Saint Salsa

 My grandchildren and I were playing a card game.  The cards had saints' names and their deeds.  We were to match the saint to the Beatitude that matched the saints' deeds.  One of the saint's name was Salsa.  That's right, Salsa.  Immediately, the grands liked her name because they like salsa with chips and there is also a dance called salsa.  When we read her story, these girls embraced her name even more so, and want to have it for their confirmation name.

Who is Saint Salsa?

She lived in the 4th century in Algeria.  Her parents were pagan, but she fell in love with Jesus.  Being only 13-14, her parents made her go with them to worship at the pagan temple of a dragon.  Salsa was appalled at the drunken, drugged behavior of the revelers surrounding the dragon. She speaks out to her parents and others around them how she felt.

I believe in ONE God, the Father Almight, the maker of heaven and earth.  I believe in Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary.  For our sake He was crucified, died and was buried, and rose again where he ascended into heave.  He will come again in glory.

The people thought she was crazy.  Salsa was angry and plotted how to pull down that statue of the dragon.  She thinks of Judith, Daniel, and Rachel, and decides to copy their courage. 

At night, she sneaks into the temple and hacks off the dragon's head and throws it into the sea.  Nobody sees her.  The pagans are struck with grief over the destruction of their dragon.

Salsa returns and pulls down the rest of the statue and drags it to the sea and dumps it there.  However, this caused a lot of ruckus and people caught her.  They were incensed and beat her to death and threw her body into the sea.

Salsa's body floated up but the dragon was never found or restored.

A sailor, named Saturninus retrieved Salsa's body and gave it to the Catholics in the town and they gave her a beautiful funeral Mass to honor her martyrdom. Eventually, a church was built there to honor Salsa. Unfortunately, wars, earthquakes and floods have destroyed the entire area.

The martyrdom of Salsa is remembered when we praise all saints.  They are to be praised through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is the honor, power, and glory with God the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever.  Amen.