After Ancient Rome became fully Christian after 394 AD, it became customary to celebrate saints’ days – and on 13 June, the feast of St Anthony of Padua is still celebrated.

St Anthony was actually born in Lisbon in Portugal on 15 August 1195. His baptism name was Fernando Martins de Bulhœs and he descended from a wealthy and prominent family, who sent him to the cathedral school to be educated. He later studied theology and Latin at a Franciscan monastery and was ordained into the priesthood.

St Anthony’s life was short – he died on 13 June 1231 aged 35 – but he was known for a list of 13 miracles, as well as being the saint to pray to if you lose something!

Despite having a feast day celebrated, St Anthony himself actually ate very little – mainly bread and water and a little salt. But traditional food to eat on St Anthony’s Day includes meatballs, pasta and cake, which is great news for me as it is my birthday!

My favourite colour is azure blue – and blue and purple are also the colours of St Anthony, so I am on track.

Traditionally, St Anthony holds a lily to symbolise purity and he is also known as the Hammer of Heretics, as well as the protector of children, pregnant women, the elderly, amputees and Native American Indians. St Anthony actually has a long list of things he protects – also including the countries of Portugal and Brazil; and sailors, whom he protects from shipwrecks.

St Anthony and wild strawberries

His association with wild strawberries derives from his association with lost articles, too – in the month of June, strawberries were eaten to honour the handsome and ever youthful Greek god Adonis, who won the heart of Aphrodite, also known as the Roman goddess Venus. In June, the countryside was covered in wild strawberries and the myth was that if you lost something, it was likely to be found under a wild strawberry bush! Presumably because you went picking them rather than having romantic assignations under them – or because St Anthony had performed the miracle of finding your lost item and leaving it under a wild strawberry bush for you.

Many people celebrating the saint’s day will make cocktails or compotes with strawberries to mark the day – or add a fresh strawberry to a glass of champagne or Prosecco on special occasions. Adonis optional! But you can even add one to a soft fizzy drink to celebrate St Anthony’s Day.

St Anthony’s 13 miracles

If you would like to know more about St Anthony’s miracles, there is a video on YouTube explaining the the 13 miracles of St Anthony.

Even if you have not been brought up with the concept of miracles, at some point in our lives we all seem to need one! I did go to convent school, but I still find it interesting how science, history records, geography and climate records can sometimes throw light on how a miracle might have some basis other than divine intervention – and, of course, whichever divinity you believe in, they invented science, etc! In one miracle god sends St Anthony from Padua to Lisbon in two hours by divine intervention: today the flight time between Padua and Lisbon is. But, of course, god knew the flight times before the Wright brothers took to the air on their maiden flight!

St Anthony’s weekly saint’s day is Tuesday, so if you pray to him on a Tuesday, it strengthens your prayer. You can also leave a lily for him in a special place – or where you pray to him – as an offering.

You can also leave a prayer to St Anthony at https://www.santantonio.org/en – and if your prayer is answered, you can send another message of thanks.

The Church of Saint Anthony of Portugal (Sant’Antonio dei Portoghesi) in Rome is situated in the Campus Martius, just off the Via Lungotevere that runs along the River Tiber on the opposite side from Castel Sant’Angelo. If you visit in the late afternoon, there is usually a lovely little flea market along the nearby Via dell’Orso, where you can pick up some artwork, antiques, handmade crafts and gifts and trinkets! It is also within walking distance of the Museo Napoleonico, which houses some of Napoleon’s family heirlooms, so you can make an afternoon of it.

The Ara Pacis Augustae is farther along the Lungotevere, so if you visit on 13 June, it would be the perfect day to get lost in Rome!

Buon viaggio!