A Cantor's Journey to Il Santo: Discovering the Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua, Italy
The Magnificent Basilica of St. Anthony: A Hidden Gem in Northern Italy
The Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua is recognized as a National Shrine by the Vatican. Construction for the massive church began in 1232, about one year after St. Anthony’s death, and it was completed in 1301. The Saint had asked to be buried in the church of Santa Maria Mater Domini, and the new church was built over that site. The Cappella della Madonna Mora is where the old church is incorporated into the Basilica in present day. As a Catholic Cantor, I had the unique privilege to lead the music for a Daily Mass at the Basilica in February 2025.
From Fernando to Anthony: The Remarkable Life of Padua's Beloved Saint
St. Anthony of Padua was actually born to a wealthy Portuguese family in 1195, and his given name was Fernando Martins de Bulhões. He became a priest of the Canons Regular at the age of 19, and was the principal minister of hospitality at the Monastery of the Holy Cross in Coimbra, Portugal. It was while serving in that role that he met a group of traveling Friars Minor, only eleven years after the Franciscan Order had been founded. He was so moved by their evangelical and pious ways that he asked to leave the Canons Regular to join the Franciscans. Upon joining the Order, he changed his name to Anthony.
As part of his new vocation, he was sent to Morocco to recover the bodies of five Franciscan martyrs. However, he became very ill, and was sent home to Portugal. A unique intervention in the form of a storm that caused his ship to lose course, landed him in Sicily, Italy. However, because of his poor health, he was moved to Tuscany, and then again to Forli e Romagna. It was there that he was called upon to give a special homily for visiting Dominicans, and his talent for theology and preaching was discovered. His abilities came to the founder of his Order, St. Francis of Assisi, whom he met while in Bologna. St. Francis found a kindred spirit in St. Anthony, and in 1224, appointed Anthony to be in charge of theological teaching and formation for all new friars entering the Order. In 1226, he was appointed Provincial Superior for the Order in Northern Italy, and he chose Padua to be his home base. Sadly, St. Anthony died at the age of 35 in 1231 due to poisoning from ergotism. He was canonized a Saint less than one year later by Pope Gregory IX.
Inside Il Santo: Architectural Splendor and Sacred Treasures
The Basilica of St. Anthony is often called “Il Santo,” and it houses his remains among other sacred objects. The huge church is loosely reflective of the architectural style of St. Mark’s Basilica in nearby Venice, Italy. It has had several additions over the centuries to reach its present state. The brick, Romanesque building towers over a large central square on top of a hill in the city of Padua. It is not the Cathedral of Padua, rather a Pontifical Minor Basilica. It is an easy walk down the hill from Il Santo to reach the famed Prato della Valle, which is a gorgeous park that was also founded in the middle-ages. The Cathedral of Padua is further down the hill in the ancient Padua city center, near the University of Padua, which was founded shortly before St. Anthony arrived in 1222.
Practical Tips for Catholic Pilgrims Visiting Padua
While Padua is not often the first city on the list for many Catholic pilgrims, I highly recommend a visit to this beautiful little city. We stayed at Le Camp Suite and Spa, which was an easy 10-15 minute walk to everything we wanted to see. I also recommend attending one of the daily Masses at the Basilica of St. Anthony. Every Mass there is uplifting and full of joy, probably because of the loving personalities of the priests who serve there. I had the great pleasure of meeting Fr. Alessandro Fortin when I served as Cantor for the 4PM daily Mass. You can often see him singing as Cantor for the 6:00PM daily Mass that is Live Streamed on YouTube every day.
