loaned to one of the pioneer aviators, Santos-Dumont, by Dom Pedro’s
daughter, the Comtesse d’Eu. This was a medal of St. Benedict and had
been long regarded as a powerful talisman in the Braganza family. One of
its princely members had a striking proof of this virtue in 1705, when,
after having worn the medal but two weeks, he was saved from deadly
peril by the timely discovery and consequent defeat of a plot.
Santos-Dumont had just experienced a terrible fall while experimenting
with his new airship in the Rothschild park near Paris, and this it was
that induced the Comtesse d’Eu to loan him the talismanic medal, with
the injunction that he should always wear it on his person, and the
assurance that if he did so no further harm could befall him. The
talisman seemed to do its work well, for although the aviator had many
narrow escapes, he was always saved from serious injury. Unfortunately,
however, a thief picked it from the pocket of his coat while he was
busily engaged in work on an airship in a Paris machine-shop.[501]
While it was customary to close the shops of the goldsmiths on Sundays
and feast-days, a special exception permitted the “Confrérie de St.
Eloi,” the goldsmiths’ guild, to open a single shop (not always the same
one) on each Sunday and feast-day, the profits of the sales being
devoted to providing a dinner on Easter Day for the poor of the Hôtel
Dieu.[502] This combination of commercialism and philanthropy has
illustrations in our own day, and, whatever may be the ulterior motives,
some good results are certainly attained.
The Well of St. Cuthbert, near Cranstock, Newquay, England, long enjoyed
the repute of miraculously curing the ailments of infants. Not only were
curative powers attributed to the waters of the well, but also to a
perforated stone alongside of it. As recently as 1868 a puny infant is
said to have been passed through the orifice of this stone with the firm
expectation that this act would strengthen the infant and bring good
luck to it.[503]
In the region of the Abruzzi, in Italy, more especially in the province
of Teramo, wonderful virtues are attributed to the intercession of St.
Donato. So great is thought to be his power to cure those afflicted with
epilepsy that in this region the disease is called the malady of St.
Donato. This saint, however, is credited with much more extensive
powers, for he is believed to cure hydrophobia, to prevent the ill
effects of the Evil Eye, and in general to bring to naught the
enchantments of witches. Such being his powers, it is not surprising
that his image was added to many amulets, those figuring the lunar
crescent being frequently surmounted with the bust of the saint. This
type of amulet owes its supposed efficacy to the horn-like shape of the
crescent, horns or substances having a likeness to a horn, like certain
branches of coral, being regarded as a sure protection against the Evil
Eye. A curious amulet bears the bust of St. Donato surmounting a
crescent moon within which is the dreaded number thirteen. This fateful
number is considered to be a source of misfortune for those who do not
wear it inscribed on an amulet; but it becomes a source of good fortune
and a happy life for those who possess such an amulet.[504]
A notable instance of the use of a saint’s name to facilitate the
perpetration of a crime is afforded in the case of the poison known as
Aqua Tofana. This appears to have been a preparation of arsenic and was
concocted by a woman named Tofana, a native of Palermo, in Sicily, who
eventually took up her abode in Naples and devoted herself to the
preparation and sale of her poison in Naples, Rome and elsewhere. To
divert suspicion she used vials marked “Manna of St. Nicholas of Bari,”
and bearing the image of this saint. Most of her clients are said to
have been women who were anxious to rid themselves of their husbands,
and she must have had a large practice in this specialty, for so many
husbands died in Rome in a mysterious manner that in 1659 the
authorities finally took cognizance of the matter and instituted a
searching investigation. This revealed the fact that there existed in
Rome a secret society entirely composed of women who wished to “remove”
their husbands by poison. The leader of this society and many of the
members were duly executed, but Tofana does not seem to have been
molested.
Many strange superstitions as to the saints prevail among the
Spanish-speaking inhabitants of New Mexico. If a saint whose aid has
been invoked fails to respond to the appeal, his image is shut up in
some receptacle until he vouchsafes to render the service desired. On
the other hand, if the image of a saint falls to the ground, this is
interpreted as a sign that the saint has performed a miracle. One means
of forcing a saint to perform a miracle was to hang the image head
downward; this was especially recommended in the case of St. Anthony.
