St. Expedite's Altar Set Up and Thundering Legion

 

In my last article I posted a diagram of how St. Expedite's altar should be set up. I thought I would post some photos of his altar in action  so you can see how you apply the information from the graphic to the actual set up of his altar.

Note that because I am not a kumbaya worker, I like to think of myself as a realist, I have him set up on a beaded mat of a skull representing the Guede, and then I have hanging on the wall behind the altar a talisman I made with Baron Samedi with a fixed horseshoe and another image of St. Expedite, as well. This is because of his association with Baron Samedi in New Orleans Voudou.  I also have a blue spray bottle of thunder water and hail that I collected during a monsoon this summer. St. Expedite was a leader of the Roman Thundering Legion where a miracle happened on the battlefield. Here is an excerpt from the book that describes what happened:

St. Expedite was the commander of the XII Roman Thundering Legion, who held its neighborhoods in the city of Melitene, capital of the Roman province of Armenia. He had 6821 Armenian Christian soldiers under his command. The name Thundering Legion came from an act of miraculous weapons. It was during the reign and in the presence of Marcus Aurelius himself. The Roman army, engaged in the arduous campaign of Germany, had become entrenched in a fortified settlement of Quades in northeastern Hungary; but, surprised by the barbarians (Germans), had left circle. It was summer and there was a drought. Dying of thirst, the Roman soldiers no longer had the strength to fight; their morale was declining rapidly. The Roman army was about to be destroyed entirely. 

Appealing to the magical omens that inevitably accompanied the troops in the field, and which predicted the good or bad end of a campaign, Marcus Aurelius ordered public prayers and offerings to the gods. While the rest of the army engaged in pagan invocations and practices, the Thundering Legion left the camp, knelt on the fields and prayed fervently to their Christian God. Seeing over 6000 soldiers kneeling, arms outstretched, the enemy took advantage and attacked.

     

At the same time their prayers were completed, the soldiers engaged the Germans. At that moment, a torrential rainstorm complete with thunder, lightning and hail began to fall. The soldiers collected in their helmets this water of Divine Providence and drank to regain their strength. Lightning riddled the ranks of the barbarians who fled under a rain of hail as big as stones while Christians were unaffected. It is in commemoration of this miracle that Marcus Aurelius gave the XII Roman Legion the name Thundering Legion. 

For this reason, thunder water and hail is sacred to St. Expedite, and if you ever have  a chance to collect hail as it falls - and don't mind your neighbors looking at you like you are bat shit cray cray - then collect it and bottle it like I did. You can use it to bless your altar, home and yourself. I use it to wipe down his statue to keep it from getting dusty too. I also keep a few bottles in the refrigerator to spritz my face when I am feeling in need...it is awesome stuff.

Thoughts Questions? Comments? You know what to do!

Introducing St. Expedite of Melitene

He could quite possibly be the most effective unofficial saint of urban legend ever to have been discovered. For a variety of reasons, the Roman Catholic Church will not officially recognize St. Expedite; but, at the same time, they won’t discount him either. That’s because he’s just too damned popular. And, according to his devotees, he’s just that damned good.

But that’s okay, New Orleans Voudou has no problem embracing St. Expedite as one of her patron saints. And hoodoos, rootworkers, conjure doctors, spiritualists and sorcerers appreciate his worth, as well. No officialities are needed in these camps. Because when a saint works as well—and more importantly, as quickly—as St. Expedite works, he is more than welcome in the wide world of conjure.

In studying Louisiana religious cultures, St. Expedite rises to the forefront as a significant icon of the syncretic relationship between folk Catholicism and Creole Voudou. His unofficial and questionable origins provide just the right amount of mystique to place him squarely on the shrines of anyone in need of a quick favor. Even in the Italian rural community of Independence, Louisiana, St. Expedito is publicly celebrated with feasting and festivities (Williams, 2011). And, in other parts of the world such as the French Island of Réunion, Argentina, Chile, the Philippines and Haiti, for example, St. Expedite can be found in varying degrees among diverse religiomagical landscapes.

Yet, popular as he may be in the pocket niches where he is found, he has spent most of his post mortem life in obscurity, comparatively speaking. Although he is very popular in New Orleans, the Catholic Church only tolerates him. In fact, some people refuse to speak of him and others downright deny his very existence. For example, he’s not even mentioned on the website for the Our Lady of Guadalupe chapel where his statue is housed. This denial does not diminish his influence among supplicants, though. In fact, it lends itself to his mystical appeal.

The use of wordplay and puns associated with St. Expedite’s name is found in virtually all discussions about him. Referred to by informants in Harry Middleton Hyatt’s Hoodoo-Rootwork-Witchcraft-Conjuration as the Minute Saint, St. Expedite is known by many other names as well, including Expedite, Expedit, Expeditus, Expedito, Spedito, Espidee, and Speedy. Never has there been a saint whose name describes so obviously and perfectly his patronage. Those invoking his intercession seek instant gratification and according to his devotees, that is the saint’s main attraction.

But, who exactly is this saint of rapidity? According to legend, Saint Expeditus was a Roman Centurion in Armenia who decided to convert to Christianity. Before he did so, it is said the Devil appeared to him as either a crow or a snake and told him to put off following through with his decision until the next day (hence, his association with procrastination). Instead, Expeditus stomped on the animal and killed it, proclaiming, "I'll be a Christian today!" Unfortunately, St. Expeditus met with the same fate as many Christian converts preceding him and was one of several other Armenian Christians—Saints Hermogenes, Gaius, Aristonicus, Rufus and Galata—beheaded in Melitene (modern day Malatya, Turkey) on April 19th, during the Diocletian Persecution in 303. As a result, he became known as Sant-Espedito di Melitene, or Saint Expedite of Melitene.

*Excerpt from The Conjurer's Guide to St. Expedite, Copyright 2014 Denise Alvarado, All rights reserved worldwide.