Thursday, February 10, 2011

Let St. Anthony Find Your True Love (A Valentine Day Ritual from Mexico)




On Tuesday, arriving in Morelia, Mexico on Day One of the Monarch Butterflies and Michoacån Cuisine tour, I didn’t see a single butterfly but did learn about a place that may be more efficient than E-Harmony and Match.com in helping single ladies find the man of their dreams.

It was San Miguelito, the restaurant in Morelia where we ate the first night.  It calls itself a “Restaurante, Bazar, Galeria, & Museo” and they’re not kidding. 

 In addition to scrumptious Mexican food, they sell Day of the Dead figures, Botero-like fat little angels, a wooden chair that is also a skeleton, and aprons imprinted with Guadalupe.

 But the main draw is the back room, which, in addition to dining tables and chairs, holds more than 700 images of St. Anthony of Padua all UPSIDE DOWN.

For over twenty years, according to proprietor Cynthia Martinez, single women have been thronging to this room to beg St. Anthony to intercede for them and send their destined mate to their side.



 There are bulletin boards filled with photos and thanks from satisfied customers who have finally met their soul mate.

Here is what you have to do:  take 13 coins of the same  denomination from two bags hanging nearby.  Line up 13  coins on the base of the main St Anthony statue.  Walk around the statue 13 times.  Pray to St. Anthony.  (Suggested prayer below.  The restaurant also provides a Spanish-language version.)

There is a three-hole notebook below the statue on which you can write your specific request.  One woman covered 21 pages detailing her requirements in a mate.

Nearby is a shelf holding some of the dozens of notebooks  which have been filled in the past two decades with single women’s requests.

Back in the U.S. I had heard that people wanting to sell their homes would bury a statue of St Anthony in the front year, upside down of course, to speed up the sale. (A new friend, Christina, tells me that that’s actually St. Joseph.)

I think the point of the St. Anthony ritual is that, when your wish is fulfilled, you will release the saint and turn him back over.  But the St. Anthonys at San  Miguelito restaurant in Morelia have been standing upside-down for so long, while bringing couples together, that I  don’t think they have any hope of landing on their feet again.

Here is a poster on the restaurant’s wall advertising the Saint’s miraculous powers to lead you to love.
If you want to try this ritual at home:  get your own statue of St. Anthony and 13 identical coins and give it a try.  Here is a suggested prayer I found on the internet.  If you would like to have the Spanish-language prayer given out by San Miguelito Restaurant, write me at JoanPGage@yahoo.com.

Oh Wonderful St.Anthony, glorious on account of the fame of thy miracles, and through the condescension of Jesus in coming in the form of a little child to rest in thy arms, obtain for me of his bounty the grace which I ardently desire from the depths of my heart. Thou who was so loving towards miserable sinners, regard not the unworthiness of those who pray to thee, but the glory of God that it may be once again magnified by this request which I now make to you. Amen

20 comments:

CJ Kennedy said...

Heard of praying to St. Anthony to find lost objects, but never to find a mate. Lol

Unknown said...

I am always losing things so my prayer to St. Anthony is : "St. Anthony, come around, something lost can't be found". I have taught my 6 six year old granddaughter the prayer,
but I have never heard about the mate-finding property of the prayer. Will pass it on.

by Joan Gage said...

Readers, if you see an ad at the bottom of this page from "Christian Prayer Center" please be aware that this is an ad placed by Google and has nothing to do with St. Anthony or my blog and it will probably cost you money if you click on it.

Anonymous said...

Hi Jane , I was wondering if you happen to have the prayer in English version?

by Joan Gage said...

Dear Anonymous--The only English language prayer I have is the one quoted in my blog post, but if you send me your e-mail I'll send you a photograph I took of the Spanish version in the restaurant and maybe you can get someone to translate it for you. I'm trying to learn Spanish but I'm not that good yet!

amanit said...

hey sorry what do u mean by 13identical coins can u explain it for me please???

by Joan Gage said...

"13 identical coins means"--like 13 dimes or 13 quarters or 13 pennies or whatever.

Anonymous said...

The post says that women looking for a man had the ritual work. But what about vice versa man seeking woman. Are there any accounts you've heard on that? Tired of spending Valentines Day alone.

by Joan Gage said...

Dear Anonymous--I have heard from several men who wanted the Spanish version of the prayer. No reason why it shouldn't work equally well for men!

robbie gareau said...

does anyone know anyone who prayed to saint anthony to help them find ahusband or wife and seen their prayer answered and got a husband or wife and did they ask for certain things in spouse like hair, eye color, race or caertain nationality ina spouse?

Anonymous said...

Hi joan everyone. Im tired of being alone want to find my soulmate someone who will love me the way i am. The person who i cared about alot walked away yr ago left me broken. Ive come accross this site and its given me hope to keep trying and maybe hes out there and st anthony will bring him to my side. So im going to start praying to him for this. And for peace in my heart to come to terms with breakup and move on if he wasnt right for me. Please respond with any comments and i would appreciate a prayer or two. Thankyou

robbie gareau said...

please pray for me to god and saint anthony to help me find a godly christian wife who is very nice sweet and kind and very good looking and beautiful to me that will love me the same way I love them and loves god more than me that will treat me right and that I will love more than any other woman and will love me more than any other man and that I will get along with all the time and that I will live a very long happy life with and will live a very long happy life with me

robbie gareau said...

I just bought a saint anthony finder of love statue and tried to put him upside down for the ritual involiving putting 13 identical coins in front of the statue but can't seem to keep him upside down , he keeps falling over. What do I do?

by Joan Gage said...

Hang him upside down? Plant him upside down in dirt or sand? Many do this!

robbie gareau said...

that is a good idea thank you

Therese said...

Is this a 9 day novena or do we pray it once or do we pray it 13 days?

Unknown said...

I'm so excited and happy that this beautiful tradition is catching on in the States! Years ago, while visiting Peru, i came upon a shrine to St. Anthony where hundreds of people left messages asking for his assistance in finding love. I then visited Morelia, Mexico and visited the San Miguelito restaurant. I was so moved, I came home and had my children's art teacher sculp a statue of St. Anthony holding a heart. I wrote prayers to accompany the statue, and had coins made dedicated to St. Anthony finder of love. I gave them to my friends and family and still have lots of statues in my basement. I would love to share them with anyone who is interested.

Anonymous said...

so sweet your generosity.. God bless you

Anonymous said...

St. Anthony, finder of love, please help us find love in our hearts and in our world. Guide us in finding the path that leads to love and peace in our homes and in our communities. Help us to see the face of Christ in everyone- the rich, the poor, the strong, the weak; and to recognize that we are all seekers on a journey- no more or less than any of our fellow sojourners. Intercede for us so we might find the courage, wisdom and strength to love unconditionally- to choose love over prejudice, love before impatience, love in place of anger; love instead of fear. Help us to find the goodness that dwells in each of us to choose love over all. And finally, St.Anthony, help us to find in our hearts, a sincere desire to grow in love for ourselves and in service to the world. Amen.
-thestanthonyproject@gmail.com

Unknown said...

That’s beautiful!