St. Vibiana



2 December is the feast day of St. Vibiana, the principal patroness of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Her relics were given to Bishop Thaddeus Amat by Pope Pius IX and enshrined in 1876 in the then new cathedral dedicated to her. The old Italianate cathedral sustained some earthquake damage a few years ago and was found to be irrepairable and far too dangerous for Catholics to inhabit. Apparently secular folk are hardier souls and, after a bit of repair, find it an agreeable "cultural center" or restaurant or some such.

St. Vibiana no longer has a cathedral named after her. But she does have a chapel in the crypt of Los Angeles' new cathedral where her devotees can go and pray for happier times in the Archdiocese of which she is patroness.