Description of the attraction
The very small Saint Anthony Museum is located in Saint Anthony Square, a few steps from Lisbon Cathedral. Next to the museum is the Church of St. Anthony. This saint is highly revered in Lisbon, and is considered the patron saint of this city.
There is a legend that on the site of the church of St. Anthony there used to be a house where this saint was born in 1195, known as Anthony of Lisbon or Anthony of Padua (he is buried in the Italian city of Padua). The Church of St. Anthony was built in the 18th century on the site of an older church that was destroyed in an earthquake in 1755. There is an assumption that the restoration of the temple became possible thanks to donations from the townspeople who were collected by children in memory of St. Anthony, the patron saint of children. This gave rise to the popular tradition of collecting "donations for St. Anthony".
The Museum of St. Anthony was opened in the 80s of the twentieth century. The museum contains books, collections of icons, engravings, sculptures, paintings and ceramics, clothing and other decorations, vessels for the liturgy, as well as other items that are somehow connected with the life of the saint. Among the exhibits of the museum there is a famous polychrome ceramic panel of the 17th century "St. Anthony Reading a Sermon to the Fish", showing one of the main episodes of the saint's life.
Every June the people of Lisbon celebrate Saint Anthony's Day. Celebrations are held on the streets, fireworks and processions are held.
