Italy: St Anthony's Basilica, Padua

April 2017

Sant'Antonio is a giant edifice without a precise architectural style. Over the centuries, it has grown under a variety of different influences as shown by the exterior details. It displays a strong influence of St Mark's Basilica in Venice. The new basilica was begun as a single-naved church, like that of St Francis of Assisi, with an apsidal chancel, broad transepts and two square nave bays roofed with hemispherical domes like that of San Marco, Venice. The exterior style is a mixing of mainly Romanesque and Byzantine elements, with some Gothic features.

(Wikipedia)

On a day trip to Padua from Verona, I visited several places that were overwhelming in detail. The most ornate was the interior of the Basilica of San Antonio. It appears Gothic in design but is painted (most Gothic churches are just natural stone) which leads to an absolute riot of detail. The Basilica outdoes the city's cathedral (which is already quite impressive).

As for St Anthony, he is most known for his "fast-track" canonization. He was a greatly respected preacher while alive with recognition even from the pontiff for his excellent homilies. He was declared a saint just a couple years after his death - even back in the Middle Ages, that was unheard of.

A guy from noble blood from Portugal who went to Morocco to preach, got sick, and ended up in Northern Italy, Anthony lived an extremely well-traveled life, especially in the days before easy transportation. One theme prevailed with him, his ability to speak to the crowd - people loved his sermons.

He is the patron saint of Padua and the basilica shows how much his devotees adored him. In a country of hundreds of ornate churches, it is difficult to say any one is better than another, but the Basilica of San Antonia truly stands out for its "revved up Gothic look". It was the high point of the visit to that city.

Basilica Pontificia di Sant'Antonio di Padova - definitely worth a detour.