St. Anthony Pray for us

June 13th

The gospel call to leave everything and follow Christ was the rule of Anthony’s life. Over and over again God called him to something new in his plan. Every time Anthony responded with renewed zeal and self-sacrificing to serve his Lord Jesus more completely.

His journey as the servant of God began as a very young man when he decided to join the Augustinians in Lisbon, giving up a future of wealth and power to be a servant of God. Later, when the bodies of the first Franciscan martyrs went through the Portuguese city where he was stationed, he was again filled with an intense longing to be one of those closest to Jesus himself: those who die for the Good News.

So Anthony entered the Franciscan Order and set out to preach to the Moors. But an illness prevented him from achieving that goal. He went to Italy and was stationed in a small hermitage where he spent most of his time praying, reading the Scriptures and doing menial tasks.

The call of God came again at an ordination where no one was prepared to speak. The humble and obedient Anthony hesitantly accepted the task. The years of searching for Jesus in prayer, of reading sacred Scripture and of serving him in poverty, chastity and obedience had prepared Anthony to allow the Spirit to use his talents. Anthony’s sermon was astounding to those who expected an unprepared speech and knew not the Spirit’s power to give people words.

Recognized as a great man of prayer and a great Scripture and theology scholar, Anthony became the first friar to teach theology to the other friars. Soon he was called from that post to preach to the Albigensians in France, using his profound knowledge of Scripture and theology to convert and reassure those who had been misled.

Novena to Saint Anthony

We Salute thee, Saint Anthony lily of purity, ornament and glory of Christianity. We rejoice at the favors God has so liberally bestowed on thee. In humility and confidence we entreat thee to help us for we know that God has given thee charity and pity as well as power. Then behold our distress, our anxiety, our fears concerning [Here mention your intentions.] We ask if of thee by the love thou didst feel for the divine Child when he loaded thee with caresses. Tell Him of our wants. Remember thy rapture when thou didst clasp Him to thy heart when thou didst press thy cheek to His and didst listen to His divine whispers. One sigh from thee whom He honors will crown our success and fill us with joy. Think of this and hear our prayer. Obtain for us all that we desire and we will publish thy greatness thereby to glorify Him by whom thou wert so highly favored. Amen


O Holy Saint Anthony, Gentlest of Saints, your love for God and charity for His creatures made you worthy when on earthy to possess miraculous powers. Miracles waited on your word which you were ever ready to speak for those in trouble or anxiety. Encouraged by this thought, I implore you to obtain for me my request [Here mention your intentions.]


The answer to my prayer may require a miracle, even so, you are the Saint of miracles. O Gentle and Loving Saint Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the Sweet Infant Jesus, Who loved to be folded in your arms, and the gratitude of my heart will ever be yours.


Saint Anthony, loved and honored by the divine Child Jesus, Obtain what we ask of thee.

Saint Anthony, powerful in word and work, Obtain what we ask of thee.

Saint Anthony, attentive to those who invoke thee, Obtain what we ask of thee.


The Efficacious Prayers in Honor of the Blessed Tongue of Saint Anthony of Padua


(They can be recited for an exercise of thirteen Tuesdays in his honor, or during thirteen days in succession, or the first nine can be used for a nine-day Novena.)



First Day


O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue didst always bless the Lord and cause others to bless Him! To reward thee God has glorified thy tongue by granting to it upon this earth the favor of incorruptibility which has continued for seven centuries. I bless thy tongue, I praise and venerate it with the same sentiments of faith, devotion and love that animated Saint Bonaventure when he kissed it, praised it, blessed it and venerated it. I thank the Lord Who has sanctified thy tongue, rendering it miraculous and glorious on earth, and I beg Him to grant a true devotion toward thee, that I may merit thy protection during this life, in all my spiritual and corporal needs, and merit also to rise again with all the privileges of the glorious bodies of the Saints.


Our Father etc. Hail Mary etc. Glory Be to the Father. etc.



Second Day


O Blessed Tongue, which always didst bless the Lord, and cause others to bless Him, now does it appear plainly how highly thou were esteemed by God. O marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue didst always bless the Lord and cause others to bless, praise, thank and pray to Him, I bless, praise and venerate thee, I thank God Who created thy tongue and sanctified it by His grace, and I implore Him, through thy merits, to purify and sanctify my tongue, that by it I may continually praise, bless and thank the Lord, and never offend Him.


Our Father etc. Hail Mary etc. Glory Be to the Father. etc.



