St. Anthony of Padua (August 15, 1195 – June 13, 1231) depicted in several statues in the Mount Wollaston Cemetery, in Quincy, Massachusetts, is portrayed in monks’ clothing holding the baby Jesus and lilies.  The book he holds is the Bible which is a symbol of how Christ first appeared to St. Anthony as he read the holy book.  St. Anthony is also known to have been very well versed in the Bible, as well as, a good preacher.  The lilies symbolize purity and innocence and when pressed into oil for anointing oil is oft referred to as St. Anthony’s oil.

Joseph is often portrayed similarly.  The difference is that when St. Anthony is holding baby Jesus, Jesus is resting on a book—sometimes open, sometimes closed.  The other difference, of course, is that Joseph does not wear monks’ robes.  You can also discern the difference by looking at the haircuts—Joseph with a a flowing head of hair and St. Anthony with a monk’s cut.

St. Anthony of Padua’s feast day is June 13.  He is the Patron Saint of a long list of items: lost things, including lost people and lost souls and those who are seeking lost things; animals, amputees, fishermen, elderly people, mariners, poor people, travelers, and runts of litters, among others.