To be vigilant against three enemies

fr. Antonio Ramina

There are sometimes old beliefs unverifiable with science or that seem to be strange but that are able to communicate something or to make us reflect. In this regard I would like to recall the old belief that St. Anthony mentions about the “powers” of the calandra lark, a quite common bird in our region. It is one of the largest of the 90 species of the lark family. Ornithologists say that its call is a melodious jumble of clear notes and chirps and that it can imitate the call of other birds. St. Anthony mentions the calandra lark recalling a traditional belief that was even taken up by Leonardo da Vinci more than two centuries later. The Saint writes: “If someone is ill, whether he will live or die can be known from the calandra lark. The bird turns its gaze away from the man whose illness will cause death, if the disease is not fatal, the calandra stares the sick man in the eye and the sick man stares back at the calandra who releases him from his illness. (continue)

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