Third Day


O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue didst always bless the Lord, and cause others to bless Him, without ever offending Him, by words or guilty conversations, I bless, praise and venerate thee, and thanking God Who preserved thee from all sins of the tongue implore Him through thy merits, to preserve my tongue from every sinful word and discourse.


Our Father etc. Hail Mary etc. Glory Be to the Father. etc.



Fourth Day


O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue didst always receive Jesus in His Sacrament worthily, I bless, praise and venerate thee, thanking God Who has sanctified thee by His graces and His Most Holy Sacrament, I implore Him to pardon me for having so often profaned by sin my tongue, sanctified and consecrated so many times by contact with the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in my communions. O great Saint, obtain for me the grace to preserve my tongue pure and spotless from sin, that I may henceforth merit to receive Jesus Christ worthily in the Sacrament of His love.


Our Father etc. Hail Mary etc. Glory Be to the Father. etc.



Fifth Day


O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue didst always bless the Lord, praying and singing to Him with devotion and attention, I bless, praise and venerate thee. I thank God for giving thee the spirit of prayer and gift of contemplation, and through thy merits, I implore Him to grant me the grace that all the prayers my tongue shall recite may spring from an attentive and recollected heart.


Our Father etc. Hail Mary etc. Glory Be to the Father. etc.



Sixth Day


O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue didst always bless the Lord, with Whom thou didst hold familiar conversation when He appeared to thee under the form of a graceful Child, I bless, praise and venerate thee, and thanking God for the sweet apparitions and tender conversations with which He favored thee, I implore thee to obtain for me the grace to always converse devoutly and affectionately with Jesus in His Sacrament after Holy Communion.


Our Father etc. Hail Mary etc. Glory Be to the Father. etc.



Seventh Day


O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue didst always bless the Lord, and cause others to bless Him, by teaching men the knowledge of their faith and duties by converting so many sinners and infidels, I bless, praise and venerate thee. I thank God Who has given thee so much charity, wisdom and zeal, and I implore you to obtain from Him the same gifts for me, and for all, that we may labor, by our examples and words, to procure the glory of God, and the conversion of sinners and infidels.


Our Father etc. Hail Mary etc. Glory Be to the Father. etc.



Eighth Day


O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue didst always bless the Lord, and cause others to bless Him, when in preaching and speaking in one language, thou wert, by a miracle, heard, at a distance, and understood by people of every nation and language, I bless, praise and venerate thee, and, thanking God for making of thee such a zealous workman and so admirable in the conversion of sinners, I implore thee, to attract the blessings of divine goodness on my tongue, that it may never do harm, and may always promote the glory of God and my neighbor's welfare.


Our Father etc. Hail Mary etc. Glory Be to the Father. etc.



Ninth Day


O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue didst always bless the Lord, and cause others to bless Him, when they saw the fish themselves obey thee, and raise their heads from the water to listen to thy words, when they saw a stupid beast prostrate itself to adore Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament, I bless, praise and venerate thee, I thank God for having worked such prodigies to confirm thy faith, thy sanctity and thy teachings; I implore thee to obtain for me the grace to hear with fruit, the word of God, and to be devout to the Holy Sacrament of the altar.


Our Father etc. Hail Mary etc. Glory Be to the Father. etc.



Tenth Day


O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue didst always bless the Lord, and cause others to bless Him, even to obliging the infernal spirits to obey thee, and to quit the bodies which they possessed, by saying to them, "Behold the cross of the Lord! Fly, ye powers of darkness, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, has conquered. Alleluia." I bless, praise and venerate thee, and, thanking God for giving thee such power over hell, beseech thee to cause me to be delivered and preserved from the snares and temptation of the devil, as well as all those who recite with faith, and carry with confidence the words pronounced by thy tongue.


Our Father etc. Hail Mary etc. Glory Be to the Father. etc.



Eleventh Day


O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue didst always bless the Lord, and cause others to bless Him, by reconciling enemies, converting malefactors and robbers, humbling a tyrant at thy feet, and humiliating hardened heretics, I bless, praise and venerate thee, I thank God for giving such strength and persuasion to thy words, and I implore thee to obtain for me grace and zeal to exercise fraternal correction without human respect, but with prudence and meekness, so as to prevent evil and effect good.


Our Father etc. Hail Mary etc. Glory Be to the Father. etc.



Twelfth Day


O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue didst always bless the Lord, and cause others to bless Him, who hast commanded with authority and faith, the unchained elements, disease and death itself, while God has worked through your instrumentality so many astounding prodigies, prodigies which He still continues from day to day, I bless, praise and venerate thee. I thank God for granting thee the privilege of distributing so many graces and working such wondrous miracles, and I implore thee to use it in my favor, and in favor of all those who have devotion to thee.


