2011 Festival of Saint Anthony of Padua

From 28 May 2011 to 13 June 2011

I see my Lord, these were the words whispered by the monk Anthony of Padua when he drew his last breath on 13 June 1231, along the route of his final pilgrimage in the company of his adoptive and beloved fellow citizens. For the numerous miracles attributed to him, the blessed monk was canonized a Saint only a year after his death and at the same time the small church of Santa Maria Mater Domini was enlarged to become a basilica and house his remains.

Padua, the splendid city where the Lisbon-born religious spent part of his life, celebrates every year the day of his birth with a powerful commemoration including a ardent procession. During the night between 28 and 29 May, pilgrims and devotees of the Saint from all over the world, retrace the last journey of the patron and walk in group for a distance of around 25 km. The start is scheduled at 6pm in Camposampiero (PD the walk will meander along paths and dirt tracks until the Arcella Sanctuary, the temple built exactly on the place of death of Saint Anthony, and will continue to the magnificent Basilica of the Saint in the centre of Padua, in time for the solemn mass at 10am. On 13 June, the exact anniversary of the death of the religious, the Veneto city will enter a festive spirit to celebrate the patron. The mass in the Basilica, housing the remains, will set the jubilations going and from the square opposite the basilica the traditional and exciting celebrations that the anniversary has brought on for centuries will then spread to the other streets of Padua.