Saint Honoré of Amiens

Background:

Honoratus of Amiens, popularly known as Honoré, was a 6th-century Frankish bishop. According to his legend, he was a pious man of noble birth, and resisted being elected bishop because he believed he was unworthy. When the news of his consecration reached his hometown, his old nursemaid declared that she would only believe it if her baker's peel turned back into a tree. As soon as she said this, the peel turned back into a mulberry tree complete with leaves, flowers, and fruit, which was venerated as a holy site for the next 1000 years.

I venerate St. Honoré as my professional patron. He is the traditional patron saint of bakers, pastry chefs, confectioners, and allied professions, and French bakers have been venerating him as such since the Middle Ages. In my perception, he has a warm, generous, and abundant presence--he's kind of a "Ghost of Christmas Present" figure. Although there isn't much of an artisanal baking industry in the US and food service workers are overworked and underpaid at all levels, St. Honoré makes me feel connected to the workers who have come before me.

Iconography

• "St. Honoré, priez pour nous": French for "St. Honoré, pray for us."
• The baker's peel transforming into a tree with fruit is a reference to his legend, and to St. Honoré's patronage of bakers.
• St. Honoré is holding a communion wafer. Makers of bread for communion are among those who claim his patronage.
• St. Honoré is clothed in the vestments of a bishop, white/gold variant, which is the liturgical color for Christmas and Easter. This is associated with joy, hope, celebration, and rebirth.

Further Reading:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honoratus_of_Amiens