Meaning Latin family name of contested etymology; possibly from Etruscan roots.
Figure Multiple major saints: Anthony of Egypt (the Great); Anthony of Padua.
Feast day January 17 (Anthony the Great, Orthodox and Catholic); June 13 (Anthony of Padua, Catholic)
Traditions CATHOLICORTHODOXANGLICAN
In the Christian tradition
Two principal saints named Anthony are honored across Christian tradition. Anthony the Great (c. 251-356) is the Egyptian desert father, the founder of Christian monasticism, whose biography by Athanasius shaped Christian ascetic tradition. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) is the Franciscan Doctor of the Church, the patron of lost things, honored in Catholic devotional tradition. The Catholic calendar commemorates Anthony of Padua on June 13; the Orthodox and Catholic calendars commemorate Anthony the Great on January 17.
The two great Anthonies of Christian tradition are distinct figures separated by nearly a millennium. Anthony the Great (c. 251-356) is the Egyptian Christian who left his inheritance, went to the desert, and became the principal founder of Christian monastic life; Athanasius's Life of Anthony (written around 360) shaped Christian ascetic tradition across the Eastern and Western churches. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) is the Portuguese-born Franciscan friar whose preaching and miracles made him one of the most-loved saints of the Catholic Church; he is the patron of lost things, of the poor, and of Portugal. The Catholic calendar honors Anthony of Padua on June 13; both the Orthodox and Catholic calendars honor Anthony the Great on January 17. The name has been in continuous Christian use across the centuries; modern English-speaking Christian families use it freely.