St. Anthony of Padua and the Miracle of the Mule: A Eucharistic Triumph

Fr. Scott Haynes

Among the dazzling stars of the Franciscan Order, one glows with exceptional brilliance—not merely for the eloquence of his preaching or the extraordinary miracles wrought by his intercession, but for his passionate love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. That saint is St. Anthony of Padua (1195–1231), the “Evangelical Doctor” and the “Hammer of Heretics,” whose sermons still echo with reverence for the Most Holy Eucharist.

Of all the miracles attributed to him—healings, conversions, prophecies, and appearances—none touches the Catholic heart more intimately than the story of the mule who knelt before the Body of Christ. This singular event encapsulates Anthony’s unwavering faith in the Real Presence and offers a stunning answer to skeptics across the centuries. It is, at once, a tale of triumph, a theological affirmation, and a summons to deeper devotion.

The Setting: Rimini and the Age of Doubt

The scene is Rimini, a city in Italy, where St. Anthony came face to face with obstinate unbelief. In his day, the city had fallen under the sway of heretical sects, especially the Albigensians, who denied the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Anthony, filled with apostolic zeal, took it upon himself to preach and convert these wayward souls. His words, infused with Scripture and the fire of the Holy Spirit, swayed many hearts—but not all. Among his most vocal opponents was a man named Bononillo, a wealthy and educated heretic.

Bononillo was not merely dismissive; he was mocking. He challenged the saint to a public test of the doctrine. The proposition was bold and outrageous to some—yet Anthony accepted it without hesitation, for he had complete confidence in the Lord of the Eucharist.

The Challenge: A Mule and a Miracle

Bononillo proposed a test: he would starve his mule for three days, giving it no food or drink. At the end of those days, Anthony would bring the Blessed Sacrament, while Bononillo would bring a pile of tempting fodder—hay, oats, and the like. The two would be set before the hungry beast simultaneously. If the mule ignored the food and knelt in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, Bononillo would abandon his heresy and profess the Catholic faith.

The challenge was accepted, and word spread quickly. On the appointed day, a large crowd gathered in the town square—curious, skeptical, or simply eager for spectacle. But for Anthony, this was no performance. This was a battlefield of faith, where Christ Himself would shine forth in majesty. With fasting and prayer, the saint prepared his soul. He knew that God, who allowed Balaam’s donkey to speak (Num. 22:28–30), could also move a beast to adore.

The Miracle Unfolds

On the third day, the test began. The mule was brought forth—emaciated, trembling with hunger. Bononillo laid down the fodder, aromatic and plentiful. Anthony came forward, clad in his brown Franciscan habit, holding aloft a golden monstrance with the Sacred Host, and prayed aloud:

“In the name of Thy Creator, whom I, though unworthy, hold in my hands, I command thee, O beast, to come and adore thy God: so that heretics may learn from this irrational creature that all creation is subject to the Body of Christ present on the altar.”

In a moment that stunned all present, the mule turned away from the food, walked toward the Blessed Sacrament, bent its knees, and bowed its head in adoration. Some say the animal even remained kneeling for several minutes, seemingly in silent worship.

Gasps, cries, and the sound of weeping filled the air. The miracle had happened—not in a vision or in a remote corner, but in the open square before hundreds of witnesses. Bononillo fell to his knees, publicly renouncing his error. From that day forward, he became a devout Catholic.

Witnesses and Tradition

This miracle is recounted in several early biographies of St. Anthony, particularly those compiled by the followers of Blessed Luke Belludi, Anthony’s close friend and fellow Franciscan. The miracle was widely known and spread rapidly across Europe in the saint’s lifetime and beyond.

St. Bonaventure, the Seraphic Doctor and later Minister General of the Franciscan Order, considered this miracle one of the “greatest proofs of the power of the Eucharist over every creature.” In his Legenda Maior, he recounts the event as authentic and edifying.

Another witness to the veneration of this miracle is Fr. Antonio Vieira (1608–1697), the celebrated Portuguese preacher and Jesuit missionary. In his Eucharistic homilies, he wrote:

“Even the brute beasts, moved by the divine breath, recognized their Creator veiled under the form of bread, while the proud man turns away. Who is more irrational—the mule, or the heretic?”

St. Anthony’s Confidence in Christ

What inspired Anthony to enter into such a seemingly absurd wager? It was his utter confidence in Jesus truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. For him, the Real Presence was not a symbol or sentiment, but a burning truth, alive with power and glory.

Anthony’s sermons often returned to the theme of the Eucharist. In one of his preserved homilies, he writes:

“O wonderful dignity of the priest! He that blessed the womb of the Virgin, by whom He Himself was blessed, gives into the hands of His ministers the sacred Body, that it might be offered daily on the altar for the salvation of the world.” (Sermon on Holy Thursday)

This is the same Eucharist he adored, the same Presence he bore into the heretical den of Rimini, the same Lord whom even a mule could recognize.

