Popular tradition holds that St. Anthony taught a prayer to a poor woman who sought help against the temptations of the devil. The Franciscan Pope Sixtus V had the prayer — also called “the motto of St. Anthony” — engraved into the base of the obelisk erected in St. Peter’s Square in Rome.
In the original Latin, the prayer says
Ecce Crucem Domini!
Fugite partes adversae!
Vicit Leo de tribu Juda,
Radix David! Alleluia!
And translated, it reads
Behold, the Cross of the Lord!
Begone, all evil powers!
The Lion of the tribe of Judah,
The Root of David, has conquered!
Alleluia, Alleluia!
This short prayer has the flavor of a small exorcism. We can use it too — both in Latin and in English — to be able to overcome all the temptations we face.
Translated from the Italian.
And today we celebrate...