St. Phocas
Years ago I learned that St. Fiacre, a saint I'd never heard of, was the patron of gardeners and hemorrhoid sufferers. Interesting combination, wouldn't you say? Thanks to a monetary gift marking my 25th anniversary of ordained ministry I purchased a garden statue of St. Fiacre. He appears rather grumpy, but hemorrhoids will do that to a person. Every year I shelter him away for the Winter and dutifully wrestle him back in place in the Spring, which I did recently.
I hadn't realized that there are several saints of gardening, including the 4th century St. Phocas, pictured above. Catholic Online tells the story of St. Phocas, who died in a purge of Christians by the Roman Emperor Diocletian. It also waxes effusive about the benefits of gardening:
...nor does any other part of the universe
rival the innocent charms which a garden presents to all our senses,
by the fragrancy of its flowers, by the riches of its produce,
and the sweetness and variety of its fruits;
by the melodious concert of its musicians,
by the worlds of wonders which every stem, leaf, and fibre
exhibit to the contemplation of the inquisitive philosopher,
and by that beauty and variegated lustre of colours
which clothe the numberless tribes of its smallest inhabitants,
and adorn its shining landscapes...
Hey, Jesus liked flowers and he spent some of his final hours in a garden, so the more the merrier when it comes to garden-variety saints. And to the reader who might suggest that clergy know who to shovel it, don't!
My own, private St. Fiacre
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