Eucharistic Imagery in Anthony’s Preaching

St. Anthony’s sermons are rich with typology and imagery rooted in Eucharistic theology. He speaks of the Eucharist as:

• Manna in the desert, feeding the pilgrim soul;

• The fire from the altar, purifying and enkindling love;

• The lily among thorns, remaining pure and undefiled amid the corruption of the world.

He reminds the faithful:

“The Body of Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, truly offered on the altar, is that which hung upon the Cross. Receive it with fear and love.” (Sermon on the Eucharist)

Devotion and Implications

The story of the mule is not merely a charming episode; it carries deep implications:

• God can speak through even the lowliest creature to proclaim His truth.

• The Real Presence demands reverence, not only from humanity but from all creation.

• The Eucharist is not dependent on belief to be real—it is Christ Himself, whether believed or rejected.

• Faith can move mountains—and mules—when rooted in the promises of Christ.

Modern Reflections on the Miracle

The story continues to captivate. Pope Pius XII referenced it indirectly in Mediator Dei (1947), encouraging the faithful to take seriously the reverence due to the Eucharist:

“The outward adoration owed to the Blessed Sacrament stems from the inward worship of the heart; but if even irrational creatures once adored Him, how much more should His own children kneel in His Presence?”

Modern theologians and apologists often cite the miracle to highlight the loss of Eucharistic reverence in contemporary society. Where once beasts knelt, now even some baptized souls fail to genuflect or acknowledge His Majesty.

A Saint for Our Times

St. Anthony’s confidence, zeal, and Eucharistic love are particularly needed today, when belief in the Real Presence has waned even among Catholics. According to recent studies, less than one-third of Catholics in the West believe that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. This is a spiritual crisis.

But it is into such a crisis that Anthony steps again, as a witness. His story is more than historical—it is prophetic.

“The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge” (Ps. 45:8).

Anthony knew that his Lord was not merely “spiritually” present or symbolically close. He knew Christ was there—body, blood, soul, and divinity. And he was willing to stake the honor of the Church, his life, and the truth of Catholicism on the humble Host.

Lessons from the Miracle

1. Eucharistic Faith Must Be Bold

Anthony did not hesitate or second-guess. His challenge to Bononillo shows a holy boldness born from union with Christ. In our age, where Eucharistic reverence is too often timid or silent, we are called to rekindle this confidence.

2. God Uses the Lowly to Confound the Proud

The mule becomes a Eucharistic preacher. St. Paul reminds us: “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise” (1 Cor. 1:27). The adoration of the animal shames the heretic, and reveals the mystery hidden from proud eyes.

3. We Are Called to Kneel

If a beast of burden can recognize the Lord, how much more should we, who are made in His image and redeemed by His blood? The miracle calls us back to kneeling, adoration, thanksgiving, and love.

St. Anthony and the Eucharist: A Living Flame

St. Anthony of Padua is sometimes depicted with a lily and the Christ Child. But he should also be known for holding the monstrance, for preaching the glory of the Eucharist, and for reminding us of what is central to our faith.

In his homilies, he speaks of the Eucharist as a fire that both purifies and burns with love:

“The soul, like wax before the flame, must melt in the presence of the Eucharist. Let it not harden in pride, but melt in humility.”

Conclusion: Adore the Eucharistic Christ

The miracle of the mule is not folklore. It is a profound theological and spiritual sign—a visible parable of the truth taught by Christ: “This is My Body” (Matt. 26:26). Let us adore, as the mule adored. Let us believe, as Anthony believed. Let us call upon the intercession of this great saint, that our hearts may be inflamed with Eucharistic love.

Prayer to St. Anthony for Eucharistic Faith

O glorious St. Anthony, who so loved the hidden Lord in the tabernacle, obtain for us a lively faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. Inspire in us a deep reverence and burning love, that we may never approach unworthily, nor neglect so great a gift. May the example of your courage, and the miracle of the kneeling mule, awaken in our souls a desire to fall on our knees, and proclaim with every fiber of our being: “My Lord and my God.” Amen.

Works Cited and Further Reading

1. St. Bonaventure. Legenda Maior Sancti Antonii.

2. Fr. Antonio Vieira, Sermões.

3. Pope Pius XII. Mediator Dei.

4. O'Reilly, Bernard. Life of St. Anthony of Padua. New York: P.J. Kenedy & Sons, 1895.

5. Dubois, Jacques. Miracles of the Saints. Ignatius Press.

6. Catechism of the Catholic Church, §§1374–1381.