Hardly any saint is called upon in everyday life as often as St Anthony of Padua: when the key is missing or the glasses have disappeared, many people say a quick prayer to him. Who was the man behind this custom?
Who was Anthony of Padua?
Anthony was born around 1195 in Lisbon as Fernando de Bulhões. He first joined the Augustinian canons. When the bodies of Franciscan martyrs from Morocco were brought to Coimbra in 1220, he was so impressed that he moved to the Franciscans and took the name Anthony.
He became a sought-after preacher and teacher of theology, worked in Italy and southern France, and is regarded as one of the first scholars of the Franciscan Order. Anthony died on 13 June 1231 near Padua, only about 36 years old. The Church canonised him just a year later, and in 1946 Pope Pius XII declared him a Doctor of the Church.
Legend and tradition
Legend has it that Anthony once preached to the fish by the sea because people would not listen to him. Another tradition reports that the Child Jesus appeared to him. These are pious stories, not established accounts, but they explain why he is so often depicted with the Child in his arms.
The custom of calling on Anthony for lost things also goes back to a legend: a novice is said to have secretly taken Anthony’s psalter and, after an apparition, returned it in repentance.
Feast day
The feast day of St Anthony is 13 June, the day of his death in 1231. Regional and denominational calendars may differ.
Patronage
- Padua and Portugal
- Lovers and married couples
- The poor and those in need
- In popular tradition: help in finding lost things
“Patron saint” means that people ask this saint to intercede for them with God. No guarantee or promise of miracles is attached to it.
Attributes and depiction
Anthony is shown as a young Franciscan in a brown habit. His typical attributes are the Child Jesus in his arms or on a book, the lily as a sign of purity, and a book for his preaching and learning.
A short prayer
St Anthony, friend of the people and intercessor with God: help me to find what is lost, and let me not forget what truly matters. Grant me patience when I search and gratitude when I find. Amen.
A simple prayer in our own words, to pray along.
Customs
On 13 June many parishes celebrate St Anthony’s Day with a service and the blessing of St Anthony’s bread. This custom, known in Padua as “Pane di Sant’Antonio”, means giving to those in need, often the weight of a loaf in bread or money, as thanks for help received.
In German-speaking countries, the St Anthony keyring is a popular everyday companion. It is a reminder to pause for a moment amid the bustle.
Matching items at LUNEXUS
- St Anthony keyring figure 10 cm – blessed
- Mini saint figure St Anthony with Child 3 cm, metal – blessed
- St Anthony of Padua – hand-carved wooden statue from South Tyrol
- St Anthony with the Child Jesus – hand-carved wooden statue from South Tyrol
The wooden statues from our woodcarving workshop are hand-carved in Val Gardena (South Tyrol) and come directly from the workshop: delivery time approx. 3–4 weeks, insured shipping to Germany and Austria only (€6.90). The statues are not blessed in our warehouse, and the 14-day statutory right of withdrawal applies to them.
Many, but not all, of our items are blessed in our own warehouse by a Catholic priest from the Diocese of Fulda. A business-card-sized certificate card showing the date of the blessing is then enclosed; whether an item is blessed is stated in its title or description. Shipped via Amazon's logistics network – free within Germany, €5.90 to Austria and France; Italy €6.90, Spain €6.90. Returns are possible within 30 days.
More to choose from: saint statues from South Tyrol and all patron saints. Parishes and groups will find an offer on request on the quantity discount page (does not apply to wooden statues from the woodcarving workshop).
Keep reading in the magazine: Small Christian gifts under €15
Frequently asked questions
What is St Anthony the patron of?
In popular devotion, Anthony is invoked for lost things. He is also the patron saint of Padua and Portugal, of the poor, and of lovers and married couples. No guarantee can be drawn from calling on him; it is a prayer for help.
When is St Anthony’s Day?
The feast day of St Anthony of Padua is 13 June, the day of his death in 1231.
What does the Child Jesus mean in depictions of Anthony?
The Child Jesus in his arms goes back to legends of an apparition and stands for Anthony’s deep devotion to Christ.
Sources: Ökumenisches Heiligenlexikon (Ecumenical Lexicon of Saints), the Martyrologium Romanum and the regional calendar for the German-speaking area. We flag legends as such; prayers are, unless stated otherwise, our own simple wording. Compiled by Denis & Belinda, as of October 2026.
