Forensic experts attempt to reconstruct face of St. Anthony

cna ^ | June 13, 2014

[NYer]

Anthony of Padua. Credit: Veneranda Arca Di San Antonio.

Rome, Italy, Jun 13, 2014 / 02:35 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The University of St. Anthony of Padua’s Anthropology Museum, together with a team of international forensic researchers, have attempted to reconstruct the face of St. Anthony using only a digital copy of his skull.

Using the latest 3D technology, the researchers worked to recreate the saint’s face, which they say is “one of the most faithful reconstructions of the face of St. Anthony.”

The face was presented on June 10 at a congress in Padua with archeologist Luca Bezzi, who created the three-dimensional image of the saint’s face, and the director of the Center for St. Anthony Studies, Franciscan Friar Luciano Bertazzo, who provided all of the relevant source material from the era.

3D designer Cicero Morales of the University of Sao Paolo, renowned for his work in archeological facial reconstruction, also took part in the presentation.

The Brazilian expert was asked to reconstruct the saint’s face knowing only that the skull belonged to a 36-year-old male.

“At each step I asked myself, who was that man? When I found out, I was speechless, literally amazed. Although I am not religious, I felt a huge responsibility. Millions of people in the world would be able to see the face of their saint!” Morales said.

The face of St. Anthony will be revealed to the public June 12-22 at the basilica dedicated to the saint in Padua, where his relics are also venerated.

Born in Lisbon on August 15, 1195, St. Anthony joined the Augustinians in 1210 but left to join the Franciscans 10 years later. He took part in the order’s general chapter in Assisi in 1221 and personally met St. Francis.

He died at the convent of Arcella in Padua, Italy, on June 13, 1231.

Believed to be the second fastest canonization in history, he was declared a saint just one year after his death, in May 1232.

In 1946, Pope Pius XII proclaimed him a Doctor of the Church.

[Prospero]

Oh... THAT St. Anthony... While definitely interesting, I admit to being disappointed the modeling was not of Anthony the Great, the anchorite who lived in Egypt in the 4th century.

Just as well. These works aid in drawing interest in history.

[Verginius Rufus]

In 1231, the year that St. Anthony died, June 13th was a Friday the thirteenth just like this year. At least according to the calendar table in The World Almanac.

[NYer]

Thanks for the link. I have a great devotion to St. Francis of Assisi. All aspects of his life, biography, writings, miracles, etc. are found in this book.

I was hoping something similar existed for St. Anthony.

[Churchillspirit]

The nuns at school were frequently losing their sleeves (the large ones they wore for going outside the convent).

St Anthony's name was mentioned a lot!

[johngrace]

Wow! Thanks for sharing. I never heard these stories. Jesus is awesome.

[AnAmericanMother]

I got this excellent book about St. Francis. It analyzes and compares all the major contemporary and near-contemporary sources. I highly recommend it.

[SunkenCiv]

Note: this topic is from 6/13/2014. Thanks NYer.

Photo credit: Cicero Moraes

When a Brazilian expert was asked to reconstruct the appearance of an ancient person, all he was told was that the skull belonged to a 36-year-old man. The face was that of an ordinary-looking male, perhaps somebody easily forgotten when passed on the street. Only afterward did the expert find out that he had helped millions of believers to gaze upon the real face of Saint Anthony.

Born in 1195, St. Anthony became a monk at 15 when he joined the Augustinians. Two remarkable events mark the career of this great saint, one in life and the other in death. While alive, he personally met with the famous St. Francis of Assisi, and the second was how fast he was canonized. The second fastest in history, St. Anthony was sainted merely a year after he died at a convent in 1231.

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