The Walnut Tree

THE ANONYMOUS author of the Assidua was fully aware that the first section of Anthony’s biography was drawing to a close. The second, far more detailed portion, would recount the unusual circumstances of Anthony’s passing, while the final section would unveil the miraculous events that shaped his life, preserving them for generations to come.

Like Jesus

Before concluding the initial part, however, the Assidua presents Anthony foretelling his own approaching death, “Anthony, the glorious confessor of the Lord, knew long before his death when it would occur. But, so as not to cause his confreres any sorrow, he would hide his imminent bodily death by carefully dissimulating it.

“About fifteen days before he paid the debt of all flesh, as he was admiring the agreeable plain of Padua from a certain hill where he found himself, he exulted in spirit and extolled in wonderful praise the location of the city. Then, turning to the friar who had accompanied him on the trip, he foretold that it would shortly receive a great honour. He did not intimate in any way, however, what the honour would be or by whom it would be conferred. Indeed, we believe the honour of the city of Padua to be no other than the merits of Anthony’s holiness, by means of which it would soon become famous.”

In the background of this account lies a familiar motif from the Gospels – Jesus predicting His own death, though in veiled terms. Those who heard and later recorded His words could only recognize them as prophetic in hindsight, after witnessing His crucifixion.

At the same time, it is hardly surprising that a man weakened by illness, having just endured an exhausting period of labor, would sense that his own death was near.

Peace and solitude

With two weeks remaining, the Assidua recounts Anthony’s final retreat to Camposampiero, a quiet haven about twelve miles north of Padua. Far removed from the commotion of the city, the area was surrounded by dense woodlands, offering a profound sense of peace and solitude. The Assidua swiftly explains the reason for Anthony’s choice of this place: “It occurred that, while those things were happening, harvest-tide drew to a close. The faithful and prudent servant of God, seeing therefore that the people would have to give themselves to the work of gathering the crops, resolved to stop preaching until the time was right again. Thus, when he had dismissed the crowds, he looked for a solitary place. He set out for the locality which is called Camposampiero, hoping to find peaceful seclusion there.”

The reason behind Anthony’s decision was his deep desire for the peasants around Padua to have the opportunity to hear his preaching. He understood that both preaching and listening to sermons had their proper time, just as earning a living had its own demands. Yet, Anthony also recognized the need to reflect on his work and to pause for a moment of respite, allowing him to gather his thoughts.

After a brief period of rest in Camposampiero – though the Assidua does not specify the next mission he had planned – Anthony was expected to resume his journey with renewed strength and vigor. This rhythm of alternating between action and contemplation is a hallmark of Franciscan spirituality: active ministry must be balanced with time for prayer and reflection, allowing one to be replenished by God’s grace.

Camposampiero was perfectly suited for this purpose, not least because Anthony was under the care of Count Tiso IV, a devoted friend of the Friars Minor. This nobleman had generously welcomed the Franciscans onto his estate and had even gifted them a small settlement with a chapel. One can easily envision how this tranquil setting provided Anthony with an environment conducive to rest, introspection, and spiritual renewal. However, while the surroundings offered peace, the humid climate was less than ideal for his worsening edema, and his asthma attacks were becoming ever more frequent.

Foretaste of heaven

It was here, on this very estate, that an event unfolded – one that has captivated artists for centuries. This moment of divine intimacy has been immortalized in numerous works of art, most notably in Pietro Annigoni’s grand painting above the entrance inside the Basilica of Saint Anthony in Padua.

The Assidua recounts the event with reverence: “A certain nobleman by the name of Tiso was extremely happy at his [Anthony’s] coming, and devoutly showed all earnest signs of courtesy towards the man of God. He held in possession the friars’ hermitage. Not too far from the friars’ dwelling, there was a thick forest, where, among other trees, there grew a tall nut tree, from the trunk of which six limbs reached towards the sky to form a kind of crown with its branches. One day, when the servant of God saw its extraordinary beauty, he soon decided – led by the Spirit – that a cell be made for him in the nut tree because the place offered suitable solitude and the kind of rest which is conducive to contemplation.

“As soon as the friars brought this to the attention of the nobleman, he prepared with his own hands a cell of mats by binding together piles in the form of a square and transversally to the branches. He also made cells, similar in structure, for his two companions, preparing with greater care the higher cell for the saint’s use and the others with lesser attention, according to the wish of the friars. In this cell, the servant of God led a truly solitary life and dedicated himself to exercises of holy contemplation. In short, it proved to be his last dwelling among mortals; by climbing into it, he showed that he was drawing near to heaven.”

Fact or fiction?

There are, of course, reasonable doubts about whether the famed treehouse ever truly existed. Would a man who was seriously ill, utterly exhausted, and – by all accounts – heavily built, have been capable, in the final days of his life, of climbing into a treehouse, braving the elements day and night? The likelihood seems remote.

A far more plausible scenario is that, in his search for solitude, Anthony came upon a towering walnut tree in Count Tiso’s woods and chose to rest beneath its broad canopy. It is also reasonable to assume that Tiso arranged for three simple huts to be built – one for Anthony and two for his companions: Brothers Luke Belludi and Roger. By day, the three friars would have enjoyed the peace of their retreat; in the evenings they would have rejoined their fellow Franciscans in the nearby settlement.

Yet beyond the historical uncertainties, the symbolic significance of Anthony spending his final days in a tree remains compelling. Legends surrounding the Saint often carry deeper meaning, and this episode is no exception. By ascending into the tree’s branches, Anthony was, in a sense, withdrawing from the earthly world – lifting himself toward the heavens while remaining enveloped by the beauty of God’s creation.

With his gaze turned toward a new and eternal life, the walnut tree takes on a profound, almost mystical significance. Whether one views the story as historical fact or symbolic truth, it carries its own undeniable beauty and meaning.