at first I thought
she was a bad joke during a pandemic,
St. Corona.
a joke like “did you hear that
they’re putting the Corona beer
next to the Lysol spray
in the stores now?”
a joke compelling me to groan
and roll my eyes at my goofy father
breaking the Fourth Commandment,
breaking a crown
but it turns out
she’s not a joke
much of her identity is a mystery
yet our tradition says
she admitted her faith in Christ
when it was illegal to do so
to console another Christian, St. Victor,
whose eyes were being gouged
St. Victor’s torture was meant to be a warning
so others would not profess love of Christ
instead St. Corona resisted and rebelled
and then was tortured too
her body stretched
between two palm trees
and Christ firm in her heart
and Christ firm on her lips
St. Corona, pray for us
you who are among all the saints
you who know the pain of suffering
you who know the cost of love
you who wear the crown of faith
you who show us how to tend to others
and be true to ourselves, and true for God
St. Corona, pray for us
St. Corona, pray for us
and help us be firm in our faith
and trust in God
and truly love
no matter how frightening
this pandemic may become
help us remember that faith, death, and life are no joke
St. Corona, pray for us
More about Saint Corona (and the Coronavirus)
Yes, there’s actually a St. Corona! And her remains are in Northern Italy
Saint Corona: People Turning To Little Known Catholic Saint During Coronavirus Pandemic
