Prayer requires an atmosphere of silence, above all an interior silence, a refuge from the distractions caused by the worries that disturb and agitate the soul that prays.

Also necessary is silence from the external hubbub that upsets the inner peace of the spirit, which is a condition for meeting Christ, the teacher who speaks to the soul.

The desire for a deeper silence and a more intense solitude led Anthony to leave the Augustinian monastery at Saint Vincent of Lisbon, to retreat in that of St. Cross of Coimbra, an important centre of culture and spirituality in Portugal.

There, where everything spoke to his heart about Jesus crucified, Anthony greedily learned the sublime knowledge of the cross.

From early biographies, it is known that after the general chapter held at Assisi from May 30 to June 8, 1221, Anthony received from Brother Gratianus, provincial minister of Romagna, permission to retreat to the hermitage at Montepaolo. The saint felt the need for physical solitude and exterior silence in order to conduct a more intense life of prayer and contemplation.

Although Brother Anthony cared deeply about saving souls and gave his all in this work, nonetheless, after having tried the itinerant life to bring the word of God to the masses, he continually felt the charm and call to solitude. The naked feet of the Franciscan monks were soon covered with the dust of the streets. But Anthony, as a seraphic Father, thought there was a "spiritual dust that covered the feet," and that it was necessary to wash them in the clear water of solitude.

Thomas of Celano narrates how Saint Francis personally resolved the tension between action and contemplation. The founder of the Order of Minor Monks was accustomed to ignoring his own interests so as to dedicate himself to helping others. Above all, he wished to exceed the obstacle of his body to join Christ. Therefore, he took every care to keep himself removed and free from the things of the world. He often retreated to solitary places to lift his soul up to God, however without ever hesitating when the time came to take action and be of service to someone.

Like the seraphic Father, Saint Anthony alternated an apostolic life of itinerant preaching with period of varying lengths of retreat into solitude. The irresistible attraction of a life completely absorbed by God make itself felt ever more strongly. A hermitage was no longer enough, he loved to take refuge in unknown grottoes or other place truly adapted to losing oneself in prayer.

While preaching in France he retreated to the grotto of Brive. In Italy legend has it that he retreated to Mount Verna and it is known that he went to Camposampiero, near Padua, where he was stricken with the infirmity that would lead him to death in short time.

It seems that since Christ, the teacher of every sanctity and every apostolate, was born in a grotto, anyone who, following him and through him, wishes to live his same ideals of life must turn to solitude to find himself in God and God in himself through solitary prayer. This means searching God in truth: removing oneself from illusions and pleasures, keeping the mind free from any anxiety and any earthly desire, so as to be open to the heavenly Father.

Text by Antonio Giuseppe Nocilli, adapted by Father Paolo Floretta