TRIVIA: Anthonian symbols

conography of St Anthony includes a series of symbols: youth, the habit, a book, the baby Jesus, the lily, a flame, a heart, bread. These express either a characteristic of his personality (memory functions), or the gifts and qualities which popular devotion have attributed to him (symbolic function).

The most widely diffused image is of Anthony as a young religious, with the Christ child in his arms and a lily in his hand.

Youth is connected to the ideal image of him as, pure, good, receptive to everyone.

The Franciscan habit (brown or black) is reminiscent of the Franciscan Order, but with some particular characteristics. Some people think - wrongly - that he created his own order and they have problems connecting him to St. Francis.

The baby Jesus is reminiscent of the vision that Anthony had in Camposampiero.

It also expresses his attachment to the humanity of Christ and his closeness to God.

The Lily represents his purity and his battle against the demon since childhood.

The flame indicates his love for God and his neighbour.

Many votive offerings are heart-shaped, and the reliquary for the voice box (larynx), found intact at the last recognition, has been made in the shape of a flame.

Bread is reminiscent of his charity to the poor. This image is connected with the charity "St. Anthony's bread for the poor", which is still operating.

This is also connected with Saint Anthony's Charities, which spreads the solidarity of St. Anthony all over the world.

In the end, the oldest image and that which is nearest to reality is represented by the book, a symbol of his science, of his doctrine, of his preaching and of his teaching, always inspired by the book par excellence: the Bible.

PRAYER FOR PRIVATE DEVOTION TO ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA-

PRAYER TO RECOVER LOST OR STOLEN THINGS

O Blessed St. Anthony, The grace of God has made you a powerful advocate in all necessities and the patron for the restoration of things lost or stolen. To you we return today with child-like love and heartfelt confidence. How many thousands have you miraculously aided in the recovery of lost goods. You are the counselors of sinners, the comforter of the afflicted, the healer of the sick, the raiser of the dead, the deliverer of the captive, the refuge of the afflicted. To you do we hasten O Blessed St. Anthony. Help us in our affliction. We entrust what we have lost to your care, in the secure hope that you will restore it to be the greater glory of God and to the benefit of our soul. Amen..

A STUDENT’S PRAYER

St. Anthony, you distinguished yourself for truly human and Christian wisdom, I entrust my studies to your guidance. You know how important they are for my life and what commitment they require of me: grant me a firm will to apply myself with constancy, the intelligence to penetrate the wonders of science, a memory to remember and use what I have been taught.

May school be for me an arena of life where I may learn together with human knowledge the teachings of the Gospel.

Through your help, may I continue and conclude successfully may studies and thus be useful to others and find my place in life with Christian responsibility. Amen.