Tippling Point | 'From man's sweat and God's love, beer came into the world': Saint Arnold of Metz, Patron Saint of beer

Beer and the Catholic church. Unlike the popular misconception, they go hand in hand for a major part of their history. The anathema for the fermented drink and the idea that it is a passport to hell is recently born. Or how do you vindicate the presence of statues of saints in breweries (patron saints of beer and breweries) all across the Continent!

Come to Belgium, its best beers are still made in Trappist monasteries. Want a sip? Sorry, you'd have to book in advance to get even the limited bottles of beer allotted at a time from those religious hotspots like Orval or the Saint-Sixtus Abbey.

Many Belgian beers are named after saints, biblical characters and abbeys. Tell me how can you now keep the devil away from your faith!

Among the many saints, Saint Arnold of Belgium figures prominently.

They are in fact two saints - Saint Arnold of Metz and Saint Arnold of Soissons. Historians often confuse them as it is difficult to tease apart their individual contributions to the world of brewing.

Saint Arnold (c. 582 – 645), the Frankish bishop of Metz, chose beer because water was undrinkable during his time. A legend tells us how he submerged his crucifix in a brew kettle and persuaded people to drink from only the blessed container.

When he died, villagers who were going to take his body were thirsty after their long journey. Alas, the abbey had little beer in stock. Could his spirit do anything to quench their yearning? They called out to "Blessed Arnold." Miracle! Beer filled up in pitchers.

Saint Arnold of Soissons, often confused with the Saint of Metz, performed similar feats with beer.

When the roof at the Flanders abbey collapsed, falling straight over the brewery, he prayed to God asking him to multiply the stores of beer left. And God obliged, prompting the villagers to declare him a saint. He was also credited with the discovery of straw cones used in bee hives to filter the brew. So today if you catch the painting of a Saint with bees hovering around him while travelling in Europe, know that it is our Saint Arnold of Soissons.

Like Saint Arnold of Metz, he too insisted that people should drink beer instead of polluted water to keep plague at bay. Arnold, as he preached in the Brabant region of Belgium which was famous for hops, an important ingredient in beer, is also considered the patron saint of hop pickers.

Born in 354 AD, Saint Augustine of Hippo, Tunisia, lived wildly before he was declared a saint. Though he changed his heart, answering to the call of the almighty, beer lovers dug up his steamy past to consecrate him as their patron saint.

Another prominent patron of beer was Saint Nicholas of Myra (Turkey).

Born in the first half of the 4th century, Nicholas shot to prominence when he asked God to help him resurrect three pilgrims who were killed at an inn (where they used to serve beer). They opened their eyes. Ever since, he was seen as the holy protector for not only travellers but also the poor brewers in the town.

Czechoslovakia also has a saint to contribute for the protection of beer.

It was during the 10th century that Wenceslas (the Good King of the Christmas Carol) endeared himself to local hop growers and brewers. What made him a hero? Well, he instituted the death penalty for anyone caught exporting Bohemian hops, a mostly unsaintly action when viewed from our period.

Perhaps such violence could only reap more violence. Wenceslas was killed in an attack that had nothing to do with beer. By that time he had already helped the spread of Christianity in his country. He was made the patron saint of not only Czechoslovakia but also to the Czech brewers.

So are there no women patron saints for beer?

Enter Saint Brigit, an Irish woman born in c. 451.

Beer lovers consider her one of the generous saints to take a liking to breweries. She worked in a leper colony tending the poor. Legends tell us how bravely she responded when lepers implored her to do something when the colony ran out of precious beer. She blessed her dirty bath water and abracadabra! It turned into an excellent beer!!!

She repeated this feat every time priests came from other monasteries asking for beer. What a woman! No wonder she was declared the patron saint of beer in the country.