ANOTHER PLAGUE PATRONESS

A German cathedral has dug out its collection of relics related to the little-known SAINT CORONA, said to be the patron saint of resisting epidemics, amid the growing coronavirus crisis.

Aachen Cathedral, near Germany's borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, is polishing relics found in its treasure chamber to go on show once the pandemic has passed.

 The coronavirus crises is said to have tweaked public interest in the Christian martyr, who is believed to have been killed by the Romans during the reign of Marcus Aurelius some 1,800 years ago. 

The cathedral had planned to display St Corona's shrine this summer as part of an exhibition on gold craftsmanship before the outbreak began in China in December. 

No one knows when the opening will be,

but experts are now painstakingly cleaning the gold, bronze and ivory shrine, which has been hidden from public view for 25 years, in preparation for when it can be publicly viewed.

Legend has it  that Victor was a Roman soldier of Italian ancestry, serving in the city of Damascus in Roman Syria during the reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius. He was tortured, including having his eyes gouged out. While he was suffering from the tortures, the sixteen-year-old wife of another soldier,  Corona,  comforted and encouraged him. 

For this, she was arrested and interrogated. According to the passio of Corona, which is considered largely fictional, Corona was bound to two bent palm trees and torn apart as the trunks were released.Other sources state that they were husband and wife.

St. Victor of Siena

St. Corona

As a result  of her death, she is the patron of lumberjacks. She also became a patron saint for resisting any epidemic.  At this point the world needs all the intercessors it can get!