Saint Podcast

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 movement among 13th-century women who rejected traditional female roles to live unmarried in communal groups without the influence of men! The saint's legend also gave birth to a monastic order of nuns whose chapter in Loudon, France, was scandalised by demonic possessions and a witch trial. This is the story of Saint Ursula the Leader of the 11,000 Virgins.

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. Nevertheless, her legend as a vanquisher of dragons has made her a perennial favourite. Tune in to hear the story of this gender-bending saint, known as Saint Marina/Marino to Eastern Christians - and find out what Saint Margaret has in common with Sleeping Beauty, Aphrodite, and margaritas.

The second episode in Saint Podcast's Mystics series is about a 13th-century Dominican friar and inquisitor. 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.

Episode eight in Saint Podcast's Martyrs season is about a saint who was a monstrous giant, standing over 12 feet/3.5 metres tall! He’s the patron saint of athletics, travellers, journeys and transportation in general, epilepsy, the city of Havana in Cuba, and of bachelors. His legend inspired a fashion craze in the late 1950s, and he's famously known for carrying an unbelievably heavy child across a wide river who turns out to be Jesus in disguise. Most unusually, this saint was originally depicted with a dog’s head. Join us to explore the legend of a dog-headed giant who was transformed into a jock and the patron saint of surfers.

Episode 4 is about Saint Barbara, a maiden who was locked in a tower by her father - and one of the many legendary inspirations behind the fairytale Rapunzel. She's the patron saint of firefighters, Lebanon, lightning, mathematicians, and numerous military artillery units. Find out why Saint Barbara is the patron of explosions. Discover the pre-holiday festivals celebrated in her honour. Tune in to this episode to hear about Saint Barbara's guise as powerful male Afro-Caribbean god of thunder - and also her guise a Disney Princess.

Episode seven is about an Egyptian queen. She’s noted for being the brightest mind of her generation and is therefore the patron saint of scholars, students, lawyers, educators, librarians, philosophers, and theologians. This saint’s icon is a spiked wheel, the implement of torture her tormentor, the Roman Emperor, attempted - unsuccessfully - to inflict upon her. Her legend has inspired dating customs involving elaborate hats, moved the poet Emily Dickinson, and engendered a Baltic winter festival. She’s also one of a handful of saints who were married to Jesus Christ. Her wedding was presided over by a figure the angels declared to be 'the Empress of Hell'. This is the story of Saint Catherine of Alexandria the Virgin Bride.

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 features artist Jez Dolan and curator Fiona Corridan from the Manchester Art Gallery. It explores the adoption by the queer community of one of the most popular saints in history - and Derek Jarman’s role in shaping the modern image and story of the Roman warrior, Medieval plague saint, and gay icon: Saint Sebastian.

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.

Episode five of Saint Podcast's Martyrs series is about Saint Lawrence, the son of wealthy Christians living in the Roman province Hispania, modern day Spain. He's an extremely popular saint whose story is relatively unknown yet it intersects with one of the most well-known legends in the world: the legend of the Holy Grail. 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.