St.Anthony of Padua

[Ken C.]

A good friend of ours has asked us to carry her intention to St. Anthony when we travel the Camino Francis this fall. Does anybody know if there is a parish ( or church/shrine ) dedicated to St. Anthony along the camino?

 

[scruffy1]

If you are searching for Saint Anthony in Spain then search for San Antonio. The saint is popular all over Spain but especially so in Andalusia where you will find most of the churches dedicated to him. I cannot recall a church along the Camino dedicated to him, I have seen altars dedicated to San Antonio de Abad with his pig but that is aonther person altogether. For a long list of churches see the list appearing at the end of this article
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_de_Padua#En_Espa.C3.B1a

 

[mspath]

I know of no church dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua (San Antonio de Padua) on the Camino Frances. However there is a private albergue, Albergue San Antonio de Padua, in Villar de Mazarife on the alternate route to Hospital d'Orbigo.

Addenda-- If you quickly scan the handy list provided by Scruffy in the above posting the only location near the CF is Paradela de Muces, provincia de León. This hamlet is located near Ponferrada and close to the Camino Invierno which runs from Ponferrada to Santiago.

MM

 

[MichaelSG]

Wahdoh! MM beat me to it (as always!)

St. Antonio de Padua's church in Paradela de Muces is only about 11km (as the crow flies) from Ponferrada. If you stop in Ponferrada after a stage, it would be easy to hire a taxi to take you there and back.

Note though that it may not be possible to get inside the church easily and it may even no longer be a functioning church. It would still be interesting to try to get there.

 

[mspath]

Perhaps this web page for the Commune of Paradela de Muces will provide an administrative address to ask for the church key in advance.

MM

 

[kmrice]

About 3 km before you get to Castrojeriz you will pass under the arches connecting the ruins of the old Monastery of San Anton and an old pilgrim hostel. The monastery is said to have housed the relics of St. Anthony. The Franciscan cross, or Tau, can be seen in various locations there. There is also a religious hostel.

We're from a Franciscan parish and found this site very moving, although it is in ruins. I can't think of any place on the Camino Francis which would be more appropriate for your purpose.

Karl

 

[Felipe]

I think there is some confusion here. The Castrojeriz monastery belonged and was the main headquarter of Hospital Brothers of St. Anthony, or antonines -inspired by the memory of Saint Anthony the Great or the Abbot, who was an egyptian hermit from III-IV century. They introduced the "tau", who was later adopted by St Francis. Having said that, you can be inspired by its devotion for ill people in general, and pilgrims particularly, bcs it was the purpose of this order, monastery and hospital.
Btw...the scenery is great, but I wondered if the vibrations from trucks, cars, could be damaging this structure.

 

[kmrice]

Assuming you're right, which I assume you are, I was confused. We saw the Tau, which is the Franciscan cross, and references to St. Anthony, and thought it was St. Anthony of Padua, the Franciscan monk (and a very popular Saint in the US).

Well, I guess Ken C. could stop outside of Castrojeriz, but if that is about the wrong At. Anthony, perhaps he would be better off going to the Franciscan Church in Santiago. Anything said or left there for St. Anthony of Padua will certainly get to him!

Sorry for my confusion.

Karl

 

[Felipe]

Now, I am a bit embarrassed. Not my intention...I have to remind myself that, as a a history teacher, I am sometimes too didactic
Anyway, given the popularity of San Antonio de Padua, I´d be suprised if there is not an efigy or altar dedicated to him in many churches along the Camino.

 

[kmrice]

The embarrassment is entirely mine; your correction was more than welcome. I'm sure our prayers to St. Anthony (of Padua) were well received, regardless of from where they were sent, but I do like to know the facts, to the degree they are available, and was glad you provided them. I don't know if we'll ever know, for a fact, whose remains are at the Cathedral of Santiago, but I'm glad to know to whom the monastery and hostel outside of Castrojeriz were really dedicated.

Karl

 

[MichaelSG]

... I don't know if we'll ever know, for a fact, whose remains are at the Cathedral of Santiago....

