Patron Saint of Cats and Cat Lovers, invoked against Rodents.

St. Gertrude was born in 626 AD in Belgium to Itta and Pepin of Landen. Her family was very pious. Itta founded two monasteries for monks and one for nuns. Gertrude was the abbess. She was known for her generosity to pilgrims and travelers. Upon her mother's death, Gertrude built churches, monasteries and hospices on the family estates. She relinquished her abbess position at age 30 so she could meditate, study and pray more. She died at the auspicious age of 33. She is often depicted with rodents running up her staff, which some say represent the souls in purgatory rising up into heaven. She is invoked against rodents and that is how she became patron of cats and cat lovers.

"St. Gertrude, you are a woman of great example both for your intellect and your heart. With joy and compassion my I meet my students' needs so that their minds and hearts are inspired and enriched."

Pocket - 1 1/2" x 3 1/2"

About the Artist

Lynn Garlick started carving, painting, and producing her retablos in 1993. Her workshop is located in the high desert town of Taos, New Mexico, a landscape richly steeped in religious iconography and history. The retablo, or ʻboard behind the alterʼ, was originally created in New Mexico in the 1800ʼs in response to the lack of Bibles and Icons being sent from the church in Rome. The Santero (saint maker) painted retablos from pigment collected and ground from the local surroundings. The boards were hand hewed usually of ponderosa pine or tin. The practice has carried down through the generations and is still done this way today. Lynn paints her originals retablos on traditional pine boards carving and then paints them. To create her production work the images are mounted on baltic birch.