All strangers who presented themselves on St. Anthony’s day or St.
Joseph’s day were to be hospitably received and entertained, for one of
them might be the saint himself. Those who wished to read the future
were instructed to put the white of an egg in a glass of water on the
eve of St. John’s day; on examining the contents of the glass the next
morning they would see written in black characters on the white
background a prophecy of what was to happen. On this saint’s day women
were assured that if they cut the tip of their hair with an axe, or
merely washed it, they would be blessed with an abundant growth of hair.
[Illustration:
BLOODSTONE MEDALLION, SHOWING THE SANTA CASA OF LORETO CARRIED BY
ANGELS TO DALMATIA FROM GALILEE
]
A strange legend of angelic activity is that touching the miraculous
transportation through the air (from Galilee to Dalmatia) of the “Santa
Casa,” the house wherein the Virgin Mary dwelt. This event is placed in
1295, and the reverse of an Italian medallion engraved in 1508, during
the pontificate of Julius II, gives a representation of the journey to
Dalmatia, two angels sufficing to bear the little edifice. The sea, over
which the house is being borne, is conventionally indicated by waves,
but the fact that the medallist has seen fit to show a relatively large
figure of the Virgin seated on the roof of the little structure and
holding the Infant Jesus in her arms, scarcely adds to the realism of
the effect.
Quite naturally Catholicism could not be satisfied with the pagan idea
that the constellations held sway over the different parts of the human
body, and the saints were substituted for the stars.
The saints of the Romanists have usurped the place of the zodiacal
constellations in their government of the parts of man’s body, and so
for every limbe they have a saint. Thus, St. Otilia keepes the head
instead of Aries; St. Blasius is appointed to govern the necke instead
of Taurus; St. Lawrence keepes the backe and shoulders instead of
Gemini, Cancer and Leo; St. Erasmus rules the belly with the entrayls,
in the place of Libra and Scorpius; in the stead of Sagittarius,
Capricornus, Aquarius and Pisces, the holy church of Rome hath elected
St. Burgarde, St. Rochus, St. Quirinius, St. John, and many others,
which govern the thighes, feet, shinnes and knees.[505]
When we consider how many beautiful and symbolic rites and observances
have marked the celebration of saint’s days and holidays in the Old
World, and how few of these have been preserved by the inhabitants of
our own country, we must find this most regrettable. Of late years there
has been a marked tendency to increase the number of holidays, and in a
few cases to revive the celebration of old holidays, but the popular
idea of the best way to celebrate these occasions seems to be confined
to making them carnivals of noise and disorder. This is largely owing to
a lack of intelligent guidance, for it is too much to expect that any
people, above all those so practical as our American people, can
spontaneously evolve, at short notice, an emblematic expression of the
idea underlying the festival. If, however, a beautiful and adequate
symbolism were presented in a concrete form, the masses of the people
would grasp its significance quickly enough, and would thus gain a
higher and better conception of the historic anniversary or the
time-honored festival they were called upon to celebrate.
The saint’s days on which the summer and winter solstices fell were
memorized by distichs. For instance:
St. Barnaby bright! St. Barnaby bright!
The longest day and the shortest night.
St. Thomas gray! St. Thomas gray!
The longest night and the shortest day.
The former of the verses is probably the earlier, as St. Barnabas’ Day
is June 11, the day on which the summer solstice fell in England for
some time before the reform of the “Old Style” calendar, in 1752,
replaced this date; while St. Thomas’ Day is December 21, the date of
the winter solstice in our modern calendar.[506]
Writing of the origin of the rural superstitions in regard to the
weather on certain saint’s days, Wehrenfels quotes the distich:
If Paul’s Day be fair and clear
It foreshows an happy Year.
and continues:
The contrary has happened a thousand Times, but however this cannot
destroy the Rule. It once happened; certainly, say they, these Rules
of the Husbandmen are not to be despised; see how exactly they are
made good by Experience. Thus a great Part of Mankind reasons; which
if one consider, he will neither depend much upon the Content of the
common People in these Things, nor wonder at so great a Number of most
silly Opinions.[507]
VERSES ON SAINTS’ DAYS AT VARIOUS SEASONS OF THE YEAR.[508]
January 25. Saint Paul’s Day:
If the clouds make dark the sky,
Great store of people then will die;
If there be either snow or rain,
Then will be dear all kinds of grain.
