(St.), was born in Egypt in 251, and inherited a large fortune, which he distributed among his neighbours and the poor, retired into solitude, founded a religious order, built many monasteries, and died anno 356. Many ridiculous stories are told, of his conflicts with the devil, and of his miracles: there are seven epistles extant, attributed to him.

or Knights of St Anthony, a military order, instituted by Albert duke of Bavaria, Holland, and Zealand, when he designed to make war against the Turks in 1382. The knights wore a collar of gold made in form of a hermit's girdle, from which hung a stick cut like a crutch, with a little bell, as they are represented in St Anthony's pictures.

St Anthony also gives the denomination to an order of religious founded in France about the year 1095, to take care of those afflicted with St Anthony's fire (see the next article.)—It is said, that, in some places, these monks assume to themselves a power of giving, as well as removing, the ignis faciens or erysipelas; a power which stands them in great stead for keeping the poor people in subjection, and extorting alms. To avoid the menaces of these monks, the country people present them every year with a fat hog a-piece. Some prelates endeavoured to persuade pope Paul III. to abolish the order; quaestorii illorum sancti Antonii, qui decipient rufos et simplices, eosque innumeris superstitionibus implicent, de medio tellendori esse. But they subsist notwithstanding, to this day in several places.

St Anthony's Fire, a name popularly given to the erysipelas.—Apparently it took this denomination, as those afflicted with it made their peculiar application to St Anthony of Padua for cure. It is known, that anciently particular diseases had their peculiar saints: thus, in the ophthalmia, persons had recourse to St Lucia; in the tooth-ache, to St Apollonia; in the hydrophobia, to St Hubert, &c. In effect, the Romanists in some parts are still said to represent St Anthony with a fire kindled at his side, to signify that he delivers people from the faciens ignis or erysipelas. They also paint a hog near him, as a token that he cures beasts of all diseases. To do him the greater honour in several places, they keep at common charges a hog denominated St Anthony's hog, for which they have great veneration. Some will have St Anthony's picture on the walls of their houses, hoping by that to be preserved from the plague; and the Italians, who do not know the true signification of the fire painted at the side of their saint, concluding that he preserves houses from being burnt, invoke him on such occasions.