A St. Anthony novena is nine days of prayer to St. Anthony of Padua, the beloved Franciscan “wonder-worker” whom Catholics ask for help with lost things, difficult needs and the poor. The traditional time is June 4 to 12, ending on the eve of his feast on June 13. There is also an older devotion of thirteen Tuesdays in his honor, because Tuesday was the day of his funeral and the first miracles at his tomb.
This page gives the traditional request prayer to St. Anthony from a 1925 prayer book, the famous responsory Si quaeris, a short meditation on his life for each day, and how to keep the thirteen Tuesdays.
How to pray the St. Anthony novena
- Make the Sign of the Cross and name your intention.
- Read the meditation for the day.
- Pray the request to St. Anthony (below).
- Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary and one Glory Be.
- End with the responsory Si quaeris or one of the aspirations.
Many people also follow the custom of St. Anthony’s Bread: promising an alms for the poor in thanksgiving for a favor received.
The request to St. Anthony (every day)
This prayer was indulgenced by Pope Leo XIII in 1899 and printed for the devotion of the thirteen Tuesdays:
O wonderful St. Anthony, glorious on account of the fame of thy miracles, and through the condescension of Jesus in coming in the form of a little child to repose in thy arms; obtain for me of His bounty the grace which I ardently desire from the depths of my heart. Thou who wast so compassionate toward miserable sinners, regard not the unworthiness of those who pray to thee, but the glory of God, that it may be once again magnified by thee, to the salvation of my soul, in connection with the particular request which I now ask for with persevering earnestness. May this small offering of pence, which I make to thee in aid of the poor, be a pledge of my gratitude, and with them may it one day be granted to me, through the grace of Jesus Christ and thy intercession, to possess the kingdom of heaven. Amen.
The responsory of St. Anthony (Si quaeris)
Long attributed to St. Bonaventure (and probably written by the Franciscan Julian of Speyer around 1235), this hymn lists the wonders worked through St. Anthony’s prayers, including the finding of lost things:
If, then, you ask for miracles,
Death, error, all calamities.
The leprosy, and demons fly,
And health succeeds infirmities.
The sea obeys, and fetters break;
And lifeless limbs thou dost restore;
Whilst treasures lost are found again,
When young or old thine aid implore.
All dangers vanish at thy prayer,
And direst need doth quickly flee;
Let those who know, thy power proclaim,
Let Paduans say: These are of thee.
The sea obeys, and fetters break;
And lifeless limbs thou dost restore;
Whilst treasures lost are found again,
When young or old thine aid implore.
To Father, Son, may glory be,
And Holy Ghost eternally.
The sea obeys, etc.
V. Pray for us, blessed Anthony.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Day 1: The young nobleman of Lisbon
Fernando Martins de Bulhões was born in Lisbon around 1195 to a noble family. At fifteen he entered the Augustinian canons and became a learned priest. Pray for young people discerning their path in life.
Day 2: The call of the martyrs
In 1220 the relics of five Franciscan friars martyred in Morocco were brought to Coimbra. Moved by their courage, Fernando joined the Franciscans and took the name Anthony. Pray for the courage to give everything to God.
Day 3: Failure and humility
Anthony sailed to Africa to preach and die as a martyr, but fell gravely ill and had to return; a storm carried his ship to Sicily. He lived hidden and unknown in a small hermitage. Pray for those whose plans have failed.
Day 4: The hidden preacher
At an ordination in Forlì, Anthony was asked to speak without preparation, and everyone was astonished by his learning and fire. St. Francis himself entrusted him with teaching theology to the friars. Pray for priests and teachers.
Day 5: The sermon to the fish
When the people of Rimini would not listen to him, tradition says Anthony preached to the fish at the shore, and they lifted their heads to hear him, and the people were converted. Pray for those who refuse to hear the Gospel.
Day 6: The lost book
A novice once took Anthony’s precious book of psalms with his notes. Anthony prayed, and the novice returned it and returned to the order. This is the origin of his patronage of lost things. Pray to find what you have lost, above all the grace of God.
Day 7: The Child Jesus in his arms
Near the end of his life, at Camposampiero, a friend saw Anthony holding the Child Jesus in his arms. That is why he is pictured with the Infant. Pray for children and for a childlike trust in God.
Day 8: His holy death
Anthony died at the Arcella, near Padua, on June 13, 1231, at about thirty-six, saying, “I see my Lord.” The children of Padua ran through the streets crying, “The saint is dead!” Pray for a happy death for yourself and your loved ones.
Day 9: Saint and Doctor of the Church
Anthony was canonized less than a year after his death, in 1232, one of the fastest canonizations in history, and in 1946 Pope Pius XII declared him a Doctor of the Church, the “Evangelical Doctor.” Give thanks for the favors you have received, and pray for a love of the Gospel.
The thirteen Tuesdays
In 1898 Pope Leo XIII granted indulgences to those who, on thirteen successive Tuesdays (or Sundays), spend time in prayer or other good works in honor of St. Anthony. Many parishes hold a weekly Tuesday devotion. To keep it at home, pray the request and the Si quaeris on thirteen Tuesdays in a row, ideally ending on the Tuesday before June 13.
Aspirations to St. Anthony
St. Anthony, we beseech thee, obtain for us the grace that we desire.
St. Anthony, great wonder-worker, intercede for us that God may grant us our request, if it be for the good of our soul.
St. Anthony, be our patron, our protector, and our advocate in life and in death.
St. Anthony, attentive to those who invoke thee, grant us the aid of thy powerful intercession for the grace of holy purity, meekness, humility, obedience, the spirit of poverty, and perfect abandonment to the will of God.
St. Anthony, servant of Mary, obtain for us greater devotion to the blessed Mother of God.
St. Anthony, obtain for us the grace of perseverance, the grace of a happy death.
Frequently asked questions
When should I start the St. Anthony novena?
On June 4, to finish on June 12, the eve of his feast. For the thirteen Tuesdays, count back thirteen Tuesdays from his feast, or begin any time of year.
Why is St. Anthony the patron of lost things?
Because of the story of his stolen psalter, which was returned after he prayed. Catholics ask him to help them find lost objects, and also lost faith, lost peace and lost people.
What is St. Anthony’s Bread?
A custom of giving alms, often bread or money for the poor, in thanksgiving for a favor obtained through St. Anthony.
Is there a short prayer to St. Anthony?
Yes, many: see our St. Anthony prayer page.
More prayers to St. Anthony and the saints
- The St. Anthony prayer
- Patron saints for every need
- The St. Jude novena
- The St. Joseph novena
- Novenas: how to pray a novena
Texts and sources
- Request to St. Anthony: Charles J. Callan and John A. McHugh, Blessed Be God (1925), Devotions in Honor of the Saints, public domain (Wikisource).
- Si quaeris and the aspirations: F. X. Lasance, With God (1911), Various Other Devotions, public domain (Wikisource).
- Life: Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), “St. Anthony of Padua”; Pius XII, apostolic letter Exulta, Lusitania felix (1946).
- The daily meditations were written for this page.