HERE BEGINS THE LIFE OF BLESSED ANTONY, OF THE ORDER OF FRIARS MINOR, WRITTEN BY BROTHER JEAN RIGAULD, OF THE SAME ORDER

[1.1-14; PROLOGUE]

In those days, when the Lord began to illumine the world with the words and example of Francis, the standard-bearer of Christ, there was a man of honourable life, blessed in grace and virtue. He first lived under the Rule of the Canons Regular, and was called Fernando, as he had been named in the saving waters of Baptism. He later lived under the Rule of the Friars Minor, and was called Antony. In both states, as will appear from the course of his life, he was abundantly showered with the waters of divine grace.

This holy man held, during his lifetime, the office of Custos in the Custody of Limoges. God was pleased to work various wonders through him there, which I learned from the reliable testimony of honest friars when I first entered the Order, and which I have not found included in his "Life". For this reason- not from presumption but from holy devotion- I wish to record them, so that they are not lost, little by little, from the memory of the brothers; and so that they may stimulate the minds of those who hear them to greater reverence for the saint.

To make it easier to find those things that are recorded in due order, I have arranged his Life in ten short sections or chapters.

[2.1-7: His way of life while he was in the world]

The First Chapter.

"Like the morning star in the midst of a cloud," Antony was seen to shine in the world. And "because a tree is known by its fruit," and a plant by its root, the parents of blessed Antony- as of another John the Baptist- were righteous before the Lord, walking without reproach in his commandments. Because they had no son in the first flower of their youth, they begot this son to be their flowering.

The places where the boy was born, nurtured and educated were a kind of preface to the outstanding goodness that was to exist in young Fernando. His country is called Portugal (portare, gallus), as if bearing and displaying that cockerel which was to herald the dawn of Gospel truth. The city in which he was born and bred and educated is called Lisbon, and it gave the world another Ulysses, discerning and quick-witted, who was good himself and would be an example and mirror of every kind of goodness.

The lad was educated in sacred Scripture at the Church of the Blessed Virgin, not far from his parents’ home in that city. In this way, from his earliest days, the boy Fernando would have the Mother of God as his best teacher, and (as we shall see) he would have her as his effective helper throughout life and at his death.

Indeed, when the deceptive and passing world tempted him with its pleasures, he did not in any way relax the curb he set on his desires in such matters. He chose a celibate life and was concerned to please God alone, and he strove diligently to fulfil these words of the Wise Man: "I was a quick-witted child and had received a good soul; and as I grew in goodness I came to an undefiled body." [Wisd 8.19-20]

[3.1-8: His way of life and progress in knowledge as a Canon Regular]

The Second Chapter.

When he saw that in the worldly state there are many who walk by the pits of vice, he realised that "all that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh, or of the eyes, or the pride of life," [1 Jn 2.16]. He reflected, too, that soon the world with its desires will pass away. So, like the Patriarch Jacob, when he had spent his boyhood years simply at home, he spurned the emptiness of the world and its flowers, and resolved to seek the fruit of a better life.

Judging that anyone who wants to become a perfect soldier of Christ should reject father and mother, he left his parents and all his lawful inheritance and betook himself to a certain monastery of Canons Regular, near the city. There he took the habit of religion and devoted himself to the Rule of blessed Augustine. He who aspired to the highest peaks of perfect wisdom had first to be shaped under the rod of the blessed teacher Augustine, so that under his guidance he might taste how sweet the Lord is, and so that the wise father Augustine might rejoice in his wise son Antony.

However, the frequent visits of worldly friends would not let him attain the peace of mind he longed for, and he decided, like another Abraham, to leave both country and kin behind. He got permission from his superior with some difficulty, because he was loved by everyone on account of his holiness and great goodness. He transferred to another monastery of the same Order, that of Holy Cross at Coimbra. There he would show himself a lover of perfection and inner peace, and an outstanding lover of the cross. He who loved the Crucified and the marks of the cross hastened to the place of the cross, so that by the disposition of supreme Wisdom he might explore the mysteries of the cross.

There he made progress in every aspect of perfection and religious life. He equipped himself with the solid teaching of the Fathers, so that he might preach and defend the certain truth of the Faith against heretics, by the inspiration of Him who needs no length of time to impart teaching. It came to pass that he, whom God had chosen and who despised all things for God’s sake, was so enlightened by God that he could use his memory like a library, and was in a short time filled with the spirit of wisdom.

