Feast of St. Anthony – June 13, 2026

Expected Feast of St. Anthony Deals

The Feast of St. Anthony, a day of spiritual recognition, doesn’t typically feature commercial deals but rather encourages acts of charity and devotion. Many Catholic organizations, like the National Shrine of St. Anthony (shrineofstanthony.org) and the Franciscans (franciscan.org), will host special Masses, novenas, and opportunities for almsgiving. Local parishes often organize community events, such as blessing of St. Anthony’s Bread for the poor. Consider donating to a local food bank or a charity that supports those in need, honoring St. Anthony’s compassion. We will update this page with confirmed live events and charitable initiatives as June 13 approaches.

History of Feast of St. Anthony

St. Anthony of Padua was born Fernando Martins de Bulhões to a wealthy and prominent family in Lisbon, Portugal on August 15, 1195. His father, Martin de Bouillon, was a descendant of Godfrey de Bouillon, commander of the First Crusade, while his mother, Theresa Tavejra, was a descendant of the fourth king of Asturia, Froila I.

Anthony was educated at the Cathedral School of Saint Mary near his house, where his teachers suggested that he become a knight at the king’s court. However, his father believed Anthony was better suited to intellectual pursuits and wanted him to help manage the family’s estate and become a nobleman. To his father’s dismay, Anthony joined the Canons Regular of St. Augustine when he was 15 and entered St. Vincent’s convent of Lisbon in 1210. Anthony soon asked to be transferred to the Holy Cross Monastery in Coimbra where he spent eight years studying theology and was later ordained a priest. During this period, he befriended many friars following Francis of Assisi, who built an order of friars and traveled extensively, preaching to non-believers.

In 1220, he joined the Franciscan order inspired by five Fransicians who were martyred in Morocco. He, too, hoped to preach to Muslims and be martyred. On his way to Morocco, he became seriously ill and was forced to return home, but his ship back to Portugal was blown off course and finally landed in Sicily. Because of his deteriorating health, he was not allowed to pursue missionary work. Instead, he taught theology in Bologna, Italy; and at Montpellier, Toulouse, and Puy-en-Velay in southern France. He won great admiration as a preacher and was noted for his simple yet profound teaching of the Catholic faith. He died on his way to Padua, Italy on June 13 in 1231.