Saint Anthony was born in 1195 g .in Lisbon, where his father was captain of the royal army, and was baptized Ferdinand's name .About the parents of Antony for certain little is known, there is a version that his father, Martin of Bueillon was a descendant of Godefruus Bouillon, who headed the Crusade, and Mother Teresa came from the family of Froil I, the fourth king of Asturias .At least it is known that the parents of Antony were noble people, influential and God-fearing, and were by the time of his birth young, and lived near the Lisbon Cathedral, Se .

The traditions surrounding this holiday are not so ancient, they date back to the XVIII century at ., when the church of St. .Anthony in front of the Cathedral (where, according to legend, his parents lived) was destroyed by an earthquake .Funds for the restoration of the church collected and old and young: the kids ran around the yards and asked for "coins for St. .Antonia ", constructing altars decorated with paper laces, flowers and home-made images of a beloved saint .Anyway, for voluntary donations, the Church of St. .Antonia was rebuilt again in 1812 .better than before, and the tradition of "child begging" is preserved .Children by the day of St. .Antonia continues to prepare homemade altars and ask for "coins for St. Anthony", but these coins are already spent not on building a temple, but on children's pleasures .

According to the beliefs of the Portuguese, Anthony patronizes love and happy marriage unions. On the eve of St. Anthony unusual fortune-telling in the name of a suitor is practiced: the girls fill the mouth with water and hold it until they hear the name of the future groom. According to many, this is a completely trouble-free way.

Boys and girls write notes to the saint, asking for the organization of their love affairs, and throw messages in a box in the church of St. Anthony. In gratitude happy lovers throw generous donations into the same box.

Another interesting sign of the holiday: young men give their beloved little pots of aromatic herbs with colorful lush paper carnations, in the petals of which lies a love message or a lyrical verse. Sometimes the offering is accompanied by another gift: a painted toy, a beautiful fan or another adorable little thing to win the beauties' location.

Well, of course, the happiest marriages are on this day!