Saint Podcast

This is part two of a special Saint Podcast episode for the 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 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 of these traditions 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.

This is a special Saint Podcast episode for the holiday season. It's a two-part exploration of how Saint Nicholas evolved into Santa Claus. The story isn't a straight forward one at all – and involves a truly motley crew of gift-givers, demons, humanoid helpers, witches, goddesses, gods, and animal sidekicks. The story begins with the first humans – our prehistoric ancestors – and proceeds through the first great civilisations, the birth of Christianity, the Reformation, and the advent of modern publishing and advertising. This is part I of Last Christmas: Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus, and Christmases Past.

This is a preview of the bonus episode, created for Patreon and Spotify subscribers, about a saint who, according to Pope Benedict XVI, ‘exercised a fundamental influence on the development of European civilisation and culture'. Indeed, the rule for religious men this saint wrote in the 6th century has been the template for nearly every monastic order in Europe, either embraced by their founders or imposed on them by the Church. Despite his significance to the unfolding story of Christianity and European history, very little is known about him. The earliest surviving sources are a 33-couplet poem in Latin and a few chapters in a four-book collection of hagiographies called Dialogues written by Pope Gregory the Great. This is the story of Saint Benedict the Godfather of Monasticism. To listen to the full episode, support us on Patreon or subscribe via Spotify.

This is I Am Milk, a special episode inspired by an exhibition at the Wellcome Collection in London entitled, Milk. It explores our relationship with milk and its place in politics, society, and culture. Judaeo-Christian legends are filled to the brim with stories about milk from lactating saints to a promised land of milk and honey and a Christian morality that developed around the symbolism of the white liquid. I Am Milk is a special Saint Podcast episode that delves into the link between saints' legends and milk, featuring co-curators from the Wellcome Collection, Honor Beddard and Marianne Templeton. If you enjoy Saint Podcast, please consider supporting us at Patreon - and unlock bonus episodes, merch, and other behind-the-scene content.

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.

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.

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.

This is a special episode created in collaboration with the York Art Gallery. It's inspired by an exhibition curated by Dr Joost Joustra called Sin, organised by the National Gallery, London with York Museums Trust. The exhibition explores the theme of sin through a collection of artworks spanning a Medieval depiction of demons consuming the soul of a sinner to old masters paintings of saints and other divine figures – and a provocative contemporary sculpture that confronts the assumptions we make about sin and sinners. This is It's a Sin, a special Saint Podcast episode that explores the history of sin.

In Part I of our Saint Francis Mystics episode, Francis turned his back on youthful pursuits of status and glory. In Part II, his movement and message gain momentum. Their success, however, heralds the end of a golden age. As the number of Francis' followers swell, conflict with the Papacy in Rome seems inevitable. Join Francis as he meets Pope Innocent III. Then journey with him to the East to meet a powerful sultan fighting against a crusader army. Explore Francis' relationships with women and his unusual approach to gender. We'll examine Francis' well-known love of nature and his famously anti-materialist messages that are perhaps more relevant today than ever.

Episode four in the Mystics series is about a saint who was born in the year 1181. He was a middle-class party boy who aspired to the upper-class sex, drugs, and rock and roll lifestyle of an aristocrat until a chance encounter with a leper changed him. His love for nature is commonly referenced, as are the bloody stigmata he bore on his body. The saint we know today, however, bears superficial resemblance to the man pieced together from historical evidence. This is Part I of the story of Saint Francis of Assisi the Wayward Stigmatic.

Halloween is upon us! The day was originally a Christian holy day, heavily influenced by ancient pre-Christian traditions, known as All Hallows Eve. This All Hallows Eve, we're going to explore a bloody phenomenon that has afflicted – or perhaps blessed – the faithful for centuries. The phenomenon manifests as open wounds corresponding to Christ's crucifixion. Over the last 700 years, the marks have appeared on the bodies of dozens of believers all over the world from saints to accountants. They've baffled medical professionals, scandalised communities, fortified devotees, and inspired Gothy artists since the 13th century. Join us for a Saint Podcast Halloween exploration of stigmata and the bloody wounds of the Crucifixion.

Episode three in the Mystics series is about a 12th-century author composer, theologian, naturalist, and exorcist. She began life as an oblate, a child who was donated irrevocably to the church by her wealthy parents, sealed up in a cell for life. How she emerged to become one of the most sought after advisors to bishops, kings, and popes is incredible, especially so given the stringent restrictions that greatly narrowed the possibilities open for women. This is the story of Saint Hildegard of Bingen the Mystical Polymath.

In celebration of Pride Month is a special episode inspired by an exhibition at the Manchester Art Gallery entitled, Derek Jarman Protest! – a major retrospective of the work created by one of the most influential figures in 20th-century British culture. This episode is based on a Saint Podcast talk at the art gallery. It features artist Jez Dolan and curator Fiona Corridan from the Manchester Art Gallery, and explores Derek Jarman's role in shaping the modern image and story of the Roman warrior, plague saint, and gay icon: Saint Sebastian.

The second episode in the Mystics series is about a 13th-century Dominican friar. His rulings against Cathar heretics made him many enemies, including a cabal of nobles in Milan who sent an assassin to kill him. Although not strictly speaking a mystic, many miracles are attributed to this saint. He's a divine healer of sickness. He's brought the dead back to life. He controls the weather. And it's said that he cast out numerous demons from the bodies of the possessed. This is the story of Saint Peter of Verona the Exorcist – and a history of exorcism in the Catholic Church.

