Saint Podcast Eric Huang

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.

This is a special episode created in collaboration with the York Art Gallery. It’s inspired by an exhibition curated by Dr Joost Joustra called Sin, organised by the National Gallery, London with York Museums Trust. The exhibition explores the theme of sin through a collection of artworks spanning a Medieval depiction of demons consuming the soul of a sinner to old masters paintings of saints, martyrs, and other divine figures – and a provocative contemporary sculpture that confronts the assumptions we make about sin and sinners. This is 'It’s a Sin', a special Saint Podcast episode that explores the history of sin.