7-Day Saint Expedite Prayer Candle

Sinderella's note

Saint Expedite is the saint for *urgent* causes, sinner — when Saint Rita is too slow and Saint Jude is too final. He's a Roman soldier who got martyred and now he handles the *I needed this yesterday* requests. Folk Catholic tradition says you owe him a slice of pound cake when he comes through. *Madonn'.* I have lit this one more times than I will admit and the man has *come through.*

The long version

Saint Expedite (Expeditus, technically) is one of the most folkloric saints in Catholic practice — his historicity is shaky but his *cult* is intense, particularly in New Orleans (where he's a household saint), Latin America, and Italian-American communities. He's the saint of *urgent causes,* the deadline-yesterday saint, the *patron of procrastinators and last-minute prayers.* The image: a Roman soldier holding a cross with the word HODIE (Latin for 'today') and stepping on a crow that says CRAS ('tomorrow' — also the sound a crow makes). The folk meaning is unmistakable: *not tomorrow. Today.* The folk-Catholic tradition is that you have to *promise him something in return* — usually a piece of pound cake, a glass of red wine, or a public testimony — and you have to *follow through* when he comes through. Skip the payback and he stops answering. Sinderella has lit this candle more times than she'll admit and Saint Expedite has come through faster than reasonable. Same Indio 7-day glass-jar form factor as the others. Light him at the kitchen counter, write the urgent thing on a piece of paper, place it under the candle. Bring the cake when he delivers.