St. Anthony of Padova - Ruffano

Ruffano is a town about 50 km from Lecce, which also includes the hamlet of Torrepaduli, located in the Salento.

Anthony of Padova is the patron saint of the town of Salento. The devotion to the saint and his miracles is so great that it is recognized as a prodigious soon spread worldwide.

He was born in Lisbon on August 15, 1195 and died at the age of 36 in Padova on June 13, 1231. It is said that, during his life, he met St. Francis of Assisi, and it was thanks to the attendance of the saint who, from Augustine, he became a Franciscan. History tells us that it was Francis, recognizing him great qualities of humility and wisdom, to send him to France where he spent a long time to preach against the Cathar heresy. From here, it was then moved to Bologna and finally in Padova, for this reason known as the Saint of Padova, although its origins were Portuguese.

The reasons that led the Ruffanesi to dedicate their faith and strong devotion to the Saint dates back to about 1600, when a terrible plague threatened the population. All citizens of the community, desperate, they decided to pray Antonio because they graziasse epidemic that caused death in the whole area, even to exterminate entire populations.

In the community of Ruffano, however, was not recorded no deaths and this is thanks to the intercession of the saint. So it was that, between 1680 and 1683, he was proclaimed patron saint. However it is said that the cult has origin, even in ancient times probably the sixteenth century. At that time a family of nobles, Giangrande, asked that the Holy intervene to heal their daughter from the disease. In thanksgiving for favors received, the family built a bust in silver which, even today, is exposed to the mother church of the country.

The feast day is dedicated on August 13 but already a couple of days before the celebrations begin, that is, when the relics of St. Anthony are carried to the Church of San Francesco. They are then carried in procession in the Mother Church, accompanied by the music of the band that, in addition to the games in the streets, dancing and the lights makes the party even more rich and engaging.