George and Georgia

I often confuse acquaintances by referring to my sister Georgia (for whom please pray - see previous post) as "George", which is the abbreviation we use within the family: people sometimes think I've a brother (I had one, Lachlan, but he predeceased me), whereas it's just me being informal...

Strangely, while there are umpteen Saints George (all named after the Great Martyr, he who died for the Faith in fourth century Palestine), there is only one Saint Georgia - a holy Virgin, a hermitess of the fifth or sixth century, who lived near Clermont in the Auvergne (the Martyrology names the site as "Arverna in Aquitaine"); her feast day is the 15th of February.

While thinking of my dear sister, I am always reminded of St Gertrude of Nivelles, abbess (7th Century; feast: 17th March) - for she is the patron saint of cats, and Georgia has several much-loved felines as pets.