The small European country of Estonia (bordered by Russia on the east, by Latvia on the south, and by the Baltic Sea on west and north, just under Finland) became a satellite of the Communist government after the Bolshevik Revolution … Continue reading
St. Bernard Dogs are indeed named after a Saint. These famous dogs are named after St. Bernard of Menthon (†1008), who was devoted to the conversion of the people in the Alps. He founded a monastery and hospice at the … Continue reading
Chartreuse Liqueur is made by monks. The Carthusian Monks (Moines Chartreux, in French), who were founded in 1084 by St. Bruno, support themselves by the manufacture of this sought-after liqueur. They began distilling it in 1737, mixing it according to … Continue reading
Catholic Sisters ran public schools. In the 1800’s, many of our nation’s public schools (funded by city, county, or state) were run by Catholic sisters. This was true in the West and parts of New York, Massachusetts and the Southern … Continue reading
A California Mission is named after Moslems’ foe. San Juan Capistrano, the “Jewel of the Missions,” is well known for its swallows, which always return from migration on March 28th. This is the feast day of a great Franciscan saint, … Continue reading
John Hunyadi, the famous Catholic warrior of Hungary, with his knights and a peasant army of 40,000 gathered by Saint John of Capistrano, came to the aid of the beleaguered city of Belgrade on July 14th. On July 22nd, the … Continue reading
The original name of the ladybug is “Our Lady’s Bug.” It seems that during the Middle Ages, a plague of small insects (probably aphids) attacked the crops, threatening Europe with starvation. The people had recourse to Our Lady, and petitioned … Continue reading
The bee is a symbol of Our Lady. Because of its good working habits, the small honeybee is a well-known symbol for work, good order, and diligence. Less commonly known is that the bee is a representation of virginity. The … Continue reading
Capital of Bavaria is named after Monks. Munich, Germany, is that country’s third largest city. In German, its name is actually München, literally meaning “Monks,” or loosely “Home of the Monks.” The name goes back to the eighth century, and … Continue reading
Harvested along the Atlantic coast, the “monkfish” is a kind of shark with a huge head and toothy mouth. It acquired the name “monkfish” not because of its looks; but because, while most fisherman discarded it, frugal cenobites found the … Continue reading
Birds are used as Christian symbols. In a previous “Did You Know?” we mentioned the use of the pelican in Christian art. In general, birds have long symbolized the soul’s ascent to God above material things. Some birds are used … Continue reading
Communists and Moslems share a hatred of holy images. It is common knowledge that the beautiful ancient Catholic church of Hagia Sophia was turned into a mosque, and that her beautiful mosaics on the walls and ceilings were plastered over … Continue reading
The static electric discharge known as St. Elmo’s Fire gets its name from St. Erasmus, the Bishop of Formia, Campagna, Italy. Erasmus — or Elmo, as his name sometimes passes into English — was martyred by being disemboweled during the … Continue reading
Epilepsy is named after a Sicilian martyr. Around the same time as St. Erasmus’ victory, a 12-year-old boy named Vitus also won the palm of martyrdom, with his companions Modestus and Crescentia. According to some sources, a rather odd devotion … Continue reading
The image on the Jägermeister bottle is a Christian symbol. In many American cities, it is a common sight to see large billboard ads for this imported German liqueur: “Jägermeister… so smooth.” What catches our attention is the symbol on … Continue reading
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