“Tony, Tony, come on down. Something’s lost and can’t be found.” Grandmothers hand on this prayer for when we lose something. The “Tony” of this little prayer refers to St. Anthony of Padua, who is the patron saint of lost items. The reason for the prayer is because he prayed for the return of a Book of Psalms that was stolen from him. In the 13th century, books were very expensive due to the cost of reproducing them, which was by hand. The book was eventually returned to him.
St. Anthony is known for more than just this prayer. He was a Franciscan friar who became a powerful preacher and was even called the Evangelical Doctor. He was the first Franciscan to teach other Franciscans, with the permission of St. Francis of Assisi, and was renowned for his knowledge of Scripture and theology.
St. Anthony is also portrayed holding the child Jesus. There is a legend that Jesus appeared to St. Anthony in the form of a child. However, the image can also be a reminder that St. Anthony is a true follower of St. Francis, who loved Jesus so much to originate the first Christmas crèche. Another reason for the image is that St. Anthony presents the Incarnate Word of God, Jesus, to the whole world through his powerful preaching.
Losing objects is unfortunate and can even be devastating. But even more devastating is the loss of heaven. As the novena to St. Anthony says, “Let me rather lose all things than lose God, my supreme good. Let me never suffer the loss of my greatest treasure, eternal life with God. Amen.”
