Saint-a-Day book

Saints fascinate me. I detested Medieval art until I realized that the paintings were telling stories, often about saints who died horrible deaths. For example, the Crocker Art Museum in town has a painting in their collection of Saint Blaise.

Now that I know the painting conveys elements of who that Saint was and how they died, I have a new respect for Medieval art, as well as a new layer of creepiness.

It helps to remind us how cruel we humans can be, even with the pervasive levels of religion which tells us to love one another, be compassionate, and not act like an asshole (some of the ten commandments cover that).

Like Blaise, the patron saint of throats, was attacked with iron carding combs and then beheaded. Isn't that the neatest? The torturers at Abu Ghraib got nothing on the torturers of old. Sure enough, in Saint Blaise's painting, he's holding a lovely little carding comb.

See if you can guess the way the Saints died in this painting called "The Holy Helpers". Yes, before there was Hamburger Helpers, there were Holy Helpers. Check out the dude who is holding his own severed head! No, it's not the Sleepy Hollow dude!

Anyway today's a big day for small Saints.

We have:
Saint Vaast
Saint Amandus (perhaps some knew him as Amandushugginkiss)
Saint Dorothea (this one is a two-fer. Two virgins named Dorothea took one for the Holy Team in ways that this book does not expand upon)
Saint Guarina
Saint Silvanus (Perhaps the Patron Saint of lightbulbs?)

Saint Theodore

Theo was denounced as a Christian. Ultimately, he was burned to death but only after he burned down a pagan temple and pissed off the Roman Empire in the process. After burning down the temple and scorning the pagan faith when asked to recant, they tore at his flesh while he sang the most beautiful psalms.

Okay, religious persecution is a bummer, but if the aforementioned is true, he's be considered a Terrorist today.

It's all in the timing.

Today was a decent day. Nothing too problematic, and yet nothing too exciting.