March 17 - Commemorating St. Abbess Gertrude of Nivelle (c. 628-659)

March 17 - Commemorating St. Abbess Gertrude of Nivelle (c. 628-659), who in later Western tradition came to be honored as the patron saint of cats.

In fact, cats in connection with St. Gertrude appeared very late: this "tradition" is not traced back to the 1980s. Apparently, cats smoothly replaced mice and rats, since traditionally it is cats who catch and exterminate them. The fact is that for quite a long time Gertrude of Nivelle was honored as a helper against the plague and - because of the role of rodents in the spread of the disease - as a threat to rodents.

This saint is also honored in the Orthodox Church.