Saturday, November 24, 2007

piatus: patron saint of pie

Thank you for your emails regarding my use of the term "piatus" from Thanksgiving eve.   For those of you who missed it, here is the definition:
Piatus (pie-AY-tus) n.

A made-up word combining "pie" and "hiatus" that describes the period of time occurring between the end of the main Thanksgiving meal and the serving of pie.   


Exampli gratia: "I'm going to lay down on the floor and be fat during the piatus, how about you join me."

Thanks are due to one enterprising ack/nak reader for informing me of the two notable historical figures named Piatus:

1. Piatus of Mons, 19th century French theologian, Capuchin and early zine publisher.

2. Saint Piatus of Tournai, 3rd century Belgian, evangelist and martyr, he scores high points for suffering one of the nastier martyrdoms on record and for having assorted remains parceled out as relics, most notably an especially well-preserved leg bone at Chartres. 

I wonder what it would take to have Saint Piatus named the patron saint of pie.  There must be an application form somewhere.   Honest, I think he'd be happy about it.  Pie brings happiness and joy to everyone, and is a whole lot more fun than having the top of your head cut off and handed to you (see picture above).

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