THE TWO FIRST-CLASS relics of St. Anthony of Padua — the patron saint of lost and stolen possessions — made a pilgrimage to several churches within the Diocese of Orange recently, providing an opportunity for thousands of devotees to venerate the saint’s sacred remains.
RELICS OF ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA MADE A PILGRIMAGE TO SEVERAL CHURCHES WITHIN THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE, INCLUDING LA PURÍSIMA. PHOTOS BY YUAN WANG/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
The two relics, which were presented at six diocesan churches from June 6-13, are fragments of St. Anthony’s skin and a floating rib. The rib carries special significance because it was venerated by Sister Lucia of Fatima in her convent in Coimbra in 1995 and by then-Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis) in the Cathedral of Buenos Aires in 2000. The relics have made multiple visits to the U.S. but were presented for the first time in the Diocese of Orange.
Accompanying the relics were Fathers Fabio Turrisendo and Matteo Martinelli, two Franciscan friars from the Pontifical Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua, Italy.
“I always find that people consider St. Anthony as a family member, an old friend,” Fr. Turrisendo said. “My mom and my grandma taught me about St. Anthony. They taught me how to pray to St. Anthony, and not only for lost items.”
During their presentation at St. Hedwig Catholic Church in Los Alamitos on June 8, Fr. Turrisendo provided a detailed history of the relics to the parish. St. Anthony died in 1231 and was buried in Padua, the friar explained. Three decades later, the Franciscans and the people of Padua had completed the central nave of the new basilica built to house his remains. In 1263, the tomb was opened for the first time under the direction of St. Bonaventure, then minister general of the Franciscan Order. When the friars lifted the coffin lid, they found the expected signs of decomposition, except for one startling exception, Fr. Turrisendo said.
St. Anthony’s tongue and jawbone were still red and fresh, appearing as if he were alive, he said.
“God wanted us to know that St. Anthony had been a true, authentic messenger of God’s love,” Fr. Turrisendo said. “He used his tongue, his voice, to proclaim the Gospel, the truth of the Gospel. So, we can see that God preserved his whole vocal apparatus.”
St. Bonaventure closed the coffin — the new one inside the older one — and placed St. Anthony’s Franciscan habit folded on one side, the friar said.
“And this is what we found in 1981, exactly what Bonaventure left 700 years earlier,” he said.
At St. Hedwig, the faithful were encouraged to ask for St. Anthony’s intercession for any intention, “including loss of faith, family, harmony, health, hope, peace of mind and trust in others – all intentions and petitions are welcome.”
“People tell us, ‘St. Anthony is the one who helped me when I was sick,’” Fr. Turrisendo said. “‘St. Anthony is the one who helped my mom when she losther necklace. St. Anthony is the one who helped us have a baby.’”
Jose Ferrufino, president of the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Hedwig, was among the hundreds who lined up outside the church for the chance to venerate the relics. Ferrufino has been at St. Hedwig since 1996.
“Because the life of Jesus ended over 2,000 years ago, there’s a continuing link, I think, through saints for us to connect in a real tangible way with the Spirit of Jesus,” said Ferrufino. “All of us are suffering in some way. All these people who are here, they find it as a way of comfort and healing.”
Attendees were given a St. Anthony holy card and a prayer intention card on which to write their prayer requests to the saint. After venerating, attendees placed the cards in a basket beside the relics. Fr. Fabio and Fr. Matteo brought the prayer cards back to the basilica in Padua, where they were to be placed at the tomb of St. Anthony. The friars were to pray for the saint’s intercession upon the intentions and petitions.
“St. Anthony has been in my prayers every day because I’ve been grateful for all the gifts that have been handed down to me by the Holy Spirit and God Almighty,” St. Hedwig Deacon Gary Mucho said. “And St. Anthony has been part of that group of prayers that assists me in finding lost things. And I like his character. He’s a good man.”