(Robin Forby, “Vocabulary of East Anglia,” London, 1830.)
Somewhat different in a Latin form:
Clara dies Pauli multas segetes nitant amni,
Si fuerint nebulæ, aut venti, erunt proelia genti.
February 2. Candlemas Day:
If Candlemas day be fair and bright,
Winter will have another flight;
If on Candlemas day it be shower and rain,
Winter is gone and will not come again.
(John Ray, “A Collection of English Proverbs,” 2d ed., Cambridge,
1678.)
February 12. St. Eulalia’s Day:
If the sun shines on St. Eulalie’s day,
It is good for apples and cider they say.
February 14. St. Valentine’s Day:
On St. Valentine’s day
Cast beans in clay
But on St. Chad
Sow good or bad.
(Seed time of this Lenten crop limited between February 14 and March
2.)
February 24. St. Matthias’ Day:
Saint Matthew (Sept. 21)
Get candlesticks new;
St. Mattheg
Lay candlesticks by.
March 1. St. David’s Day:
Quoth Saint David, “I’ll have a flood.”
Saith our Lady [Mch. 25] “I’ll have as good.”
(Referring to spring tides in Wales, from Poor Robin’s Almanack,
1684.)
June 15. St. Vitus’ Day:
If Saint Vitus’ day be rainy weather,
It will rain for thirty days together.
(M. A. Denham, “Proverbs and Popular Sayings Relating to the
Seasons,” Percy Soc., 1846.)
July 15. St. Swithin’s Day:
St. Swithin’s day, if thou dost rain,
For forty days it will remain;
St. Swithin’s day, if thou be fair,
For forty days t’will rain nae mair.
(M. A. Denham, “Proverbs and Popular Sayings Relating to the
Seasons,” Percy Soc., 1846.)
July 15: All the tears that St. Swithin can cry
Aug. 24: Saint Bartholomew’s dusty mantle wipes dry.
(R. Inwards, “Weather Lore,” London, 1893.)
July 20. St. Margaret’s Day:
“Margaret’s floods” (heavy rains).
July 25. St. James’ Day:
“Whoever eats oysters on St. James’ day will never want money.”
(M. A. Denham, “Proverbs and Popular Sayings Relating to the
Seasons,” Percy Soc., 1846.)
August 24. St. Bartholomew’s Day:
St. Bartholomew
Brings cold dew.
(John Ray, “A Collection of English Proverbs,” 2d ed., Cambridge,
1678.)
October 28. St. Simon and St. Jude:
Simon and Jude
All the ships on the sea home they do crowd.
Dost thou know her then?
Trap. As well as I know ’twill rain upon
Simon and Jude’s day next.
(Middleton, “The Roaring Girl,” Act 5, Sc. 1.)
Now a continual Simon and Jude’s rain beat all your feathers as flat
down as pancakes!
(Idem, Act II, Sc. 1.)
November 11. St. Martin’s Day:
Expect St. Martin’s summer, halcyon days.
(Shakespeare, “I Henry VI,” Act 1, Sc. 2.)
December 13. St. Lucy’s Day:
Lucy [bright] light
The shortest day and the longest night
(For a long time, before the change of the calendar, St. Lucy’s Day
corresponded to our 21st of December.)
December 21. St. Thomas’ Day:
St. Thomas gray, St. Thomas gray
The longest night and the shortest day.
December 27. St. John the Evangelist’s Day:
Never rued the man
That lead in his fuel before St. John.
(Robin Forby, “Vocabulary of East Anglia,” London, 1830.)
Additional verses on Candlemas Day (Purification of the Blessed
Virgin):
If the sun shines bright on Candlemas Day,
The half of the winter’s not yet away.
In Latin:
Si sol splendescat Maria purificante,
Major erit glacies post festum quam ante.
