging, and … assigned him a room separated from the others. It was night when the owner, either by chance or on purpose, passed near the room of the saint, and he observed that rays of unusual light came through the cracks of the door. He was curious to know the reason of that light, and approached the door very slowly. He saw Anthony kneeling, as if in ecstasy, and, full of wonder, admiring and caressing a loving child of rare beauty, who was tenderly embracing the saint. Then the man knew, from the affectionate conversation, and from the superhuman beauty, that it was Jesus Christ who, under the appearance of a loving child, was pleased to visit His faithful servant and fill him with His ineffable consolation.

Most images of the Wonder-Worker of Padua depict him holding the Child Jesus and with lilies. Now, it is a part of tradition in Christian art to use lilies as a symbol of purity when portraying Our Lady or the Saints and even Angels. With Saint Anthony lilies have special significance. Lilies are in bloom around much of the world in the month of June, the month of his Feast Day [the 13th]. Of even more import there are two incidents hundreds of years old relating to the Saint of Padua and these magnificent flowers:

In 1680, on June 13, in the church at Mentosca d'Agesco in Austria, someone placed a cut lily in the hand of his statue. For an entire year the lily remained fragrant and fully alive, without wilting. Then the following year it grew two more blooms, so that the church was filled with the fragrance of the flowers.

A little over a century later, during the anti-clerical, anti-Catholic French Revolution, on the island of Corsica, the Franciscans were forced to leave their parishioners. The people refused to give up their devotions although they had no choice in the matter of the Sacraments because they had no priests. They invoked the intercession of Saint Anthony. On June 13 they erected a shrine to the Saint in the deserted church; the shrine included lilies in his honor. Months later the blooms were still fresh as if they had just been placed there.

Source: SAINT ANTHONY OF PADUA, Catholic Book Publishing and Carol Kaylor, a viewer who sent me additional information, July, 2008. 

This blog was originally shared on Marissa’s personal blog - you can find more from her at https://www.lapetitevoie.com