St. Anthony of Padua Coloring Page
This St. Anthony of Padua coloring page shows the young Franciscan friar holding the Christ Child, who sits on an open book, with a lily, a basket of bread and fish in a stream nearby. The PDF is free to print. Anthony was a great preacher whom we ask to help find lost things.
The story of St. Anthony
Anthony was born in Lisbon, Portugal, about eight hundred years ago. His parents named him Fernando. He grew up loving God and loving books, and as a young man he became a priest who spent his days studying the Bible.
One day he saw the bodies of five Franciscan friars who had died for Jesus far away in Morocco. Fernando's heart was stirred. He joined the Franciscans, took the new name Anthony, and sailed to Africa to preach. But he became very sick, and on the way home a storm blew his ship all the way to Italy!
There, nobody knew how much Anthony had learned. He did quiet jobs and prayed. Then one day, at a ceremony where new priests were being ordained, no one was ready to preach, and Anthony was asked to say a few words. Everyone was amazed. He preached so beautifully that soon he was sent all over Italy and France. Crowds came to hear him.
People tell a story that once, when the people of a seaside town would not listen to him, Anthony went to the shore and preached to the fish instead. The fish lifted their heads out of the water to listen! St. Anthony of Padua also loved the poor, and churches still give out "St. Anthony's Bread" to the hungry.
Anthony died in the city of Padua when he was only thirty-six. Because of a story about a lost book that came back after he prayed, people everywhere ask his help to find lost things.
What to color
- The Christ Child: a golden halo and bright clothes. He shows how close Anthony was to Jesus.
- The book: brown or red leather. Anthony knew the Bible so well that he is a Doctor of the Church.
- The lily: white with a green stem, for his pure heart.
- His habit: brown or gray, with a white knotted cord.
- The bread: golden brown, for his love of the poor.
- The fish: silver, blue and orange, for the day he preached to the fish.
A prayer to pray together
This short prayer is said after the old hymn to St. Anthony, the Si quaeris, which is still sung at his basilica in Padua:
Pray for us, blessed Anthony. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
When something is lost, children can also pray: St. Anthony, please help me find it. Grown-ups will find more prayers to St. Anthony.
Ideas for families and classrooms
- Color this page for his feast day, June 13.
- Bake or buy a loaf of bread and share it with a neighbor or a food pantry, like St. Anthony's Bread.
- Play a "lost and found" game: hide an object, pray to St. Anthony together, then search for it.
- Talk about it: the most important thing we can lose is our friendship with Jesus. How do we find our way back? (Confession!)
- Read about other patron saints of lost things.
Read the full story: St. Anthony of Padua in the encyclopedia.
Frequently asked questions
What color is St. Anthony's habit?
Brown or gray. Anthony was a Franciscan friar, and Franciscans wear a plain brown or gray robe tied with a white knotted cord.
Why is St. Anthony holding Baby Jesus?
Tradition tells that the Christ Child appeared to Anthony while he was praying alone in a room lent to him by a friend. Since the 1600s this has been the favorite way to picture him.
Why do people pray to St. Anthony for lost things?
Tradition says a young friar ran off with Anthony's precious book of psalms and brought it back after Anthony prayed. Ever since, people have asked his help to find what they have lost.
Is this coloring page free for schools and parishes?
Yes. You may print it free for home, school, CCD and parish use.