[4.1-22: The reasons which led him to enter the Order of Friars Minor]

The Third Chapter.

It was at that time that blessed Francis, like a new-rising sun, was shedding light upon the world by his life and teaching. His new Order was putting off the old man and putting on the new in the world. Everywhere it was diffusing sweet-scented examples of virtue. Some friars Minor, aflame with the desire of martyrdom, were travelling to heathen lands, either to bring the wild rage of the unbelievers under the yoke of faith, or to gain the palm of martyrdom which they longed for, for the sake of Christ who died for us.

Among these, a group of Friars Minor went to Morocco and publicly preached the faith of Christ, like mighty athletes. Struck down by the sword of the unbelievers, they shed their blood gloriously for Christ. A respected and powerful man, called the Infante Pedro, made known throughout Spain the renowned joys of the saints, and the great marvels the King of Martyrs had manifested in their glorious triumph. He brought back their glorious relics, and said that he himself had been freed from great and dreadful dangers by the merits of these holy men.

The news, and the extraordinary public ferment aroused by the death and glorious triumph of these martyrs (together with the evident miracles known to have occurred at their invocation) came to the ears of all. This public awareness reached Fernando, and was not without effect. He was like a charger straining for battle, an war-elephant aroused by the sight of blood. He immediately conceived the idea and resolution of taking the habit of the Friars Minor, so that he might live according to the holy martyrs’ way of life and at length obtain the palm of martyrdom. "I will change my habit," he said, "and so come to the fight!" O martyr by desire! How resolved you were, Antony, to follow the martyrs in death! Though the persecutor’s sword did not deprive you of life, your glorious soul did not lose the martyr’s palm. Praiseworthy the soldier of Christ, whom the persecutor’s sword did not frighten, but only made more eager for the palm of martyrdom!

One day, while he was turning over in his mind the idea he had conceived, the Friars Minor who lived near Coimbra, poor men for Christ’s sake, came to the Coimbra monastery to seek alms. When the man of God saw them, he could contain himself no longer. He took them aside and opened his whole heart to them, humbly begging them to receive him as a brother in their Order. He took the habit so that Francis might not be alone in running the race of preaching, following what was said by the prophetic spirit of Isaiah: "I will clothe him in your robe, and will strengthen him with your girdle." [Is 22.21]. The simple brothers rejoiced at hearing this great news, seeing that their flock was to be enlarged and a fertile sheep added to their number, and the Church would be enlarged with new progeny by Francis’s merits.

On a day appointed, and after obtained the superior’s permission with some difficulty, the happy brothers came to the monastery itself, there to give the man of God the habit of their Order. He was clothed in a cross-shaped robe, that man who wanted with all his heart to be crucified for Christ’s sake. He was girded with a cord, he who desired to be girded for Christ’s sake with the cord of obedience. Hail. Mighty soldier Antony! Bear the arms of Christ the unconquered King! Bear his cross in your clothing, to put the enemy powers to flight! Be girded with a cord, a bond which will fasten you to Christ in the yoke of obedience!

Clad in the uniform of the heavenly army, the soldier of Christ, Antony, set forth upon the road with his fellow soldiers, to enter the lists with the weapons of poverty. As he did so, one of the canons who was a great friend of his said to him in heartfelt grief, "Go! Go! Maybe you will become a saint!" With dove like simplicity, and already burning with the spirit of prophetic truth, the man of God replied, "When you hear that I am a saint, you will praise God with me!"

I have learned from the Custos of Santiago that at the monastery of Holy Cross at Coimbra the bed he lay on in the dormitory is kept with great reverence, and many miracles have been shown to those who visit it devoutly and invoke his name. After his happy death and solemn canonisation, when the Queen of Portugal died in a very remote part of the kingdom, blessed Antony appeared visibly to a certain devout canon of the monastery, and told him about the Queen’s death at the very hour that it happened. The news proved very useful to the monastery, and freed it from a number of troubles. It was in that monastery, then, that the happy Fernando put on the habit of the Order of Friars Minor, and left the canons to join the community of poor friars.