The first Mystics episode is about a saint called the Father of Monks. He's one of the first Desert Fathers, hermits who lived solitary lives in the harsh deserts of Egypt. Throughout his life he was attacked and tempted by the Devil in the guises of a beautiful woman, unimaginable riches, terrifying demons, and a centaur. He's the patron saint of butchers, gravediggers, animals, skin diseases, and Rome. This is the story of Saint Anthony of Egypt the Mystic in the Desert.

Saint Podcast season 2 is all about mystics, saints who had transcendental experiences with the divine. Over ten episodes we'll meet the founder of a religious order who suffered from stigmata, the bloody wounds of Christ's crucifixion that miraculously appeared on his body. We'll explore the legend of a nun who had fits of ecstatic joy - and could levitate. And we'll learn about saints who battled demons and fought the Devil through exorcisms. Tune in for the introduction to this season and for a brief account of the mystical sufferings of Padre Pio.

Episode ten is the final episode in our Martyrs series. It's an exploration of the legend of another virgin martyr: the patron saint of writers, sales people, Perugia, Malta, Syracuse in Sicily, and Pampanga in the Philippines. This saint is also the patron saint of the blind and optometrists because she was famously tortured by having her eyes gouged out. Her feast day used to fall on the Winter Solstice. Through the centuries, Solstice celebrations in her honour have merged with pre-Christian rituals to influence the development of Santa Claus.

Episode 9 in Saint Podcast's Martyrs season is about a very popular virgin saint. She's unusual in that she was married – and yet still died a virgin. She's the patron saint of poetry and creativity. There is a historic basis to this saint, but the details of her life and the development of her legend after death seem linked with that of another ancient god and medieval Christian views on music.

Episode eight in Saint Podcast's Martyrs season is about a saint who, by all accounts, was a giant, standing 12 feet tall! He's the patron saint of athletics, traveller, journeys and transportation in general, epilepsy, the city of Havana in Cuba, and of bachelors. His legend inspired a fashion craze with surfers in the late 1950s, and he is famously known for carrying an unbelievably heavy child across a wide river who turns out to be Jesus in disguise. Most unusually, this saint is often depicted with a dog's head.

Episode seven is about a princess and queen in Roman Egypt. She's noted for being extremely intelligent and is the patron saint of scholars, students, lawyers, educators, librarians, philosophers, and theologians. This saint's icon is a spiked wheel. Her legend has inspired dating customs, Emily Dickinson, and a winter festival in Estonia. She's also one of a handful of saints who were married to Jesus Christ. This is the story of Saint Catherine the Bride of Christ.

Episode six is about a saint whose name means little bear. She's a British saint, a princess from Britannia, the name of the British Isles when England and Wales were part of the Roman Empire. Her legend is based around a pilgrimage that included an entourage of 11,000 virgins as well as an additional 15,000 hangers on. They met their end in modern-day Germany and inspired a monastic order of nuns whose French chapter in Loudon was scandalised by demonic possessions and a witch trial. This is the story of Saint Ursula the Leader of the 11,000 Virgins.

Episode five of Saint Podcast's Martyrs series is about Saint Lawrence, an extremely popular saint whose story is relatively unknown yet it intersects with one of the most well-known legends in the world. He was famously roasted alive, and quipped to his executioners, 'Turn me over. I'm done on this side,' making him the patron saint of comedians. Tune in to discover what connects this historic figure with King Arthur, Sailor Moon, the Da Vinci Code, and Indiana Jones.

Episode 4 is about Saint Barbara, a maiden who was locked in a tower by her father - and one of the inspirations behind the fairytale princess, Rapunzel. She's the patron saint of firefighters, Lebanon, lightning, mathematicians, and the Russian Missile Strategic Forces - among many other things. Find out why Saint Barbara is associated with explosions. Discover the pre-holiday festivals celebrated in her honour. Tune in to this episode to hear about Saint Barbara's connection to powerful Afro-Cuban deities and also to a Disney Princess.

Episode 3 of Saint Podcast's Martyrs series is about Saint Margaret. She's one of the most popular saints globally, despite having been declared fictional by the Catholic Church in the 5th century - and then again in the 1960s. Nevertheless, her legend as a vanquisher of dragons has made her a perennial favourite. Tune into hear her story, and find out what Saint Margaret has in common with Sleeping Beauty, Aphrodite, and margaritas.

Episode two of Saint Podcast's Martyr series is about Saint Sebastian, the patron saint of pandemics, athletes, archers, and outcasts. He's one of the most well-known saints. No other saint has as many works of art dedicated to them from paintings to films to books and pop songs. Tune in to learn more about this 3rd-century Roman citizen from Gaul who was famously shot full of arrows. And discover how a battle-weary Praetorian Guard transformed from a Medieval protector against pandemics to a shirtless, barely legal pin-up and gay icon.

Since this is the debut episode of Saint Podcast, it seems only appropriate to begin with the story of Saint Stephen, the protomartyr, or first martyr. Saint Stephen is one of the few saints whose story has a Biblical source, but his tale continues beyond the Bible in medieval legends, traditional celebrations, and even a French football club. Discover how the bones of a Greek-speaking Roman citizen changed the face of Christianity. Find out why wrens are considered treacherous birds by Celts and Vikings. And why many people around the world have Saint Stephen to thank for that public holiday on Boxing Day.