He was born on 17 January 1355, son of Simpliciano Migliorati who was a farmer. The holiness of St. Nicholas of Tolentino, who died in 1305, led him to join the Augustinians of his locality where he received his priestly ordination.
For twelve years he lived at Tolentino, and for a time at Bari from where, in the beginning of the fifteenth centure, he returned to Amandola (Ascoli Piceno). Here he became the superior of the convent which he enlarged and also started building a new church. However, he did not complete this because he died on 25 January 1450.
The holiness he had shown during his lifetime continued after his death. In 1453 his remains were raised from the friars’ common grave and were placed in a wooden box on the altar dedicated to him. Miracles of his raising from the dead increased. In 1641 his remains were placed in a wooden sarcophagus made by Simpliciano Migliorati. In 1897 this was changed to one made of marble which was placed in the choir area.
On 11 July 1759 Pope Clement XIII declared Anthony a Blessed after his cult was studied ab immemorabili and on the 20th April 1890 Pope Leo XIII declared a plenary indulgence to all those who visited that sanctuary.
Agostino M. Giacomini, o.s.a. (+ 1994)*
Hajnal presents in his painting Blesses Anthony facing heaven in contemplation with God. On the other side there is the rest of church’s building and of the convent which he is holding on his left, and the resurrection from the dead near his feet are episodes that occured during his lifetime. It is significant also that the painting expresses its aesthological aspect of “this is what is not the present” which, although the reverse of a meeting with the cross, simbolizes the passion, death and resurrection.
PALMIERI, I., De vita, moribus et miraculis B. Antonii ab A., Macerata 1654; GIORGI, F., OSA., Vita del B. A. d’A., Sanseverino – Marche 1872; CONETTI, N., OSA., Vita e miracoli del B. A. d’ A., Roma 1897 e Tolentino 1911; *PALMIERI, A., OSA., Antoine d’A. (bienheureux), in Dict. d’Hist. Et de Geogr. Eccl. III, Paris 1924, c. 752; *PERINI, D. A., OSA., Bibliographia Augustiniana, Scriptores Itali. I, Firenze 1992, 27, 257; 11, ib. 1931, 120; IV, ib. 1937, 63; CRUCIANI, F., OSA., Vita del B. A. d’A., Amandola 1975.