March 17: Day of Saint Gertrude the Patron Saint of Cats and Gardeners Explore the lush world of tropical gardening with expert tips, stunning plant profiles, and vibrant gardening techniques. Dive into a paradise of exotic blooms and verdant foliage on Top Tropicals blog!
Today’s Gospel: Matthew 5, 1-12a – All Saints’ Day Today is All Saint’s Day, a day Catholics celebrate because we have a basic understanding that there is a powerful spiritual communion between tho…
Around this time of year, most people are gearing up for St. Paddy’s Day (or, Saint Patrick's Day). Indeed, every year, March 17th heralds another year of drinking, shenanigans, and green-colored everything. I’m personally looking forward to curling up on my couch and chugging down a large Shamrock Shake from McDonald’s in one disgusting but impressive gulp. Certainly, my Irish ancestors would be proud, I’m sure. While all of this might serve as a fun excuse to be belligerent, there’s actually another reason why March 17th is a very special day. You see, March 17th is the feast day of one very special saint, who is often grossly overlooked by the history books. Her name is Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, and she’s the Patron Saint of… you guessed it: CATS. HISTORY OF SAINT GERTRUDE So, who was Saint Gertrude? Well, born in 628 to a noble family in what is now modern day Belgium, your girl Gerty was one sassy lassie, as God-loving as she was headstrong. At the tender age of 10, when presented with the prospect of marriage to a duke, Gertrude set the record straight and insisted that she wasn’t ever gonna marry no duke. In fact, she wasn’t gonna marry no man at all, so jot that down, thank you very much. Some time later, after the death of Gertrude’s father, Gertrude’s mother Itta shaved her daughter’s head in the “tonsure” style that monks often wear. Gertrude and Itta then travelled to Nivelles and established the Abbey of Nivelles, which served as a Benedictine nunnery. Later, it became a monastery for both nuns and Irish monks alike. A scholarly and charitable woman, Gertrude spent many years of her life as Abbess to the monastery, dedicating her time to helping the sick, the elderly, and the poor. This earned her a reputation as a patron saint of travellers, widows, and the mentally ill. Today, she is called upon to ward off rats, fever, and insanity. Three years after she retired from her position as Abbess, she passed away at age 33. Since her feast day is on March 17th, many look to Saint Gertrude as a patron saint of gardeners as well, since this day usually brings fair weather, ideal for gardening. HOLY CAT So like, you know, that’s cool and all, but where do the cats come in? Come for the Catholicism, stay for the cats, am I right? Well, it all started out with the whole rats and mice thing. Rodents were a huge problem in the Medieval Ages, we know this. When someone wanted to get rid of a rat infestation, they called upon Saint Gertrude. As such, much of the iconography that surrounds Saint Gertrude includes little rats and mice at her feet. Did people in the Medieval times necessarily know that rats carried with them the Black Death? Weirdly enough, probably not. At least not for like, a while. Yikes. In the 1980s, devoted Christian Gertrude-lovers took the leap from associating Gertrude as a rodent-banisher to a protector of cats (who, you know, are also rodent-banishers.) To quote Thomas J. Craughwell, “St. Gertrude is invoked against mice and rats, which has led cat lovers to assume that Gertrude was a cat person, and so the ideal patron of their favorite pet.” Now that’s some logic I can get behind. Clark, Carolee. Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, Patron of Cats and Gardeners. Acrylic Painting. Purchase print here. WAYS TO CELEBRATE Are you just not that into drinking til you see green? Would you rather spend March 17th on your couch, snuggled up with your cats, chugging a large Shamrock Shake? Hey man, I’m right there with you. Saint Paddy’s Day? Never heard of her. We do Saint Gertrude’s Day in this house. Let us give thanks for this Patron Said Of Puddy-cats by having a day in, cracking open a fresh can of tuna and watching #Cats_the_mewvie on Netflix. Are you of the Catholic purr-suasion? Is prayer your “thing”? Why not send one upstairs to Saint Gertrud herself with this prayer written by Ann Fitch: "O holy St. Gertrude of Nivelles, Patron Saint of Cats, I ask you to pray that my sweet kitty(ies) will always be content, energetic, curious, playful, and good-natured. I pray my cat(s) will be a joy to me and those I love. Carry my cat(s) to the throne of the Father and ask Him to bless my cat(s) with long life and great happiness. Pray dear saint that my cat(s) stay free from illness and that my cat(s) always feel safe, protected, and loved. Thank you for asking blessings upon my cat(s). Ask the Lord to pour out special graces upon all cats and cat owners. May they bring great love to one another and live companionably in peace. Amen." Thumbnail image by Carolee Clark, @kingofmicestudios on etsy Article Written by Diomira Keane
Catholic quotes, infographics, memes and more resources for the New Evangelization. Prayer to the Holy Spirit by St. Augustine.
