What caused St. Anthony of Padua to go to Italy?
He got sick as a missionary in North Africa and was heading home, but his ship ended up in Sicily, where he stayed with the friars. Because they were going to the annual chapter (meeting) of the friars in Assisi, he joined them.
This was in 1220; St. Francis was there, but we do not know if they met. There were several thousand friars at this chapter. When the chapter ended, Anthony went with the friars from Emilia Romagna (Bologna area).
