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The “great walkers” in the Nativity Scene, the humble characters who teach us about the greatness of Christmas

In reading the accounts of Jesus’ birth in the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Luke, we can notice that all the protagonists of the Christmas story are “great walkers.”

First of all there are Mary and Joseph, who travel 90 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem, but their donkey is also with them; then there are the shepherds who set out with their flocks to welcome the Little Child, and also the horses and camels of the Three Wise Men, who come from the East following a star to meet the Son of God.

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800 hundred years ago in Forlì St. Anthony’s adventure as preacher of the Gospel began in earnest!

Exactly eight centuries ago Anthony, a young friar who had arrived on the coasts of Sicily after an adventurous shipwreck, was living in a friary in Montepaolo, on the hills south of Forlì, where he had gone with other friars after meeting St. Francis of Assisi in May 1221.

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In St. Anthony’s footsteps from Sicily to Padua from June 30 to October 9, 2022

Over 1,800 kilometers separate friar Anthony of Lisbon’s shipwreck site from Padua, the city of his choice. This summer, 800 years after the Forlì sermon that revealed him as the great announcer of the Gospel, a relic of our Saint, which forms a part of the Antonio 20-22 Project, retraces St. Anthony’s footsteps through all of Italy in 92 stages of the journey from Capo Milazzo to his Basilica in Padua. Anyone can join along the Walk and share a few kilometers or more of the enterprise to mark this 800 years anniversary.

WHY

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To become builders of peace is the wish of the friars of the Basilica for the 2022 Easter

The almond tree is the first plant to flower after winter, when nature is still fast asleep and spring has yet to produce her first delicate buds. Our Lenten path was accompanied by images of destruction, violence and war. Fortunately, there have also been many signs of life and hope which, like the first flowers of the almond tree, will allow us to celebrate Easter with hope: children born after the flight from Ukraine, the thousands of refugees welcomed into our homes, the courage of those who gave up their lives to protect their loved ones and freedoms.

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Holy Week and 2022 Easter

Palm Sunday, this coming 10 April, is the door to Holy Week. This door will lead us to an experience of our Lord’s Easter. Below is the calendar of the religious celebrations held in our Basilica. All the 6.00pm Holy Masses, the 11.00am ones on week days, the Holy Saturday Easter Vigil Mass at 9.00pm and the 10.00am Easter Sunday Mass will be streamed live via web and social media on our various online platforms (see footnote below).

The Community of the Friars of the Basilica of Saint Anthony in Padua, Italy, wishes a blessed and holy Easter to all of the Saint’s devotees!

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FRANCISCANS IN UKRAINE, A COUNTRY MARTYRED BY WAR

In these dark moments, when war and conflict between brotherly peoples are getting the upper hand over peace and sharing, the friars of the Pontifical Basilica of St. Anthony wish to thank all those who are praying for this war to end and who are making donations to the people of Ukraine.

The news and images coming from Ukraine are unacceptable. Mothers and children fleeing, frightened elderly people, destroyed schools and hospitals. War, unfortunately, only brings destruction.

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