>PASCHAL BAYLON, confessor (A.D. 1592)
>
When he boldly confessed
>his faith, they set on him with stones, and he had great difficulty in
>escaping . . .
>
>Oriens.
>
As San Pascual Bailon, he also appears in many retablos throughout Mexico
and Guatemala (such as Olintepeque, near Quezaltenango, where Guatemalans
honor the memory of San Pascual Bailon; and where, according to legend,
Prince Quiche Tecum Uman died during the battle that gave them freedom from
their ruler Pedro de Alvarado).
In the time-honored tradition of San Ysidrio Labrador (who prayed while the
fields were plowed) and the knight who tarried before the Virgin's altar
while she did his jousting for him, San Pascual is recalled for praying
while the angels did his baking and cooking.
[No doubt this would have made him a sort of soul-mate of our friend from
April 20th, the Venerable (and Long-Suffering) Monastery Cook Brother
Francisco Sanches, who, as it happens, was a contemporary of San Pascual:
the Brother professed two years before, and died one year after, today's
Saint.]
In retablos, San Pascual Bailon is portrayed cheerily kneeling in prayer
before a vision of a mopnstrance, while all around him pots boil atop
stoves and breads bake in ovens, in a traditional Mexican-tiled kitchen.
Often cats add to the coziness; a still-life of chiles, fruits, and dressed
meats fill in any otherwise unused space; and other details of local color -
broom, hanging pots, firewood - complete the scene.
San Pascual Bailon is the patron of cooks; he can be called upon to prevent
cattle plague; and (for better or for worse) he can fortell a death three
days in advance.
jmichael
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