Description
Saint Anthony of Padua with the Child Jesus
Saint Anthony holds the Child Jesus beside white lilies and an open book. The Child reaches toward his face, giving the composition a close, personal character. His brown habit identifies the Franciscan friar. This icon brings together three familiar attributes of Anthony rather than presenting him only as the saint invoked for lost things.
Lily, book, and Child: reading the image
The lily traditionally signifies purity. The book recalls Anthony's knowledge of Scripture and his work as a preacher and teacher. The Child Jesus refers to a vision handed down in devotional tradition, while also expressing the Franciscan emphasis on the Incarnation: God's closeness in the humanity of Christ. These meanings make the image suitable for family prayer and for a person whose patron is Anthony.
Born in Lisbon around 1195 as Fernando, he first joined the Augustinian canons and became a Franciscan in 1220, taking the name Anthony. He preached in Italy and France and taught theology to the friars. He died near Padua on June 13, 1231. The depth of his scriptural preaching, preserved in his Sermons, led Pius XII to name him a Doctor of the Church in 1946. An icon for a study or prayer corner can thus recall both his popular devotion and his lasting contribution to Christian teaching.
Made to order in Poland
Art Christiana makes the icon on linden wood with two coats of primer, decorative gold-tone metal leaf, and an image printed directly onto the prepared surface. It comes with a certificate stating the year of production and a wall hanger.