St Becher - Patron Saint of Mild Fondness

Today we celebrate St Valentine’s younger and less dramatic brother, St Becher- the patron saint of slight fondness.

Eschewing the urgent and pressing passion of his elder brother, St Becher would dedicate his time to bestowing a mild regard upon people.  Happy with the lot of somebody who would never suffer from overwhelming passion, Becher escaped martyrdom because the Romans regarded him as “quite a nice bloke for a Christian. Doesn’t get all shouty”. He whiled away his days in a prison under the Coliseum.  Here the Roman guards would provide him with comfy cushions and nice cups of tea, while the Christians would go to their rewards wondering who the nice bloke was in the cosy cell.

When Becher died the Roman Empire declared an official day of mild interest. Nobody went to Becher’s funeral, but a few remarked that it was a shame, as he seemed a decent guy. Nobody bothered to mark his grave, but a few of prison guards wondered from time to time where he had got to.

Today, Becher has also been adopted as the patron saint of unmarried aunties, female church ministers and other people’s poodles.