By dawn on Monday at least 2,000 people were queuing outside Padua’s Basilica di Sant’Antonio for the first display of the saint’s remains since 1981. The remains have been resting in the Basilica’s San Giacomo Chapel during restoration work on the Cappella Dell’Arca and were being transferred back to this part of the Basilica.
A huge security operation was mounted around the town and representatives of religious organisations were on hand to help visitors. The Basilica’s monks expect 100, 000 people to view the remains while they are on show between now and Saturday.
After the first two peak hours of opening on Monday, the visitors continued to arrive in a constant stream of 1,000 per hour. Each pilgrim was given a handwritten prayer which he or she was invited to leave in an urn, as well as a short guide written by the monks.
Saint Anthony was born into a rich family in Lisbon in 1195. He defied his parents by joining an Augustinian Abbey but later became a Franciscan. He was forced to land at Messina during a storm whilst trying to return to Lisbon and from there he travelled to Assisi. He spent some time living as a hermit before becoming a preacher by chance. He preached the Gospel throughout Lombardy and later travelled to France. Upon his return to Italy he became a papal envoy. He fell ill and died in 1231 whilst on his way back to Padua.
Padua’s patron saint is famous as the “quickest” saint ever because he was proclaimed a saint only one year after his death. He is said to be able to cure ailments and he has also somehow become the saint of lost causes.
Among the remains are Saint Anthony’s chin and his “incorruptible” tongue. This refers to the Catholic belief that supernatural intervention prevents some people’s bodies from decomposing after death. The saint himself was not an incorruptible.
Related stories
You may also be interested in reading:
Unforgettable Padua - The smart city of Padua (Padova in Italian) in the wealthy north-east Veneto region usually has to play second fiddle to Venice, yet it demands sightseeing in its own right ...
Feast of Saint Anthony of Padua - The thirteenth of June marks the Feast of Saint Anthony of Padua, one of the most venerated saints throughout Italy. Celebrations include processions, street fairs, fireworks, and huge crowds of people in piazzas, especially those in the south ...
Feast of Sant'Antonio Abate - On 17 January, several Italian towns celebrate the Festa di Sant'Antonio Abate or Feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot, also known as Saint Anthony the Great ...
