Off With His Head!

What does our building, have in common with a festival and an abbey in Würzburg, Germany, a heritage centre in Mullagh, Ireland and a college in Northern Ireland? Give up?

They're all named for Saint Killian and tomorrow, 8 July, is Saint Killian's Feast Day.

Your could google it yourself if you had the time and the inclination but if you don't the gist is that Killian was born to noble parents in Ireland in the 7th Century, worked as a monk and then headed off to Germany to convert the pagans. When Killian told the local Duke of Gozbert that his (the Duke's) marriage to this brother's widow, Geilana, didn't pass muster in terms of the scriptures, Geilana had Killian beheaded! Charming!

Killian is usually portrayed wearing a bishop's mitre and holding a sword - the instrument of the poor man's martyrdom. He is the patron saint of rheumatism. With such a heavenly protector advocating on their behalf I hope we have no sufferers of this affliction at 6 Challis Avenue.

In Germany, on St Killian's day, a glass case containing his skill is removed from the crypt and paraded around before being put on display in the Würzburg Cathedral. In Potts Point, on St Killian's day, it might be less gruesome to parade around with a glass containing a suitable libation consumed in modest quantities so as not to put on a display!

Perhaps next year in a post-covid19, post-iso world we should get together and raise a glass to St Killian? Make mine a martini with an olive on a cocktail stick for the symbolism it affords.

Happy St Killian's Day to St Killian owners, residents and tenants.