St. Sylvestre

If you pick up a daily newspaper in France, you're likely to find a little blurb about the saint of the day right there next to the horoscope, the weather, and the crossword puzzle.  There are way too many for me to keep straight.  But there are a few that are easy to remember, especially St. Sylvester who was pope from the year 314 until he died on December 31, 335.  His history is foggy and he seems to be best known for his relationship with Constantine, the Christian emperor who quit Rome for Constantinople thereby cementing papal authority over what eventually became known as the Holy City.

Practically speaking, the French are more likely to associate the name of St. Sylvestre with oysters and champagne than any church doctrine.  As you can see, both are being offered on tonight's menu at this mid-priced Parisian restaurant.  Neither will be on my table tonight and my guess is that we will be in bed before 10.    And that suits me just fine.  For those of you with more ambitious plans, enjoy and be safe.