Non Tasarmi, Fratello!

“Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine, There’s always laughter and good red wine. At least I’ve always found it so. Benedicamus Domino!” Hillaire Belloc

Monday, July 15, 2013

Armour Bacon Feast of St. Swithin, July 15

You can call him Swithun, or you can call him Swithin...either way, the name is believed to have been derived from "Pig Man". Or it might mean "Strong". No. I'm going with Pig Man. Anyway, he was British and was the Bishop of Westminster and eventually the Patron Saint of Winchester Cathedral.

St. Swithin died in 862 but his remains were moved in 971. According the the website of Winchester Cathedral, "The church was made bigger and grander by its 10th-century bishop, Aethelwold. The bones of St. Swithun, a former bishop, were dug up from its forecourt and housed in a splendid new shrine inside.St Swithun’s fame spread far and wide. All round his tomb, the walls were hung with the crutches of people he’d healed.

There's a legend attached to St. Swithun's Day (and as I write this, it's raining). From Wikipedia:
 
"The name of Swithun is best known today for a British weather lore proverb, which says that if it rains on Saint Swithun's day, 15 July, it will rain for 40 days.
St Swithun's day if thou dost rain
For forty days it will remain
St Swithun's day if thou be fair
For forty days 'twill rain nae mare"
 
 
 
 

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