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St. Anthony of Padua relics, seen here in 2007 at Toronto’s St. Bonaventure Church, will be returning to Canada. The relics will be on display in Montreal June 8-10, Toronto June 12-13 and Burlington, Ont., June 15-16. Photo by Michael Swan

St. Anthony of Padua relics coming to Canada for 750th anniversary tour

By 
  • June 6, 2013

TORONTO - Every year Toronto renews its connection with St. Anthony of Padua, but this year the city will welcome the saint’s relics on the 750th anniversary of their discovery by St. Bonaventure and the 782nd anniversary of his death.

St. Anthony died June 13, 1231. St. Bonaventure’s Franciscan parish in Don Mills will host the visiting relics of St. Anthony June 12 and 13 with three special Masses and veneration throughout the two days.

The relics coming to St. Bonaventure’s from the Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua, Italy, are a few layers of skin held in a reliquary. This year, various relics will tour Canada, the United States, Ireland, England, Australia and elsewhere to mark 750 years since St. Bonaventure opened the initial grave of the saint and discovered the tongue and vocal chords intact.

St. Anthony’s body had never been lost. When St. Bonaventure opened the tomb 32 years after his death it was to transfer the body from a humble parish church to the grand new basilica taking shape next door.

From the moment he died, St. Anthony was one of the most popular saints in the Catholic universe. Canonized by Pope Gregory IX just 11 months after his death, the incredible popularity of St. Anthony has been a phenomenon for almost 800 years. Today between four- and five-million pilgrims visit the Basilica of St. Anthony every year. The Franciscans who live in Padua and care for the basilica refer to his popularity as the “Antonian Phenomenon.”

The best explanation for the enduring popularity and the close connection people feel for St. Anthony is that they feel he is on their side, Franciscan Friar Mario Conte told The Catholic Register in a phone call from Padua.

“They feel that he is a friend, a special friend next to God,” said Conte. “They see Anthony constantly pulling God’s jacket in their favour.”

It would be a mistake to pass off St. Anthony as a mere talisman of good luck, the finder of lost articles, Conte said.

“St. Anthony in particular is a kind of defender of human rights,” he said. “St. Anthony was more than a pretty face. He was actually quite a tough person. He was constantly trying to help women, because the situation for women was far from rosy in the middle ages. He was constantly trying to fight for children, because they were considered to be almost nothing. He was trying to help people against all those who took advantage of the poor — usurers, tyrants and even corrupt clergy.”

St. Anthony’s visit to St. Bonaventure’s will begin with a celebration of the Eucharist at 7:30 a.m. June 12, followed by veneration through the day and Evening Prayer at 7 p.m. The June 13 schedule begins with Eucharist at 7:30 a.m. followed by veneration, prayers at noon and 3 p.m. and another Mass at 7:30 p.m.

Friar Paolo Floretta will travel with the relics from Padua. They will also tour Montreal at Notre-Dame-de-Pompei June 8, Parc des Hirondelles June 9, Notre-Dame-de-la-Consolata June 9 and 10. The tour finishes off in Burlington, Ont., at St. Raphael’s Church June 15 and 16.

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