Patron Saint of Lace

A while ago very long time ago, SAGA member Jane B. emailed me a piece about the Patron Saint of Lace, actually something her son had found. Going through my emails to delete a few I found it and will now,finally, share it with you!

The information came from The Ladies Treasury magazine from 1882.

The item says that St. Francois Regis is the patron saint of lace-workers and how he became such is as follows:

In January 1640 the town authorities of Le Puy, France, posted up, at the four corners of the streets, an ordinance of the Parliament of Toulouse, forbidding under pain of heavy fines, all persons, of what degree soever, to wear lace upon their garments after the seventh day of the month of February following.

The reasons assigned for this ordinance were that so many women were occupied in working lace that it was difficult to obtain domestic service and also that is was desirable to do away with the class distinctions that the wearing of lace marked.

This naturally caused a great sensation in Le Puy and Velay among the merchants, as well as the unfortunate women who existed only by the proceeds of their lace making. They appealed to the great preacher of the day, Jean Francois Regis who procured a revocation of the edict and consequently when he became canonized, he became the patron saint of lace.