random factoid of the day –

Most towns beginning with “Santa” are named after saints. So who was Fe?

Santa Barbara I understand. Santa Clara, Santa Rosa, sure. But who was Fe?

I wondered about this when I was a sprout. Saint Fe? Patron saint of truck-stop waitresses? But eventually I got a clue. “Santa” can also mean holy, and “fe” means faith, so Santa Fe = holy faith. The full name of the New Mexico state capital is “Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asis,” or “Royal Village of the Holy Faith of St. Francis of Assisi” (see http://www.ci.santa-fe.nm.us/sfweb ). One sees why they shortened it to Santa Fe.

Incidentally, there is a Saint Fe, more commonly known as Saint Faith. Read all about her at http://saints.catholic.org/saints/faith.html .

By the way, today, July 4 is The feast day of St. Elizabeth of Portugal.
more info about her – http://saints.catholic.org/saints/elizabethportugal.html

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