June 13 is the Feast Day of St. Anthony. St Anthony is known for his purity and innocence and for his intercession to find lost items. He is often pictured with Baby Jesus because the Infant Savior appeared to him.
Welcome to Feast Day Fun: St Anthony!
Excerpts from A Treasure Chest of Traditions for Catholic Families , various posts at Equipping Catholic Families and our Saint Scripts Craft Kits (Series ONE and TWO).
When the people of Rimini lost Faith and refused to listen as St. Anthony preached by the river, it is said that the fish began leaping out of the water in response to his words.
When a heretic lost Faith and stated that he would not believe in the conversion of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ until his donkey did, his donkey suddenly knelt down when the Host was raised.
When a thief was terrified into returning a book he had stolen as a result of an apparition, a custom arose which placed St Anthony as the patron of lost possessions.
St Anthony is the patron saint of lost items…and he has answered many a prayer for lost keys, wallets, electronic devices and favorite stuffies at our house!
We actually have a special shelf for small things we don’t want to lose and we call it the Pope Shelf because it was our favorite safe place to hold special gifts and letters we received from St John Paul II through Grandma Elizabeth.
If you don’t have a Pope Shelf, maybe you’re looking to make a special box, book safe (book with a hidden compartment) or customize a dollar store gift box for your family’s lost and found?
In A Treasure Chest of Traditions for Catholic Families , the DIY St Anthony Box is made out of a medium sized gift box. A special ‘fake floor’ is made out of cardboard to create a secret compartment in the bottom of the box for special items…or for donations accepted in honor of St Anthony’s help…for the poor!
Have you heard of this St Anthony prayer?
Dear St. Anthony,
please come around.
Something’s been lost
and can’t be found.
Not willing to start a debate here…we believe in prayer more than luck or magic. But…magic happens to be a fun hobby of Grandpa’s and he has in fact put on an extraordinary magic show for each of our kids on their 5th birthday. See Bridget’s Magic Party and Adam’s Magic Party!
We don’t believe that magic has anything to do with the miracles of the saints…or St Anthony’s intercessory gifts for finding things, but we thought that this DIY magic box is a fun craft and prop to ‘find’ things in!
Check out the DIY Magic Box Tutorial
St Anthony was one of the FIRST Wooden Painted Saints we made, probably because we call on him so much to help us find things! Check out our Gallery of Wooden Painted Saints posts!
Want to find some things too? Check out our I Spy…the Saints! or Make your own I Spy Collages with a Scanner!
Check out our Monthly Saint Pages FREE Printable,
but do us a favor and make sure that you’re subscribed to Equipping Catholic Families… so that you FIND more great Catholic stuff? Thanks!
What has St Anthony found for YOU?
St Anthony, pray for us!
Do you have your own family activities, traditions, crafts or celebrations to share for this special Feast Day? Don’t forget to add it at the Celebrate the Saints Link-Up…or pick up an idea or two for your family to enjoy! 
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