SAINTS’ DAYS
ADRIAN. September 8. As also of his wife, Natalia. Anniversary of
translation of his relics to Rome; anciently his festival on day
of his martyrdom, March 4, 306. Patron of soldiers in Flanders,
Germany, and northern France; also against the plague. Relics in
Abbey of St. Adrian, Gearsburg, Belgium; and elsewhere.
AFRA. August 5. Especially celebrated in Augsburg, of which city (her
native one) she is patroness. Martyred Aug. 7, 304.
AGATHA. February 5. Patroness of Malta, and Catania, Sicily. Died
February 5, 251.
AGNES. January 21. Supposed anniversary of martyrdom in 304.
ALBAN. June 22. First English saint and martyr, died June 22, 303.
Present town of St. Albans upon site of martyrdom.
AMABLE. June 11. Patron of Riom, France. Died 475.
AMBROSE. December 7. Patron of Milan. Died April 4, 397. Founder of
church, now Sant’ Ambrogio basilica Maggiore, Milan, in 387. One
of four Latin Fathers.
ANDREW. November 30. Apostle, patron of Scotland and Russia.
ANNE. July 26. Supposed anniversary of her death. Mother of the Virgin
Mary. Patroness of Canada.
ANSELM. April 21. Archbishop of Canterbury (1033–1109).
ANTHONY. January 17. Hermit (251–356).
ANTHONY OF PADUA. June 13. Died June 13, 1231.
APOLLONIA. February 9. Martyred February 9, 250. Patroness of those
suffering from toothache.
ATHANASIUS. May 2. One of four Greek Fathers. Died May 2, 373.
AUGUSTINE. August 28. Died 430. Patron of theologians and learning.
Bishop of Hippo in Africa. One of four Latin Fathers.
AUGUSTINE. May 26. Apostle to England in 596. Died May 26, 604.
BABYLAS. September 1 (14) in Eastern Church; January 24 in Western
Church (237–250). Bishop of Antioch. Relics said to have silenced
the revived oracle of Apollo at Delphi, during reign of Julian the
Apostate.
BARBARA. December 4. Patroness of Ferrara, Mantua and Guastalla,
Italy, and of armourers and gunsmiths. Died December 4, 235 (?).
BARNABAS. June 11. His birthday. One of the patrons of Milan. Apostle.
BARTHOLOMEW. August 24. Apostle.
BASIL THE GREAT. January 1, Eastern Church; June 14, Western Church
(328–380).
BATHILDA. January 30 in France; January 26 in Roman Martyrology (died
ca. 680).
BAYO OR BAVON. October 1. Patron of Ghent (589–653).
BENEDICT. March 21. Founder of Benedictine Order (480–543).
BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX. August 20. Founder of Abbey of Clairvaux, one of
the Fathers of the Church (1091–1153).
BERNARD OF MENTHON. June 15. Founder of hospices in the Alps, “Great
St. Bernard” and “Little St. Bernard” (923–1008?).
BLAISE. February 3. Patron of Ragusa, and of those afflicted with
throat diseases. Bishop of Sebaste, Cappadocia (died 316).
BONIFACE. June 5. Apostle of Germany (680–755).
BRIDGET OR BRIDE. February 1. Patroness of Ireland (450–521).
BRUNO. October 6. Founder of Carthusian Order (1035–1101).
CATHERINE. November 25. Patroness of Venice and appealed to against
diseases of the tongue.
CATHERINE OF SIENA. Patroness of Siena; lived in fourteenth century.
CECILIA. November 22. Patroness of sacred music (died 100).
CLEMENT. November 23. Patron of farriers and blacksmiths (died 100).
COLUMBAN. November 21. Irish saint (543–615).
CRISPIN AND CRISPINIAN. October 25. Patrons of shoemakers (died 284).
CUTHBERT. March 20. Patron saint of Durham, England (died 687).
DAVID. March 1. Patron saint of Wales (446–549).
DECLAN. July 24. First bishop of Ardmore, Ireland.
DENIS. October 9. Patron of France. Living in 250.
DOMENIC. August 4. Founder of Dominican Order (1170–1221).
