The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-06-15
ITALIANS CELEBRATE
 FIESTA OF ST. ANTHONY
 THE MIRACLE-WORKE

Throughout the length and breadth of Italy the thirteenth of June. which fell on Sunday was celebrated as the feast-day of St. Anthony of Padua The enthusiastic observance of the festival is not confined to Italy, but in all the little Italys' of the two Americas is was a day of rejoicing by secular and religious observances, band concerts, paradesr and process sions, solemn vespers and high mass, fireworks and merrymaktng. Now that Italy is pledged into the mael- strom Of war. the intercession of St. Anthony, who is recognized by all Catholics as the rrliracle-worker, will be all the more eagerly sought.
 While St. Anthony is honored~ by all the adherents of the Roman church, and by Italians in particular, it is in Venetias and Lombardy and Italia Irredenta'' that his festival Is most enth husiastica1ly celebrated. The observance this year has a special significance, as ever since the middle ages the Italians of Italia IT. redenta = unredeemed Italy have been praying to their patron saint to free them from the yoke of the for eigner. Italy's particip patton in the war has that object in view, and the people of that part of old Italy which is still held by Austria, believe that their day of de1iverance is at hand.
 fAu1OnB the pOpulace or that part of 'tunredeemed Italy which forms a wedge between Lombardy and Ven etia, as well as in those states, St. Anthony is often spoken of as "Il Santo,'' or ''The Sa1nt,'' as if there were no others of any importance. The annual observance naturally centers in Padua, an ancient city near Venice, with which St. An thony's name is inseparab1y connect ed. #t
 Although adopted as the patron saint of Italy, St. Anthony was a Portuguese, a native of Lisbon, where he was born in 1195- He became a Franciscan friar, and by his preach ing gained wide fame in Italy. Many marvellous tales are told of the power of his voice. One of the most common representations of the saint shows him standing by a brook. from the waters of which appear the heads of numerous fishes, eagerly drinking in his discourse. It is said that by this miracle St. Anthony con- verted an Italian heretic. This miracle is said to have been per formed at Rinini. and, as proof of its authenticity, the pious inhabitants of that city can show the scoffer the very brook which was the scene of the incident.
 It is probab bly, because of his ser mon to the fishes that St. Anthony is regarded as the special protector and patron of the lower animals. For centuries the religious observance called ''the Benediction of the Beasts was performed at a church in Rome dedicated to St. Anthony For a small sum the owner of a horse, COW, ass, domestic pet or oth- CT animal could have it sprink1ed, sanctified and placed under the spe- cial protection of St. Anthony.
 The Padua saint is also honored as the patron of infants and children. The Italian mother believes that by offering prayers and vows to St. An thony she may save the life of her child when it is i'll or threatened with danger. If after these VOWS the child recovers the nonther considers it a sacred duty, if her offspring is a boy to have him solemly invested with the brown robe of the Francis can order. Some of the lads wear the vestments only during Lent, others for a year or more, and still others don the habit for life.
 The belief that Anthony is the pro- tector of children is based on the legend telling of one of the many miracles attributed to him. A poor woman had gone to hear Anthony preach, leaving her child alone in the house, and during her absence the youngster fell into pot on the fire. When the mother returned, however, instead of finding her child scaIded to death, she found it harmed and happily playing in the boiling cauldron.
 St. Anthony died in 1231, on the 18th of June, which was adopted as his festival A gigantic and beauti- full church was erected in his honor in Padua, and was completed about six centuries ago. Here is the tomb of St. Anthony, and at all hours of the day and night hosts of pious pill grins may be found kneeling at the