Welcome to St. Anthony Friary
Welcome to St. Anthony Friary

About Us

History of the Franciscan Friars

The first successful Franciscan mission in our country was also the cradle of the Franciscan Order in the United States of America.  Both began in 1573 in the Spanish province of La Florida, a territory that included all of eastern North America along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.  The first Franciscan friars in La Florida landed at the Spanish settlement of Santa Elena on Parris Island, South Carolina.  In La Florida, 70 friars were authorized by the Spanish Crown to serve 26,000 Christianized Indians in 40 missions.

 

Today monuments stand at the edge of the golf course on the United States Marine Base at Parris Island marking the excavated ruins of two Spanish forts that protected Santa Elena.  It is important to note that the first enduring Christian community in the United States was the Franciscan parish of St. Augustine.  The beautiful, Spanish-style Cathedral-Basilica of St. Augustine rightly cherishes its honor as our country's oldest parish and the cradle of the Catholic Church in the United States of America. (1)

 

 

(1) "The Cradle of the Church and Franciscan Order in the USA," by Thomas Murphy, O.F.M.

Contact us

727-822-7917 Telephone

727-821-8067 Fax

 

St. Anthony Friary

357 Second Street North

Saint Petersburg, Florida 33701-2931

Email

jennifer@safriary.org

Office Hours

Monday - Friday

9:00 AM to 4:30 PM

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