Prayer to Saint Anthony: Full Text for Lost Things
The traditional prayer to Saint Anthony, the unfailing prayer, with a short prayer for lost things, why he is invoked, and how to pray it.
The Unfailing Prayer to Saint Anthony
Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints.
O Holy St. Anthony, gentlest of Saints, your love for God and charity for His creatures made you worthy, when on earth, to possess miraculous powers. Encouraged by this thought, I implore you to obtain for me (state your request).
O gentle and loving St. Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the sweet Infant Jesus, who loved to be folded in your arms. The gratitude of my heart will ever be yours.
Amen.
Traditional prayer to Saint Anthony of Padua, taken from holy cards and shared by the Basilica shrine of Saint Anthony and Catholic Culture. Wording varies slightly between sources.
A Personal Prayer to Saint Anthony
Saint Anthony, faithful friend of God and of those in need, I come to you with something that weighs on me today.
There are things I have lost: an object, a plan, my patience, my peace. Help me look with calm eyes and a trusting heart. If it can be found, lead me to it. If it cannot, help me let it go without bitterness.
You spent your life speaking the Gospel with courage and kindness. Teach me to value what really matters, and to find again whatever has drifted away from God in my own life.
Carry this need to Jesus, as you once held Him in your arms, and ask Him to give me what is best for me. Amen.
Short Version
Saint Anthony, gentle helper of all who search, help me find what is lost, and lead me back to what matters most. Amen.
Prayer to Saint Anthony for Lost Things
Dear Saint Anthony, I have lost something and cannot find it. Calm my worry and help me remember where to look. Pray for me, that I may find it if it is God's will, and that I may never lose sight of Him. Thank you for your help. Amen.
For a Lost Person or Lost Faith
Saint Anthony, I ask you to pray for someone dear to me who feels far from home, far from peace, or far from God. Walk beside them, soften what is hard, and bring them gently back. Give me patience while I wait. Amen.
Why We Pray to Saint Anthony
Saint Anthony of Padua was a Franciscan friar, born in Lisbon, Portugal, who died on June 13, 1231. His feast day is June 13, and in 1946 Pope Pius XII declared him a Doctor of the Church.
He is invoked for lost things because of a well-known story, usually described as a legend, in which a novice took his prayer book and returned it after Anthony prayed. Catholics have asked his help in finding lost property ever since, and many also ask him to help them find what is lost in a deeper way: peace, hope, or faith.
The long prayer above is often called the unfailing prayer. It was passed along on holy cards, and some cards ask you to follow it with 13 Our Fathers, Hail Marys and Glorias, a custom linked to his June 13 feast. You do not have to do this. A sincere short prayer is enough.
When to pray it: when you cannot find something, when you are anxious about a loss, on Tuesdays (a devotion many Catholics keep), or on his feast day. Remember that Saint Anthony does not answer prayers himself. He prays with you, and the answer always comes from God.
Scripture to Pray With
Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
Luke 15:8-9 (KJV)
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Luke 19:10 (KJV)
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Matthew 7:7 (KJV)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the prayer to Saint Anthony for lost things?
A simple one is: "Saint Anthony, gentle helper of all who search, help me find what is lost." The longer traditional prayer on this page can also be used, naming your request.
Why do Catholics pray to Saint Anthony for lost things?
According to a well-known legend, a novice took Anthony's prayer book and returned it after Anthony prayed. Since then he has been invoked to help find lost items.
When is the feast of Saint Anthony of Padua?
June 13, the day he died in 1231.
What is the unfailing prayer to Saint Anthony?
It is the traditional prayer that begins "Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints" and asks Anthony to bring your petition to the Infant Jesus. Some holy cards add 13 Our Fathers, Hail Marys and Glorias.
Do Catholics worship Saint Anthony?
No. Worship belongs to God alone. Catholics ask saints to pray for them, as we ask friends to pray for us.
Last updated 2026-10-23