Kronenberger.  Well, there you have have it. I am Irish-ly Challenged.   Not a bit of Green in me, except for the Recycling Kind.  But let me get it out to all our green-beer-drinking, bagpipe-tooting, leprechaun-loving friends of mine:  Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

But here’s the thing I bet you didn’t know about this day.   Before it was St. Patrick’s Day, it was St. Blaise’s Day.  The Patron Saint of Throats and Throat Troubles…. also the Patron Saint of  The Wild Beast (with a direct association to Gargoyles).  He was born in Armenia in the 3rd century A.D. or roundabouts.  His death date is listed at an estimated 316 A.D.

Indeed, the first reference we have to him is in manuscripts Amidenus (a medical writer of long ago):  There St. Bliase’s aid is invoked in treating objects stuck in the throat. He cured animals and lived in a cave. Before being killed, he spoke to a wolf and told it to release a pig it was harming. The wolf did so. Saint Blaise was going to be starved…… but the good and thankful owner of the pig secretly gave him food in order to survive. (Curiously, it was a large platter of bacon and sausages….).

Later in life….. he was tortured because of his Christian faith but did not give up his beliefs.

According to his Catholic Veneration Rite, he was martyred by being beaten, attacked with iron carding combs, and beheaded.  Bad day for St. Blaise.  Probably a bad day for that pig, too.

At any rate, he got bumped from March 17th by St. Patty.  More Irish Catholics, than Armenians.  St. Patrick is a much more attractive fella’ too.  Blaise was as ugly as the Beasts he saved.

SO, to all the Non-Irish:  Happy St. Blaise the Beast-Saver Day.  Get your ugly on.  Save a pig.