Humans are unable to avoid or stop the many natural occurrences that strike Earth. From raging waters of a storm to the trembling of an earthquake, sometimes you need to place a little faith in a patron saint to get through hard times. In this article, you will learn about the saints associated with storms, natural disasters, and famine.
Storms
There is more than one saint associated with storms, which includes Scholastica , the twin sister of Saint Benedict of Nursia. Scholastica came from a noble Italian family. In addition to being the patron saint against rain and storms, she is also associated with nuns and children that convulse. Scholastica is also the patron saint of Lemans, France.Born in 480, Scholastica died in 543 of natural causes.
It is said that while in his cell, Saint Benedict had a vision of her soul flying to heaven in the form of a dove. When represented, the saint appears as a nun with a dove flying from her mouth or a nun with crozier and crucifix.
Natural Disasters
The information regarding Saint Agatha is sparse even though she has been honored since ancient times. With an attractive appearance and wealth, Agatha lived her life for God. When edicts against Christians were announced, the magistrate Quinctianus attempted to use this to his advantage. He planned to blackmail Agatha into giving up her virginity in exchange for not being charged. She was instead delivered to a brothel, where she refused to take any customers. After she rejected Quinctianus, she was beaten, sent to prison, tortured, and had her breasts cut off.
There is a version of her story that says Saint Peter healed her, but then she was imprisoned once more, and was rolled over hot coals. When she was near death, an earthquake erupted. In the turbulence that followed, a friend of the magistrate was crushed , causing him to flee. Agatha thanked God for putting an end to her pain, and then she died. It is said that carrying her veil that was taken from her tomb in Catania has kept eruptions of Mount Etna at bay.
Agatha is the not only the patron saint against natural disasters, but also against breast cancer (or any associated breast disease), fire, sterility, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. She is also associated with fire prevention, jewelers, martyrs, nurses, rape victims, and torture victims.
When represented, the saint is often depicted as or with a crown of flowers, embers, loaves of bread on a dish, tongs, a veil, or breasts on a dish. Sometimes she is seen as a virgin martyr wearing a veil and bearing her severed breasts on a silver platter.
Famine
Saint Walburga was the daughter of Richard the King. After studying at Womborne monastery in Dorset, England, she became a nun. In 748, she was evangelized and gained a reputation for healing pagans in a region that is now part of Germany. She worked alongside Saint Lioba, Saint Bonifice, and her brothers. Together, they had a successful mission.
Walburga was also abbess of communities of men and women that lived in Heidenheim. It is said that oil that came out of rock where her relics were placed had curative powers. She used the oil in addition to her natural healing skills, which caused her to become connected to rabies, coughs and plagues.
Saint Walburga is also the patron saint against coughs, mad dogs, plague, rabies, and storms. She is also associated with boatmen, harvests, mariners, sailors, and watermen. When Saint Walburga is represented, art pieces and illustrations will show as an abbess holding three ears of corn, an abbess with angels holding a crown over her, an abbess shown within the family tree of the kings of England, a crown, three ears of corn, crown and scepter.