Bishop Donald Hying, bishop of the Diocese of Madison, celebrated the feast day of St. Anthony on Monday, describing him as one of the most popular saints in the Catholic Church.

"Today, June 13, is the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua—probably one of the most popular and famous saints in the entire Catholic Church,” Hying said in a video posted on Facebook. “Much of that popularity is due to the fact that he's the patron of lost things. How many of us have diligently searched for something that we really needed to find, we pray to St. Anthony, and then suddenly, we find it?” 

He then said that has happened many times in his life.

"But the depth of his life goes beyond simply finding lost things,” Hying said. "He preached throughout all of Europe and was just amazingly effective in bringing lukewarm Catholics to a high state of fervor, heretics back to the faith. He was known for many, many miracles."

St. Anthony of Padua was born into a wealthy, religious family in Portugal at the end of the 12th century, a report on Britannica said. He became a Franciscan friar at the approximate age of 25. Although he had planned to travel to Morocco to preach to the Saracens, he became very ill and was instructed to return to Portugal. His ship to Portugal was blown off course, and Anthony landed in Sicily, where he began to teach theology. He passed away in 1231 and was canonized the following year. Pope Pius XII declared Anthony a Doctor of the Church in 1946.

St. Anthony is often called on to intercede when someone is searching for items that have been lost or stolen, a report on StAnthony.org said. In artwork, Anthony is usually depicted holding a book, a lily or the child Jesus in his arms. 

“Doctor of the Church” is an official title that a pope can bestow upon a person who has made significant and lasting contributions to the Church, Crossroads Initiative said. Throughout the history of the Catholic Church, only 37 people have ever been granted this title. There are three requirements to becoming a Doctor of the Church: “(1) holiness that is truly outstanding, even among saints; (2) depth of doctrinal insight; and (3) an extensive body of writings which the church can recommend as an expression of the authentic and life-giving Catholic Tradition.”