St. Anthony of Padua

On the road this morning to Padua. The Pontifical Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua is a Catholic church and minor basilica in Padua, Veneto, Northern Italy, dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua. So very beautiful inside. We went to mass, and then toured the church. Very interesting, St. Anthony of Padua was exhumed in 1263, 32 years after his death. At that time, his remains had completely decomposed with the curious exception of his tongue, which was taken as a sign of his gift for speaking and teaching about the word of God. The central niche preserves three important relics of St Anthony of Padua. These include his lower jaw, his incorrupt tongue, and cartilage from his larynx. All three of these relics are used in speech and reflect the saint's great ability as a preacher. We received a piece of relic from a garment that had touched his tongue.
The Franciscan Friars are the order in the church. They answer questions and do confessions after the mass. Enjoyed the day and headed north.Read more