[5. 1-24: How he changed his name, and went to the land of the faithless heathens]

The Fourth Chapter.

The place in which the community of simple brothers lived was called São Antonio. He therefore wished, and requested, his name to be changed, and having been Fernando hitherto, from then on he was called Antony. His former name, Fernando, was appropriate, suggesting "Fervens nardus" (fervent nard). He fervently desired martyrdom, and by his God example was like sweet-smelling nard. Alternatively, FERNANDUS suggests Firmly Exhibiting Restraint, Naturally Affectionate to the Needy, of Doctrine an Unequalled Sower [Fune Extenuans Renes, Novos Amans Nudos, Dux Veritatis Solidae]. That is, he firmly showed restraint by cleanliness and purity, he showed love for the needy in his own destitution and poverty, and he sowed the seed of true doctrine in preaching well-founded truth. This is the clear meaning of his former name.

Afterwards, he was very rightly called Antony, because Antony is "Ante tonans", intoning the highest truths to all, more than all the others friars of his time. Alternatively, ANTONIUS is ANgustia Tolerans, NItidis UtenS. He bore hardship by mortifying his body; he used brilliant arguments in his preaching. Or again, Antony is Aptus Negotiator, Testis Operator, Nimius Implorator, Utilis Sectator. He was an able businessman in despising the world, a reliable witness in his preaching ministry, an outstanding intercessor by his devout prayer- and a sound follower of Francis by imitating him.

[Translator’s Note: Rigauld’s acrostics are impossible to reproduce in translation. That is why I have given the Latin to indicate the acrostic itself; the meaning becomes clear from Rigauld’s explanations of them.]

This most humble and simple man wanted to change his name so that, being unknown by name, he might avoid frequent visits from those who sought him. He abandoned and rejected a name that was common among king’s sons and nobles in those parts, and being a humble man he gave an outstanding example of humility. He was happy in imitating a happy Master who, although he was called by others "Son of the Living God", called himself simply the "son of man". He also imitated his teacher Francis, who, when people praised the wonderful things he did, said to them that he was just the son of Peter Bernardone.

So he dwelt with the brothers in that place for some while, and was trained in poverty, purity and obedience according to the Rule of the Friars Minor. He hid and kept everything he heard in the store-house of his heart. He filled it, like a jar of new wine, with the heavenly teaching he would use to refresh the thirsty souls of his time. After a little, just as the holy man had resolved before entering the Order, he got permission to go to the lands of the unbelievers, and there to preach publicly to them. He wanted to offer himself as a sacrifice to Christ among them for the truth of the faith, to Christ who offered himself for us upon the cross.

But Christ, the Eternal Wisdom, who "reaches mightily from end to end, sweetly disposing all things" [Wisd 8.1], disposed matters differently, reserving him and directing him towards a greater destiny. Although he lived among the Saracens and tried very hard to obtain the palm of martyrdom, which he so desired, yet by God’s decree he could not fulfil this desire. He went down with a long and serious illness, and when he realised that things were not working out as he had intended, he was forced to return to Christian lands. By bearing the cross of penance, he nailed himself to the cross with Christ; and by living to Christ and dying to the world he became a martyr continually.

So the, seeing that nothing was working out as he had intended, he resolved to go back to Spain. It happened, however, that a contrary wind blew him to the region of Sicily. A General Chapter was about to take place at Assisi, and when this became known to blessed Antony, even though he was very weak and ill, he made his way there. When the Chapter was over and the friars were heading back to their houses, blessed Antony approached Brother Gratian, who was in charge of the friars of Romagna, and asked him respectfully, humbly and devoutly to receive him and train him in the discipline of the Rule. He wanted to be filled with gifts of grace, so he needed to study under Gratian! Blessed Antony was looking for a place of solitude, so that he might "sit solitary and hold his peace, and lift himself above himself." [cf Lam 3.28], so Brother Gratian sent him to the hermitage at Montepaolo.

It was fitting that Divine Wisdom should lead him and send him to the hermitage of Montepaolo, so that there he might live the life of the desert and learn humility. In prayer, devotion and study he would gather the chosen seeds that afterwards he would sow richly in his preaching to others. There, in a cell as remote as he could manage, he served God faithfully in extreme austerity and in the highest prayer. There he armed himself against temptation and strengthened his spirit in divine love.