FOOD NEWS
Is There Really A Patron Saint Of Pierogi?
By Chase Shustack
While you may know that pierogi are a staple of Polish cuisine brought to Pennsylvania with Polish migrants, you probably didn't know about the dish's patron saint. Saint Hyacinth was born to a wealthy family in Silesia, Poland, and later traveled across Poland and Europe as a Dominican apostle, preaching and establishing priories as he went.
One story suggests that, during a visit to Kościelec in 1238, Hyacinth led the people to pray after a storm had destroyed the village crops; after the crops miraculously flourished the next day, the townspeople gave Hyacinth the gift of pierogi. Another story goes that, following the Tatar invasion, a famine spread across the land, and Hyacinth is credited with distributing pierogi to the hungry people.
Pope Clement VIII canonized Saint Hyacinth into sainthood in 1594, and today, the patron saint of pierogi has a feast day of August 17. He's still remembered through many parishes across the United States, and his supposed invention continues to be an incredibly popular dish many Americans enjoy.