EDMUND. November 20. King of East Anglia and martyr (died 870).
EDWARD. March 18. King of England and martyr (962–978).
EDWARD THE CONFESSOR. October 13. King of England (1004–1066).
ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY. November 19. Daughter of Alexander II, King of
Hungary (1207–1231).
ELMO (ERASMUS). June 2 (died 304).
ELOY (ELIGIUS). December 1. Patron of goldsmiths (588–659).
EMERIC. November 4. Eldest son of St. Stephen of Hungary.
ENGRACIA.
ERIC (OR HENRY). May 18. Patron of Sweden (died 1151).
ETHELREDA (AUDREY). October 17. Princess of East Anglia (died 679).
EUPHEMIA. September 16. Patroness of Chalcedon (died ca. 307).
FELICITAS. November 23. Patroness of male heirs (died 173).
FILLAN. January 9. Scotch saint (died ca. 649).
FILOMENA (FILUMINA, PHILOMENA). August 10. Supposititious saint.
FRANCIS OF ASSISI. October 4. Founder of Franciscan Order (1182–1226).
FRANCIS XAVIER. December 3. Patron and Apostle of India (1506–1552).
FRIDESWIDE. October 19. Patroness of city and university of Oxford,
daughter of Sidan, Prince of Oxford (died ca. 740).
GENEVIEVE. January 3. Patroness of Paris.
GEORGE. April 23. Patron of England, of Germany and Venice, of
soldiers and armourers (born third century).
GILES. September 1. Patron of Edinburgh (ca. 640–).
GREGORY THE GREAT. March 12 (born 540).
GUDULA. January 8. Patron of Brussels (born middle of seventh
century).
HELENA. August 18. Wife of Constantius, mother of Constantine the
Great (died 328).
HENRY OF BAVARIA. July 15. Patron of Bavaria. Emperor (Henry II) of
Germany (972–1024).
HILARY. January 14 (died 368).
HONORATUS. Bishop of Arles. Died January 6, 429.
HONORATUS (HONORÉ). May 16. Patron of bakers. Bishop of Amiens. (Died
690.)
HUBERT OF LIEGE. November 3. Patron of the chase and of dogs (died
727).
IGNATIUS LOYOLA. July 3. Founder of Jesuit Order (1491–1556).
ISIDORE THE PLOUGHMAN (Isidro el Labrador). May 15. Patron of Madrid
and of farmers (born ca. 1110–1170).
JAMES THE GREAT. July 25. Apostle; patron of Spain and of pilgrims to
Jerusalem (died 42).
JANUARIUS. September 19. Patron of Naples (died 305).
JEROME. September 30. Patron of scholars. One of the four Latin
Fathers (342–420).
JOHN THE BAPTIST. June 24, or Midsummer Day.
JOHN THE EVANGELIST. December 27 (died 101).
JOSEPH. March 19.
JULIAN HOSPITATOR. January 9. Patron of hospitals (died 313).
JUSTINA OF PADUA. October 7. One of the patrons of Padua and Venice
(died 303).
KENELM. December 13 and July 17. Son of Kenulph, King of Murcia
(812–820).
KEYNE (KEYNA). Cornish saint (died 689).
KILIAN. July 8. Irish saint (died 689).
LAWRENCE. August 10. Patron of Nuremberg, Genoa, and of the Escorial.
LEONHARDT. November 6. Patron of prisoners and slaves; in Bavaria, of
cattle (died ca. 560).
LUCY (LUCIA). December 13. Patron of Syracuse, and against
eye-diseases.
LUDMILLA. September 16. Patron of Bohemia. Queen of that country (died
ca. 920).
LUKE. October 18. Patron of painters.
MACAIRE THE ELDER. January 15. (Fourth century.)
MACAIRE THE YOUNGER. January 2. (Fourth century.)
MALO (MACLOU). November 15. Patron of St. Malo, France (died 627).
MARGARET. July 20. One of the patrons of Cremona and of women in
childbirth (died fourth century).
MARK. April 25. Evangelist (died 68).
MARTHA OF BETHANY. July 29. Patroness of cooks and housewives (died
84).
