Saint Clare, the Patron Saint of Embroidery and Television

There are countless patron saints for all careers and fields of work. Saints serve mainly to inspire because of the sufferings they went through to follow their beliefs and thus gain sainthood.

One of the most interesting saints is St. Clare of Assisi, an early follower of St. Francis of Assisi and founder of the Order of Poor Ladies or Order of Saint Clare.

She became a nun at the tender age of 18, in 1212 and her "Order of Poor Clares" was a small house next to St. Daminan's church in Assisi. Her order soon grew in numbers and spread out throughout Europe.

Clare never traveled. She preferred to spend her time in prayer and embroidering. Her exquisite embroidery soon decorated every church altar in Assisi and she was known for her amazing art. Clare invented Assisi embroidery. Assisi Embroidery is a special form of cross stitch combined with double running stitch. The motifs are outlined in double running stitch with a darker color and the background is filled with cross-stitch, leaving the motif unstitched or void. In old Assisi type embroidery the motifs were generally symmetrically positioned pairs of animals, mainly birds. The main motif is often surrounded by filigree scrollwork in double running stitch.

Embroiders have taken her to their hearts mainly because she showed that stitching could convey messages and evoke emotion. She died in 1253 and was made a saint or canonized two years later.

In 1958 Pope Pius XXII designated her as the patron saint of television on the basis that when she was too ill to attend Mass she had reportedly been able to see and hear it on the wall of her room. A Poor Clare Nun, Mother Angelica, founded the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN).

In art, Clare is often shown carrying a monstrance or pyx, in commemoration of the time when she warded away the soldiers of Fredrick II at the gates of her convent by displaying the Blessed Sacrament and kneeling in prayer.

Source: Saints Alive: Enid Broderick Fisher.