His Life Story

Born in 1195, 13 years after St. Francis, in Lisbon, Portugal

At 15 he joined a religious order of St. Augustine's

His birth name was Fernando Martins

At 17, he went to Coimbra to study for 9 years to become a priest

On the way home from Morocco, he fell ill and his ship was lost at sea arriving at Sicily where the Friars took him in and healed him

He chose a life of seclusion and contemplation at Montepaolo

Joined the Franciscan order in 1221

In 1224 Francis of Assisi (the founder of the Franciscan order) entrusted the pursuit of studies for any of his Friars to the care of Anthony