Brian Donaghey asked how many saints are associated with birds. Does it
qualify as an association that at the Mission San Juan Capistrano in
Southern California the swallows are supposed to return each year on March
19? Years ago, the return of the swallows was a tourist event. (In the town
of San Juan C., any early birds or latecoming swallows are explained as
advance scouts or laggards.)
Aline Hornaday
At 01:14 PM 4/3/98 +1000, you wrote:
>>Today, 3 April, is the feast of ...
>>
>>* Pancras, bishop of Taormina, martyr (c. 90?) - A native of Antioch,
>>Pancras was converted and baptized together with his parents by St Peter,
>>who sent him to evangelize Sicily, consecrating him the first bishop of
>>Taormina.
>
>And presumably now he should be the patron saint of the British Library
>(and the railway to the North which departs from his station).
>
>>
>>* Gandulf of Binasco, franciscan (1260) - Lived as a hermit only to emerge
>>from time to time to preach. Once while he was preaching at Polizzi, the
>>sparrows chattered so loudly that the congregation could not hear the
>>sermon. Gandulf appealed to the birds to be quiet and they kept silent
>>until the end of the service. On that occasion he told the people to whom
>>he was preaching that he would die soon. And immediately after leaving the
>>audience he become ill and died on Holy Saturday. Afterward, when his body
>>had been enshrined, a number of swallows flew into the church and sung the
>>Te Deum in alternating choirs.
>
>I find that a bit hard to swallow. BTW, has anyone ever counted up how many
>saints are associated with birds?
>
>Brian Donaghey
>
>
>
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