Оригинал взят у dok_zlo в Искушение. Стефано ди Джованни Сассетта Мартин Шонгауэр Микеланджело Буонарроти Джованни Пьетро да Бираго Бернардино Паренцано Иероним Босх. Триптих Иоахим Патинир Маттиас Грюневальд Корнелис Кунст Ян Мандейн Питер Хьюс Якопо Робусти (Тинторетто) Мартен де Вос Аннибале…
Seven depiction of St. Lucy presenting her own eyes.
It is interesting to observe the way that female Saints like Joan of Arc enthrall people who in other areas of their life are quite uninterested or even antipathetic toward the Catholic Church. I think this is because the female Saints represent an emancipation of the feminine genius, a true "feminism," that emerged far before the modern movement.
Évangile de Jésus-Christ selon saint Marc 9,2-10. En ce temps-là, Jésus prend avec lui Pierre, Jacques et Jean, et les emmène, eux seuls, à l’écart sur une haute montagne. Et il fut transfiguré devant eux. Ses vêtements devinrent resplendissants, d’une...
Beautiful pictures of Mary for the month of May
Explains the spiritual science behind spontaneous fading and disfiguration of photographs and other items
Saint of the Day – 30 May – St Joan of Arc (1412-1431) Jeanne d’Arc “The Maid of Orléans” Holy Virgin. Biography and details of St Joan’s life here – BEN…
Learn the Boondock Saints prayer which was popularized in the 1999 movie of the same name. Plus discover the meaning and origin of The Family Prayer.
Ananta Himalayas is an attempt to collate the photos & life history of Sages & Saints from India
Chère Madame,J’ai fendu ton mari en deux su l’sens de la longueur.Faique là, t’es veuve, mais ch’peux t’arranger ça : on se marie-tu?Soye assurée, Madame, que j’me fendrais en quatre pour toé. Avec…
Joan of Arc has been branded as the “first” for many different and often contradictory ideologies. But here is the truth about Joan of Arc.
from Fall 2018 Edition By Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. Nearly 30 years ago, before our friary in Ellicott City, Maryland, became the Shrine of St. Anthony that we all know today, it was a house of …
1 St. Francis of Assisi has inspired a plethora of delightful, even whimsical images for hundreds of years. He was gentle and unconventional, open to nature, communed with animal. Yet he was a sti…
"MORAL PRINCIPLES do not depend on a majority vote. WRONG is WRONG even if EVERYBODY is WRONG. RIGHT IS RIGHT even if NOBODY is RIGHT." (Venerable Fulton J. Sheen) #ChooseToBeBrave #YearOfTheLaity #BlessedFultonJSheen #Catholic #Saints #SaintlyQuotes
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The company of Saints is the highest type of physical Satsang. One derives benefits of the Satsang in proportion to one’s attitude and behaviour towards the Saint.
Many believe Jesus must return 'in like manner' to His ascension, yet in the Scriptures His return is described dramatically different.
THE LITANY OF THE SAINTS
High Resolution Restored Vilnius Divine Mercy Image. The original painting that St. Faustina had drawn.
