Thirteen Tuesdays of St. Anthony of Padua

Devotions

A popular devotion of thirteen consecutive Tuesdays honoring the saint whose feast falls on June 13.

The Thirteen Tuesdays of St. Anthony of Padua is a popular devotion of praying for thirteen consecutive Tuesdays, the day of the week traditionally associated with him, often building toward his June 13 feast. It is a permitted and established devotion whose precise historical origins are not sharply documented, and any specific promises attached to it on prayer cards should be verified rather than taken as Church doctrine.

Quick Facts

  • Category: Saint-Associated Devotions — Named Saint Devotions
  • Origin: popular piety associated with St. Anthony of Padua; precise origin not sharply documented
  • Associated saint: St. Anthony of Padua (1195–1231)
  • Country: Italy / International
  • Feast: June 13; the Thirteen Tuesdays devotion leads up to or honors this date
  • Church status: a permitted, established saint devotion
  • Private revelation: not dependent on private revelation; any specific claimed promises need separate verification

What Is This Devotion?

The Thirteen Tuesdays devotion involves praying for thirteen consecutive Tuesdays — the day of the week traditionally linked to St. Anthony — in his honor, often timed so the thirteenth Tuesday falls on or near his June 13 feast, though it may be prayed at any time of year. It honors his intercession, especially, though not exclusively, for lost items and lost people, and can be prayed in thanksgiving or in petition for any genuine need.

Origin and History

Anthony was born in Lisbon in 1195, joined the Augustinian canons and then the Franciscans, and became one of the great preachers of the medieval Church, closely associated in spirit with St. Francis of Assisi’s new movement. Renowned for preaching that drew heavily on Scripture against the doctrinal errors of his day, he earned a reputation strong enough that he is still sometimes remembered by the title “Hammer of Heretics.” He died near Padua, Italy, on June 13, 1231, and was canonized within a year, in 1232, by Pope Gregory IX — one of the fastest canonizations in Church history. Pope Pius XII declared him a Doctor of the Church in 1946. The Thirteen Tuesdays devotion itself developed within later popular piety among Anthony’s devotees, especially in Franciscan and Italian, Portuguese, and Brazilian Catholic communities; its precise origin is not sharply documented, consistent with how much popular devotion develops gradually from grassroots practice rather than a single dated founding. A related but separate charitable custom, St. Anthony’s Bread — almsgiving for the poor in thanksgiving for a favor received — has its own history and its own dedicated page on this site.

Catholic Theology

Devotion to Anthony exercises the ordinary Catholic doctrine of the intercession of the saints and the Communion of Saints. His standing as a Doctor of the Church, honored above all for preaching saturated in Scripture, gives this devotion a solid doctrinal anchor distinct from any particular promise popularly attached to the Tuesdays practice. That his own holiness was expressed through public preaching and teaching, rather than through a reported private revelation, is part of why the Church can commend devotion to him so readily and without the discernment questions that attend some other popular devotions. Like every saint’s intercession, his always points back to Christ.

How to Practice It

  1. Choose thirteen consecutive Tuesdays, commonly timed so the final one falls on or near June 13, though the devotion may begin at any time of year.
  2. Attend Mass on these Tuesdays where possible.
  3. Pray a chosen prayer or reading to St. Anthony each Tuesday, reflecting on an aspect of his life or a particular virtue.
  4. Bring a specific petition or an intention of thanksgiving to each week’s prayer.
  5. Where possible, mark the conclusion of the devotion by attending Mass or receiving Communion on June 13.

Associated Prayers

When It’s Observed

June 13 is kept as St. Anthony’s feast, a Memorial on the General Roman Calendar. The Thirteen Tuesdays themselves are a devotional practice rather than a liturgical observance, and the exact date they begin is a matter of personal or local custom, not universal legislation.

Church Status

This is a permitted and established devotion when practiced in a way consistent with Catholic doctrine. The Church does not mandate the Thirteen Tuesdays practice specifically, but readily accommodates it as legitimate popular piety honoring a canonized Doctor of the Church.

Promises and Indulgences

The Church attaches no fixed, guaranteed outcome to completing the Thirteen Tuesdays devotion. Some devotional leaflets and prayer cards over the years have promised specific favors for completing the practice; such claims are not Church doctrine and should not be presented as guaranteed. Anyone encountering a specific promise attributed to this devotion should verify it against an approved prayer book or through the Franciscan Order’s own resources rather than assume it carries Church authority.

Common Misconceptions

“St. Anthony is only for finding lost car keys.”

While famously invoked for lost things, Anthony is honored above all as a Doctor of the Church for his preaching and holiness, with a patronage that extends to travelers, the poor, and many other needs besides lost objects.

“Completing the Thirteen Tuesdays guarantees my prayer will be answered exactly as I ask.”

Intercessory prayer, however fervent, is always offered in trust in God’s will. The devotion draws the one praying into deeper trust and openness to grace; it is not a formula that compels a particular outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why thirteen Tuesdays specifically?

Tuesday is the day of the week traditionally associated with St. Anthony, and thirteen echoes the date of his death and feast, June 13.

Can I start the devotion at any time of year?

Yes — while many begin so the final Tuesday falls near June 13, the devotion may be started at any point during the year.

Is this devotion required, or just popular piety?

It is popular piety, permitted and established, but never required of any Catholic.

What is St. Anthony the patron of?

He is widely invoked for lost things and lost people, and is also patron of travelers and the poor, in addition to his standing as a Doctor of the Church.

Are there official Church promises for completing this devotion?

No fixed promise is guaranteed by the Church; any specific claims found on prayer cards should be verified through an approved prayer book or the saint’s religious order rather than taken as settled doctrine.

Sources

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