Saint of the Day
Sunday, October 11, 2026
Portuguese Franciscan friar, preacher, and Doctor of the Church — patron saint of lost things.
Fernando Martins de Bulhões was born to a wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal, around 1195. He entered the Augustinian order at fifteen, then transferred to the new Franciscan order in 1220 after seeing the bodies of five Franciscan martyrs returned from Morocco. He took the name Anthony in honor of Saint Anthony the Great, the desert father. Anthony hoped to die a martyr in Morocco himself but was sent back to Europe by illness.
Read full biography →Saint Anthony, perfect imitator of Jesus, who received from God the special power of restoring lost things, grant that I may find (mention what is lost), which has been lost. At least restore to me peace and tranquility of mind, the loss of which has afflicted me even more than my material loss. To this favor, I ask another of you: that I may always remain in possession of the true good that is God. Let me rather lose all things than lose God, my supreme good. Let me never suffer the loss of my greatest treasure, eternal life with God. Amen.