Weird Stuff You Learn Through Research

It’s amazing what weird stuff you can learn while researching. While looking something up for a short story, me and a friend discovered that there are a bucket load of weird patron saints floating around, and the list just keeps growing. Some of them are amusing, some make an odd sort of sense, but some are just plain mind-boggling. Who decides on the saint and the topic? And why would you want or need a patron saint for twitching, or arms dealers, or greeting card manufacturers? (Yep, these all exist.)

In case anyone is wondering, my research is in relation to the naming of a building in my story, so none of these will actually feature as characters. Which is probably a good thing. Or a bad thing? Hm.

So, on with some of the strange(r) saints, and believe me when I say this is not an exhaustive list.

Saint Monica, Patron of Alcoholics. St. Fiacre, Patron of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Saint Magnus of Fussen, Patron of Caterpillars (I totally want to be this saint). St. Vitus, Patron of Oversleeping. Saint Barbara, Patron of Fireworks, Firefighters, and those who work with explosives. St. Clotilde, Patron of Disappointing Children. Saint Drogo, Patron of Unattractive People. St. Jesus Malverde, Patron of Drug Dealers. Saint Apollonia, the patron saint of Dentists. St Isidore of Seville, Patron Saint of the Internet.

And these two battle for my favourite:

St. Bibiana, patron saint of Hangovers. St Hubert of Liege, Patron of Mad Dogs (Protection from Werewolves).

Find extended lists here and here, and I’m sure there are others out there on the interwebs.

(Story research aside, there are a number of opportunities for fictional hilarity on these lists. I’d love to read some humour fiction about these odd saints, so let me know if you get inspired.)