by Nicole Martinelli
Italians say a confused person doesn’t know which saint to pray to, but busy managers have little doubt: Saint Expedite is the right one. In the heart of the business district, there’s an uninterrupted flow to Milan’s Santa Maria del Carmine for a quick prayer.
“It’s one of the least known but most efficient saints,” remarked Bernardino Visconti, who pops in every day before heading to work in an insurance company. “I acknowledge the other ones, but I always pray to Sant’Espedito.”
The plaster statue in faded fluorescent colors is placed (for speed?) right near the door. It’s the only chapel in the church with a waiting line to recite the prayer posted on the wall. Surrounded by candles and votive offerings, Sant’Espedito (also known as St. Expeditus) has clearly won favor over the 107 saints in Milan, including city patron Saint Ambrose, according to author Rino Cammilleri, who just completed a work on the holy figures who lived or were born in the city. The popularity surge follows changes in modern life — while Saint Expedite has been burdened with looking after quick solutions, procrastinators, computer programmers and e-commerce, St. Ambrose is keeping an eye on beekeepers, candle makers and domestic animals.
Like many early saints, it’s uncertain whether the quick-fix saint ever existed. The name “Expeditus” was attributed to two different martyrs on two different days in the Roman Martyrology, though celebrations are now held on April 19. Historians once asserted the Saint’s name derives from a package of remains from Roman catacombs — marked ‘spedito’ (sent)– to a Paris convent, but this appears to be another religious legend. Although Saint Expedite has become increasingly popular in recent years, in Turin he was dubbed the patron saint of merchants in Medieval times. Dressed as a soldier (the name expeditus appears to refer to a foot soldier) he has a cross with the word “hodie” (today) and a crow underfoot (symbolizing tomorrow).
Related resources:
www.gahp.org/espedito.htm
Also claimed by Milan’s Futurist art movement, here’s a print & cut St. Expedite prayer card…