Today is the Feast of St. Anthony, a holiday in his hometown of Lisbon. It commemorates his death in 1231.
St. Anthony of Padua was born in Lisbon, Portugal to a wealthy family; his father was a captain in the Royal army. He was ordained as a priest and became inspired after meeting five Franciscan friars who were on their way to Muslim Morocco to preach the Gospel. A few months later he discovered that the monks were martyred and he joined the Franciscan order to follow in their path, adopting the name of Anthony, after Anthony the Great, who was one of the first monks and noted for his travels in desert lands.
Anthony’s life was changed when he was almost accidentally forced into giving a sermon. This uncovered his great gift for making speeches which led to Saint Francis asking him to travel around Italy preaching the Gospel which he did. He converted many people and became famed for his sermons.
In his hometown of Lisbon, festivities in his honor start on the evening of June 12th with a display of walking groups of singers and musicians, who parade along the Avenida da Liberdade. The celebration continues the next day with more processions and traditional dancing.
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Today is the birthday, in 1941, of Marv Tarplin, American guitarist and songwriter, best known as the guitarist for the Miracles from the 1950s through the early 1970s who co-wrote several of their biggest hits, including the 1965 Grammy Hall Of Fame inducted ‘The Tracks of My Tears’. He died aged 70 on 30 Sep 2011. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCwkZrj2VT4
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