Our Father etc. Hail Mary etc. Glory Be to the Father. etc.



Thirteenth Day


O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue didst always bless the Lord, and cause others to bless Him, thanks to all thy prerogatives, thanks to the veneration in which thou hast ever been held, thanks to thy powerful intercession, all can clearly see how great is thy merit before God, Who gives thee such glory in heaven, so much power and veneration on earth, I rejoice with thee, I praise and venerate thee, and, thanking God for all thy virtues, merits and the glory which He gives thee, and will give thee in heaven and on earth, I promise to be truly devout to thee by imitating thy virtues as far as I am able, especially by keeping my tongue from sin, by employing it in praising and thanking God, and praying never more to offend Him. Obtain for me from our Lord, with the pardon of all the faults which my tongue has committed, or made others commit, the grace never more to make use of it to offend Him. For this intention, I will recite every day, or at least every Tuesday, the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be to the Father, thirteen times, to thank the Most Holy Trinity for the graces, glory and thirteen privileges which have been granted to thee, in order to be worthy of thy protection during this life, of thy assistance at the hour of my death, and of thy blessed company in heaven. Amen


Our Father etc. Hail Mary etc. Glory Be to the Father. etc.





Litany of Saint Anthony
(For private devotion)


Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.

Christ have mercy. Christ have mercy.

Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.

Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.

God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us. St. Anthony of Padua, pray for us.*

St. Anthony, glory of the Friars Minor, *

St. Anthony, lily of virginity, *

St. Anthony, gem of poverty, *

St. Anthony, example of obedience, *

St. Anthony, mirror of abstinence, *

St. Anthony, vessel of purity, *

St. Anthony, star of sanctity, *

St. Anthony, model of conduct, *

St. Anthony, beauty of paradise, *

St. Anthony, ark of the testament, *

St. Anthony, keeper of the Scriptures, *

St. Anthony, teacher of the truth, *

St. Anthony, preacher of grace, *

St. Anthony, exterminator of vices, *

St. Anthony, planter of virtues, *

St. Anthony, conqueror of heretics, *

St. Anthony, terror of infidels, *

St. Anthony, consoler of the afflicted, *

St. Anthony, searcher of consciences, *

St. Anthony, martyr in desire, *

St. Anthony, terror of the devils, *

St. Anthony, horror of hell, *

St. Anthony, performer of miracles, *

St. Anthony, restorer of lost things, *

St. Anthony, helper in need, *

St. Anthony, Purveyor for God's Poor, *



Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.


V. St. Anthony, pray for us.


R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.


Let us Pray:
O God let the votive commemoration of Blessed Anthony, Thy Confessor, be a source of joy to Thy Church, that she may always be fortified with spiritual assistance, and may deserve to possess eternal joy, through Christ our Lord. Amen





Responsory to St. Anthony of Padua


If miracles you fain would see;

Lo, error, death, calamity,

The Leprous stain, the demon flies,

From beds of pain the sick arise.


The hungry seas forego their prey,

The prisoner's cruel chains give way;

While palsied limbs and chattels lost,

Both young and old recovered boast.


And perils perish; plenty hoard,

Is heaped on hunger's famished board.

Let those relate who know it well,

Let Padua of her patron tell.


The hungry seas forego their prey,

The prisoner's cruel chains give way;

While palsied limbs and chattels lost,

Both young and old recovered boast.



Glory be to the Father, etc.



The hungry seas forego their prey,

The prisoner's cruel chains give way;

While palsied limbs and chattels lost,

Both young and old recovered boast.



V. Pray for us, blessed Anthony.


R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.


Let us Pray
O God, may the votive commemoration of blessed Anthony, Your confessor and doctor, be a source of joy to Your Church, that she may always be fortified with spiritual assistance and deserve to enjoy eternal rewards. Through Christ our Lord. Amen(Indulgence 200 days, once a day)



Prayer for the Restoration of Things Lost or Stolen

O Blessed St. Anthony! the grace of God has made thee a powerful advocate in all necessities, and the patron for the restoration of things lost or stolen; to thee I turn today with childlike love and heartfelt confidence. Oh, how many thousands hast thou miraculously aided in the recovery of lost goods! Thou wast the counsellor of the erring, 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 thee do I hasten, O Blessed St. Anthony. Help me in my present affliction. I recommend what I have lost to thy care, in the secure hope that thou wilt restore it to me, if it be to the greater glory of God, and to the spiritual benefit of my soul, that I may praise and thank thee, in time and eternity, for thy glorious intercession in my behalf. Amen.