Ferdinand de Bulloês y Taveira, born in Lisbon, entered the Canons Regular of St. Augustine there in 1210. Sent two years later to the monastery of Holy Cross, Coimbra where he was ordained, he saw the remains of the first Franciscan martyrs of Morocco in 1220 and joined the Franciscans that year taking the name, Anthony. After a very short period as missionary in Morocco, he went to Sicily, and then to Italy. Drawing on his deep knowledge of Sacred Scripture, he preached in northern Italy and southern France (1222-1224) against the Albigensians. His sermons in Italy during 1227-1230 dealt with social problems of the time. Anthony died on 13th June 1231 at Arcella near Padua. His burial on a Tuesday (17th June) gave rise to Tuesday devotions in his honour. He was canonised a year after his death by Gregory IX and declared Doctor of the Church by Pius XII in 1946 with the title of Evangelical Doctor.
First Reading: Wis. 7: 7-14; Second Reading: Eph. 4: 7, 11-15; Gospel: Mk. 16: 15-20
