I became aware of Saint Corona a few days before Easter — the time that was projected as an affirmation of Hope that we could open our country “up” again from COVID-19 and its devastating effects. Her introduction came to me through an e-mail link to a “Patron Saint of Epidemics.” Intrigued, I read the translated Austrian web page of the Parish dedicated to her — a former monastery dating back to the 1000’s and formally named Heiligenstatt. Once Heiligenstatt solidified into a community, the name of the monastery was changed to the Parish of St. Corona at Weschel.

The claim that St. Corona was the patron Saint of Pandemics was first circulated by GloriaTV, with certain popular Catholic websites and even the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan, also helping spread the word. In fact, Corona has been considered a Patron Saint of lumberjacks and treasure hunters, not pandemics or plagues.

Where Did This Come From?

Best guesses are that St. Corona lived around AD 165 in Cilicia, part of today’s Turkey. Legend states that in AD 177, during the persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperor Antonius Verus, a Roman soldier named Viktor, from Cilicia, was martyred and executed for his Christian faith. Encouraged by Viktor’s courage to confess, Corona, the wife of a soldier, also professed to be a Christian. The governor had Corona tied with ropes between two bent palm trees, and her body was torn to pieces by the palm trees snapping back.

The Italian Connection

It has been said that her head is particularly venerated in Monte Romane, Italy; Emperor Otto III (983 — 1002 AD) brought relics of St. Corona to Aachen, Germany, where they are kept in the cathedral to this day. The feast of St. Corona is celebrated on May 14th.

Dedication to St. Corona, seen as an avatar to deliver requests for steadfastness in faith, is for safety against storms and crop failures. At the time, tree cutters lived almost exclusively in sparsely populated, wooded areas and theirs was a dangerous profession, so they sought protection and help from St. Corona and adopted her as their patron saint. They hoped for special protection and help for their concerns, as St. Corona had been killed by two palm trees, and would take sympathy on those who worked gathering the wood for construction of homes and other structures. In northern Italy as well, she is particularly revered as a patron saint of forest workers, whether migrant workers or lumber traders.

So Why Not Ask Saint Corona?

What if we choose to see Saint Corona as an avatar to deliver requests for deliverance from epidemics, requests of help in the small needs of daily life? Would she answer us, just as she answered generations of woodsmen who felt a kinship to her?

One of the things that has developed as a result of this pandemic is the time for introspection and a re-evaluation on what truly is meaningful and what matters in this life.

So I offer up a ritual for you, to ask for strength during this time, and for a diminishing of the ravages of COVID-19. 

 

Ritual For St. Corona On Feast Day May 14th
For Protection From The Coronavirus Covid-19

Ingredients:
• White Sage smudge stick
• 1 white 7-day “novena” type vigil candle
• 1 glass of cool water
• 1 small vase of white carnations
• 1 prayer card or image of St. Corona (can be printed off the Internet)

First, clean candle with lemon juice or Florida Water, making sure you clean outside and inside of glass, top of wax, and wick. Set aside to dry. When dry, set in center of table or altar.

Smudge candle above, below, and around outer glass. Set smudge bundle aside in fire-safe container or dish to use again.

Fill glass with cool water (spring water is best). Set to right of candle.

Arrange white carnations in vase and set to left of candle.

Place image of St. Corona in frame or tape/tack to wall behind candle, making sure that it is sufficiently distanced from candle flame for fire safety.

Relight white sage smudge bundle and smudge the entire altar offering area. Set bundle aside in fire-safe container or dish.

Say these words:

Lord Jesus Christ, You came into this world for our salvation. Look kindly on us now, we pray, that we, and all those who serve You, might be kept safe from this epidemic.
Heal those who are sick, comfort the suffering, bring back those who have gone astray, and above all, increase our faith, O Lord. 
Give us the grace to follow You and, like the martyr St. Corona, who gave her life for love of You, to take up our crosses daily without fear or hesitation.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
St. Corona, we ask that you protect COVID-19 victims, and pray for us.

  Allow candle to burn until it is out. If you have to extinguish candle, make sure you snuff out the candle, as blowing it out means you are ‘done’ with the ritual and will not be re-lighting the candle. Snuff candle out with candle snuffer or by placing a ceramic or glass plate or other flame-proof flat dish over the rim of the vigil candle, allowing it to go out naturally.

Re-light candle when you want to continue with the ritual until candle is finished. When the ritual is done (about 7 days), pour out the water into the drain of the street or somewhere away from your home so you will not step or “cross” over it. Crush the flowers into a large pot of boiling water along with Epsom Salts, Florida Water, and a capful of clear ammonia, for a future cleansing bath for yourself.