Happy St. Stanislaus Day

Today is the feast of St. Stanislaus (1030-1079), patron saint of Poland. He was a bishop of medieval Cracow, where his condemnations of local corruption and injustice made him a wide variety of enemies, most notably King Boleslaus II. Eventually things reached the breaking point, and Boleslaus ordered his bodyguards to kill the bishop. When they refused, Boleslaus did it himself, murdering Stanislaus at the altar while he was saying Mass.

So why do I mention this? A couple reasons, really:

1. These days, anybody who goes to such lengths to denounce injustice and greed deserves a shout out.
2. Speaking of injustice, this seems like a good day to give a hearty Daily Marmoset salute to St. Stanislaus Church here in STL, and its ongoing struggle against arrogant and short-sighted authorities.
3. The Marmoset and I are not actually Polish (despite what Mother Marmoset might tell you), but we are (among other things) some breed of Slavic, so I figure that's close enough to give me an excuse to celebrate.
   
4. Most of all, I had a revelation on St. Patrick's Day last month. What makes Ireland so damn special that they get their own holiday? Please understand: I'm mostly Irish, both genetically and by inclination, and I love St. Patty's Day. But there are hundreds of nationalities in the world, and most of them have their own patron saints. So why does the whole world stop to drink green beer once a year, while the other countries and their saints get the shaft?

No more, I say! Have some vodka and kielbasa today for Nicolaus Copernicus, Frederic Chopin, Stanislaw Lem, Jan Sobieski, and Pope John Paul II. Be proud of your Polish heritage today, whether you're Polish or not.

(And just wait till June 5, when I get to give a shout out to St. Boniface, patron saint of Germany. Beer and brats for everyone!!!)