BL. ANTHONY OF SYRACUSE, HERMIT - 23 AUGUST

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN AUGUST

Saints celebrated on the 23rd of August

Prayer to the Angels and the Saints

Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.

In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.

Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.

Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.

BL. ANTHONY OF SYRACUSE, HERMIT 

Blessed Anthony of Syracuse [Bl. Anthony the Ethiopian] was born in Libya into a Muslim family (c. A.D. 1490). He came to Syracuse and worked as a shepherd, tending goats and sheep. He was instructed in Christianity by a local stonemason, and our saint asked for baptism, asking for the name of Anthony of the saint of Padua, whom had become very devoted to. 

HE CHOSE THE HERMITIC LIFE

In the latter part of his life - nearly forty years after his baptism - Bl. Anthony chose the hermitic life, as a Franciscan tertiary, in a solitary place. Periodically he would go to Noto to attend the sacraments and collect alms for the poor. 

HE WAS FAMOUS FOR HIS CHARITY

He was an extraordinarily humble man and famous for his charity towards his brothers in need. Eight days before his death he was warned by his Guardian Angel of the time of his death and was assisted by him during the eight days.

HE WAS BURIED WITH ALL HONOURS IN THE CHURCH

Consumed by hermitic asceticism, by the years and disease he surrendered his soul to God in 1550. He was buried with all honours in the church. He performed many miracles before and after his death. In the "Franciscan Martyrology" he is commemorated as blessed.