It may surprise many to learn that March 17 is not just a beloved day for beer aficionados. St. Patrick’s Feast Day is not his alone. It also belongs to another. Who? The Patron Saint of Cats, that’s who! St. Gertrude of Nivelles has a very long, non-feline history. Born in what is now Belgium in about 628 CE, she came from a very prominent family, her father being Pepin of Landen, a nobleman from East Francia who was associated with the court of King ClotharI. Gertrude’s older sister Begga was married to the son of another powerful man, Arnulf of Metz. Their son, and thus Gertrude’s nephew, would become Pepin II and establish the Carolingian Dynasty.1 Though this has been debated over the centuries by scholars, the story goes that when Gertrude was being sized up at a young age for an arranged marriage, the child firmly stated that she would never give in to Holy Matrimony. The Holy Life was for her.2 Indeed, when Gertrude’s father died, her mother, Itta, founded a monastery, Nivelles Abbey, in part to keep Gertrude away from the many fortune hunters that would certainly be vying for her little hand. After Itta passed away, Gertrude herself became the Abbess. Due to her care of the sick, she earned the reputation as a patron of not only the ill, but of widows, gardeners, travelers, “vermin banishing, and those with fevers.”3 The Abbey of Nivelles would become home to not just nuns, but also Irish monks. (There’s an Irish anecdote for March).
Denne historien er fra February 2024-utgaven av Cat Talk.
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Denne historien er fra February 2024-utgaven av Cat Talk.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Checklist For What to Look For in Your Club's Next Show Venue
Show Manager To Ring One, Please
Tonkinese
When You're Well and Truly Tonked
AVOIDING The Kitten Fear Period
Young kittens seem fearless.4 As soon as those eyes open and they can get their legs under them, they are off to see the world if their mama and humans let them.
No Milk For You!
Milk Issues and Kittens
Fostering Kittens
When asked if I would be interested in fostering a queen and her eight newborn kittens, I volunteered without question.
Do You present ? Polish! OR DO YOU
IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS!
No Kitten! Cats Are Part of the Military!
Felines have graced the decks of boats and ships back nearly to the beginning of time, roaming freely on passenger ships, war vessels, and merchant schooners, keeping vermin at bay.
Feline Summer Movie Fun!
School is almost OUT! Huzzah! But raindrops are plunking against the window, the amusement and water parks haven’t opened yet, camping is out, and roasted hot dogs and S’mores are another month away.
Kittens Are Special...
...and so are some of the show rules for them:
Genetic Pleiotropy and the Risks in Breeding Recessive Mutations
Nearly everyone loves what’s rare and unique. A slight defect in the minting process of a coin can create a demand and a value well beyond the face value of the coin. The coin is functionally no different than its perfectly minted counterpart, but its scarcity and uniqueness alone make it more desirable than the rest.
