St. Anthony of Padua is the saint Catholics ask to help find what is lost, from keys to a lost faith. He is also called the wonder worker, and people ask his prayers for miracles in every kind of need.
Below are the short prayer for lost things, the traditional prayer for a miracle, a novena on nine Tuesdays, and his story.
Prayers to St. Anthony of Padua
A prayer to St. Anthony to find something lost
St. Anthony, perfect imitator of Jesus, who received from God the special power of restoring lost things, grant that I may find (name what is lost), or at least that I may keep the peace of mind I have lost in looking for it. Above all, help me never to lose Jesus. Amen.
A traditional prayer to St. Anthony for a miracle
O holy St. Anthony, gentlest of saints, your love for God and charity for His creatures made you worthy, while on earth, to possess miraculous powers. Encouraged by this thought, I ask you to obtain for me (name your request). The answer to my prayer may require a miracle; even so, you are the saint of miracles. Gentle and loving St. Anthony, whose heart was full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the sweet Infant Jesus, who loved to be held in your arms, and the gratitude of my heart will always be yours. Amen.
Short Prayers
- St. Anthony, please help me find what I have lost.
- St. Anthony, wonder worker, pray for us.
- St. Anthony, help me find my way back to Jesus.
Novena to St. Anthony of Padua
A novena is nine consecutive days of prayer for one intention. Each day, pray the main prayer above, name your intention, then pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary and one Glory Be. A long tradition prays to St. Anthony on nine or thirteen consecutive Tuesdays, the day of his burial, or in the nine days before his feast on 13 June.
Who Was St. Anthony of Padua?
Anthony was born Fernando Martins in Lisbon, Portugal, around 1195. He became an Augustinian canon, then joined the Franciscans after seeing the bodies of Franciscan martyrs brought home from Morocco. Illness ended his own mission to Africa and a storm landed him in Italy, where his preaching amazed everyone who heard it.
He died near Padua in 1231, aged about 36, and was canonised within a year. In 1946 he was declared a Doctor of the Church. His tongue, found incorrupt, is kept in the Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua.
Scripture
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10 (NIV)
“Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.” Luke 15:6 (NIV)
Questions People Ask
Why do we pray to St. Anthony for lost things?
A story tells that a novice borrowed Anthony’s precious book of psalms without permission and returned it after Anthony prayed for it. Catholics have asked his help in finding lost things ever since.
When is St. Anthony’s feast day?
13 June.
Is there a short St. Anthony prayer?
Many people say, “St. Anthony, St. Anthony, please come around; something is lost and cannot be found.”
Can I send a prayer to St. Anthony of Padua through Holy Land Prayer?
We do not send prayers to a shrine of St. Anthony of Padua. His basilica is in Padua, Italy. What we do is carry prayers to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem: you can write a prayer asking for this saint’s intercession in the form at the top of this page, and we will place it inside one of the chapels, where a priest prays it in English.
Who Writes These Prayers
The Holy Land Prayer team writes the prayers on this page. Traditional prayers are given in the form used in Catholic devotion. Scripture is quoted from the New International Version.
Last reviewed 28 September 2026 by the Holy Land Prayer team.
Carry Your Intention to Jerusalem
People write to St. Anthony about lost keys, but also about lost faith, lost work and people who have drifted away. If what you are looking for is bigger than a set of keys, you can send the prayer to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre through the form at the top of this page. We print it and place it in one of the church’s chapels, a priest prays it in English, and we light a candle for you and email you photographs of both. See how it works.
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