Saint Podcast

This is part two of a special Saint Podcast episode for the festive holiday season, an exploration of how Saint Nicholas morphed into Santa Claus. In Part I, we met Saint Nicholas, a bishop that wasn’t a historic figure but has nevertheless had a tremendous impact. His feast day falls right at the beginning of pre-Christian Midwinter festivals. As his legend spread westwards from the Middle East and Asia Minor, the gift-giving saint merged with countless local gift-giving divinities and demons. Two Christianised traditions emerged: a Catholic tradition in which the bishop Saint Nicholas visited households, leaving presents for good children, whilst an enforcer companion - and sometimes demon - did the dirty work punishing bad children with imprisonment and beatings. The second was a Protestant tradition that transformed the Catholic saint into a secular wild man who wore a cloak or animal skins instead of episcopal vestments. Both existed side-by-side for centuries and began mixing and mingling in an unprecedented fashion once Europeans began colonising the Americas. It’s here in the North American British colonies of the 17th century where our story continues. This is part II of Last Christmas: Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus, and Christmas Past.

Episode six in the Mystics series is about a Spanish priest who founded the powerful Order of Preachers in the year 1216. He’s the patron saint of astronomers, the natural sciences, and the Archdioceses of Fuzhou in China. He’s credited for the mystical Rosary prayer and portrayed today as a supporter of the Inquisition, a violent campaign to eradicate all deviation, both religious and political, from the Christianity preached in Rome. According to legend, his birth was predicted by a vision of a dog leaping out of his mother’s womb carrying a lit torch in his mouth. This is the story of Saint Dominic the Hound of the Lord.

This is a special episode inspired by an exhibition at the National Gallery in London entitled, Saint Francis of Assisi, featuring a special guest, curator Dr Joost Joustra. Presenting the art and imagery of Saint Francis from the 13th century to today, the exhibition looks at why this saint is a figure of enormous relevance to our time due to his spiritual radicalism, commitment to the poor, and love of God and nature, as well as his powerful appeals for peace, and openness to dialogue with other religions. It’s an incredible exhibition that explores the life of an enormously popular saint through some of the earliest Medieval depictions, manuscripts written in Francis’ hand, a tunic that the saint wore, modern-day films – and even a Marvel comic book! The Art of Saint Francis is a special Saint Podcast episode about the way art has shaped our understanding of the poverello from Assisi.

AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME! This bonus episode for Patreon supporters and Spotify/Anchor subscribers is about a saint whose holy day is also a secular holiday, a day in which couples around the world buy each other flowers, chocolates, and other tokens of love. Facebook statistics suggest something else is brewing beneath the romantic dinners, something darker. The two weeks immediately before and after the feast day record the highest changes in relationship status from DATING to SINGLE. The irony perhaps makes sense because the original hagiography of this Ancient Roman martyr has nothing to do with romantic love. This is the story of Saint Valentine the Ersatz Patron of Love.

Episode five in the Mystics series is about a saint who was devoted to Saint Francis’ rule to live in absolute poverty. She defied her aristocratic family, powerful bishops, and several popes to do just this. This saint is the first female founder of a monastic order. She was a celebrity in life and played a role in defining 13th-century European politics – all while confined within the walls of a monastery. She’s also the patron saint of television. This is the story of Saint Clare the Mighty Abbess in the Shadows.