I may get shot and excommunicated for, not only saying this, but also changing the subject but... I spent much of the quiet contemplation time gained during my Camino thinking on the following: I do not in any way shape or form believe that it is really the remains of St. James in the crypt of the Cathedral in Santiago. But it also did not matter for me. The millions of pilgrims who themselves believed that those were his relics and who struggled to walk to Santiago made that place more holy than St. James ever could. To steal from the words of Abraham Lincoln: "In a larger sense, the Catholic church could not dedicate -- could not consecrate -- could not hallow -- this ground. The millions of brave and believing men and women, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above the church's poor power to add or detract."

 

[AMDG56]

About 3 km before you get to Castrojeriz you will pass under the arches connecting the ruins of the old Monastery of San Anton and an old pilgrim hostel. The monastery is said to have housed the relics of St. Anthony. The Franciscan cross, or Tau, can be seen in various locations there. There is also a religious hostel.

We're from a Franciscan parish and found this site very moving, although it is in ruins. I can't think of any place on the Camino Francis which would be more appropriate for your purpose.

Karl

My one regret of my Camino was that I did not follow my heart and stay here.
I might have to go back !
AMDG


Sent from my iPad

 

[kmrice]

I may get shot and excommunicated for, not only saying this, but also changing the subject but... I spent much of the quiet contemplation time gained during my Camino thinking on the following: I do not in any way shape or form believe that it is really the remains of St. James in the crypt of the Cathedral in Santiago. But it also did not matter for me. made that place more holy than St. James ever could. To steal from the words of Abraham Lincoln: "In a larger sense, the Catholic church could not dedicate -- could not consecrate -- could not hallow -- this ground. The millions of brave and believing men and women, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above the church's poor power to add or detract."

This has been argued to death on other threads, but we should remember that most your "millions of pilgrims who themselves believed that those were his relics and who struggled to walk to Santiago" were Catholics, on a Catholic pilgrimage sanctioned by the Catholic Church. To the extent they have consecrated the Camino, it was a Catholic endeavor responding to the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Karl

 

[Ken C.]

Thanks everyone for the information . It seems St. Anthony ( Antonio) can be found in spirit wherever one looks. Being asked to deliver my friend's intentions ( to me ) is just one more sign drawing me to the Camino. Not sure if I will experience an historic Catholic pilgrimage but I know this --My eyes, ears and heart will be open to whatever the Holy Spirit shows me.

 

[billmclaughlin]

One reason St Anthony can be found everywhere is that there's more than one of him.

The Tau cross mentioned above, for example, is associated with St Anthony of Egypt, not the Padovan of the same name.

 

[YMR20]

If you are searching for Saint Anthony in Spain then search for San Antonio. The saint is popular all over Spain but especially so in Andalusia where you will find most of the churches dedicated to him. I cannot recall a church along the Camino dedicated to him, I have seen altars dedicated to San Antonio de Abad with his pig but that is aonther person altogether. For a long list of churches see the list appearing at the end of this article
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_de_Padua#En_Espa.C3.B1a

Hi, scruffy1. I Want to know where do you see altars dedicated to San Antonio de Abad?
Thanks.

 

[scruffy1]

YMR20 truthfully I cannot recall, somewhere I have a photograph of one of the altars, possibly in a small church in Belrado the other I can se clearly but I have absolutely no idea. There is of course the albergue San Anton Abad in Villa Franca Montes de Oca but I never stayed there. He is always easy to identify because of his friend oink oink

 

[YMR20]

Thanks...

 

[Olivia Luna]

There was At just about every little. Hutch I stopped, as we las T the cathedral in Santiago, a capilla or retablo of San Antonio.

He is recognized by several features. See some in the attached.

¡Buen camino!

 

[Olivia Luna]

Sorry about the garbled message above. My key board bounces around in three different languages and the auto correct goes crazy.

What I meant to say was that you could find San Antonio in just about all the churches as well as at the cathedral in Santiago. His capilla is to the left as you enter the cathedral from the Azabachería entrance.