MARTIN OF TOURS. November 11, Martinmas. Patron of Tours and of
beggars, tavern-keepers and wine-growers (316–397).
MARY MAGDALENE. July 22. Patroness of Provence and of Marseilles as
well as of penitent fallen women.
MATTHIAS. February 24.
MAURICE. September 22. Patron of Austria, Savoy, Mantua, and of
foot-soldiers (fourth century).
MICHAEL. September 29. Archangel.
NICHOLAS. December 6. Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, patron of Russia,
and especially of serfs and serfdom (died 342).
OLAF. July 29. Patron of Norway. Not canonized but informally
accepted.
OUEN (OUINE). August 24. Patron of Rouen (595–683).
PANTALEONE. June 27. Patron of physicians (fourth century).
PATRICK. March 17. Patron of Ireland (born ca. 386).
PAUL. June 29 (with St. Peter), and January 25.
PETER. June 29; also August 1, St. Peter’s Chains, and January 18,
Chair of St. Peter.
PHILIP. May 1. Patron of Brabant and Luxemburg.
PHILIP NERI. May 26. Founder of Oratorian Order (1515–1595).
POLYCARP. January 26. Bishop of Smyrna (died 167).
QUIETUS. (No day.) Bones in church of Our Lady of Grau, Hoboken,
enshrined June 1, 1856, Archbishop Bailey officiating.
ROCHE (ROCH, ROQUE). August 16. Patron of prisoners and the sick,
especially the plague-stricken (born ca. 1280–1327).
ROMAIN. October 23. Patron of Rouen (died 639).
ROMUALD. February 7 (956–1027).
ROSALIA. September 4. Patroness of Palermo (died 1160).
RUMALD (RUMBALD). November 3. Patron of Brackley and Buckingham,
England. Son of King of Northumbria.
SCHOLASTICA. February 10. Sister of St. Benedict (died ca. 543).
SEBALD. Son of a Danish king (eighth century).
SEBASTIAN. January 20. Patron of Chiemsee, Mannheim, Oetting, Palma,
Rome, Soissons, and of archers (fourth century).
SECUNDUS. March 30. Patron of Asti (died 119).
STEPHEN. December 26. Patron of horses.
SWITHIN (SWITHUN). July 15. Patron of Winchester (died 862).
SYMPHOROSA. July 18. Only in Greek Church. A Jewish martyr, the mother
of the Maccabees (second century B.C.).
THERESA. October 15. Patron of Spain (1515–1582).
THOMAS À BECKET. July 7 (1117–1170).
THOMAS DIDYMUS. December 21. Apostle, patron of Portugal and Palma.
URBAN. May 25. Pope and martyr (died 236).
URSULA. October 21. Patroness of young girls, and of educational
institutions (died 383).
VALENTINE. February 14 (first century).
VERONICA. Shrove Tuesday (first century).
VICTOR. Patron of Marseilles (fourth century).
VINCENT. January 22. Patron of Lisbon, Valencia, Saragossa, Milan, and
Châlons.
VINCENT DE PAUL. July 19. Founder of Order of the Sisters of Charity.
VITUS. June 15. Patron of Bohemia, Saxony, Sicily, and of dancers and
actors (third century).
WALBURGA. February 25 (died ca. 778).
WILLIAM. January 10. Patron of Bruges (died 1209).
WINIFRED. November 3. British maiden of seventh century.
VII
On the Religious Use of Various Stones
The precious stone mentioned in the earliest biblical reference, Gen.
ii, 12, and there translated onyx, is rendered chrysoprase in the
Septuagint version, and is by others referred to the emerald on the
ground that the land of Havilah, where it is there said to occur, is
thought to have been a part of what was later called Scythia, and as
such would include the emerald region of the Urals. But the ancient
emeralds are now known to have come largely from Upper Egypt, and such
vague conjectures are of little use in determining what stone was really
meant in this most ancient allusion. Professor Haupt has even suggested
that we might translate the Hebrew word _shoham_ used in this passage by
“pearl,” since he conjectures that one of the four “rivers” surrounding
the land of Havilah was the Persian Gulf.