Today, May 14, is the feast day of Saint Corona according to the Roman Catholic calendar of saints.

Feast days, or name days, are a bigger deal than birthdays in some cultures. My Polish family would celebrate the feast of St. Monica on May 4, for example, with a small gift or a special treat for me.  My mom celebrates her name day on March 2, and heaven help us kids if we forget to send her our best wishes! And tomorrow is my sister’s name day, so I had better be sure to call her.

I don’t actually know anyone named Corona/Korona (the name means “crown” in Latin). Do you? But Saint Corona was a real person!  She was tortured and martyred for her faith by the Romans about 1800 years ago.  Her remains (or relics) are buried at Aachen Cathedral in Germany.

Saint Corona has been regarded as the patron saint of butchers, treasure-hunters, and even people with financial problems. Residents of the small Austrian town of St. Corona would appeal to her to protect their livestock from contagious diseases.

Has she now become the patron saint of humans suffering from infections, specifically the coronavirus? Or the patron saint of the unemployed? Why not? Couldn’t hurt to pray for her help, could it?

Today’s drink is my version of a cocktail called “The Saint.”

Combine 3 ounces dry white wine, 1 1/2 ounces ginger simple syrup (I actually dissolved several pieces of ginger candy in the wine instead), 1/2 ounce dry vermouth, and 1/2 ounce lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a short glass. Top with club soda and 3 dashes of citrus bitters (I used grapefruit). Garnish with lemon peel and/or mint.