After all the anticipation, after the long time between holidays, March 17th has finally arrived. This is the feast day of the Patron Saint of gardeners. We as gardeners love the color green, to me it represents abundant plant life and vitality.
The reason why this day has been made a Saint’s day for gardeners was lost centuries ago. The most common explanation is that in Europe, where this tradition began, March 17th historically has had good weather. So many people sowed the first seeds of the season into their gardens. Here in Southern Michigan mid-March is early even for cold tolerant crops. By the way, green beer is a modern invention and really has nothing to do with this Saint.
Born in 626 AD, in Belgium, Saint Gertrude of Nivelles was a devout Christian even at an early age. At ten years of age she refused to marry a nobleman and devoted her life to her religion. When she was only twenty years old she became Abbottess of her monastery in Nivellis. She lived to be only 33 years old, probably due to overwork exacerbated by her austere living conditions.
Saint Gertrude is also patroness of travelers, she was known all over the continent for her hospitality to travelers. She gave especially generous assistance to Irish missionaries who often traveled through the area. She was friends with Saints Follian and Ultran and helped them establish a monastery at Fosse. Curiously, Saint Gertrude’s sister, Begga, was also canonized a Saint, her feast day being December 17.
Saint Gertrude’s popularity grew during the middle ages and she was particularly beloved in Belgium, Germany and Poland. In addition to gardeners and travelers, she eventually became patroness to herbalists and people who love cats. Often her name was invoked against mice or other rodents whenever an infestation was discovered.
Many times, pictures of Saints have no identifing name on them because artists would use symbols to identify their subjects. If you see an old statue or painting of a woman, standing in a garden, carrying a staff with a mouse crawling up, that’s Saint Gertrude!
So… Happy Saint Gertrude’s Day!
Bob
Ye shall not possess any beast my dear sisters, save only a cat.
Saint Gertrude