Saint Anthony: from great orator to multiplier of bread, one of the greatest intercessors of the church!
Santo Antônio de Padua (or Lisbon) was born in 1195, being traditionally known as the holy matchwife. But we will not deal here today with your intercesding for the young women you have helped. Few know that he was and is one of the saints of greatest power of intercession with God, Who has given countless miracles via his actions and prayers, converting the hardest of hearts. It could be known, or will still be, as the Saint of Miracles. A fact that led him to be one of the most quickly canonized saints in church history.
Another striking feature of his was his oratory power. He preached in public squares to tens of thousands of people with great power to explain the gospels. For this gift he was given the title of Doctor of the Church.
During his preaching various miracles occurred among the listeners: deaf, blind and lame restored their abilities to hear, see and walk, for example.
But how did the feast of St. Anthony's bread, celebrated around the world on May 13? Friar Antônio, so called at the time, felt immense charity for the poor and did not think twice one day of donating all the basket of bread that the friars would eat that day to the hungry of the street. The friar in charge of the bakery asked him worried: what are we going to eat now?
Quietly replied: look again at the baskets! As he looked at his gaze, he noticed that they overflowed with loaves of bread, being sufficient to feed the friars and the poor again.
But the party began when a mother went into despair at seeing her nearly two-year-old son drown.
The mother then invoked the already canonized Saint Antony and promised to give a sum of loaves equal to the boy's weight if he survived. The boy comes back to life miraculously afterwards.
The miracle of multiplying the loaves can be done via St. Anthony to this day but replicating his actions, that is, by donating food, volunteer work, and gospel words to those who hunger for food and the truth of God.
Sharing and food and spiritual generosity can begin with very simple gestures, according to the capacity of each. Blessed Carlo Acutis, for example, at his peak if his youth, without paid work and without his own resources, often stopped eating all his dinner to deliver the other part to some hungry of his street. He also gave gospel words to the people of his community, feeding their spirits.
Accompany with us other various miracles performed through the intercession of this great saint of the Catholic Church. Read more about the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and their oratory by clicking on the references in this text below.
References:
FRANCISCANOS. As St. Anthony did the multiplication of the loaves of the poor
CFFB. The Bread of St. Anthony