You would be forgiven for not immediately knowing the patron saint of moving house, but it is, in fact, St. Anne.
In both Christian and Islamic tradition, St. Anne is the mother of Mary and, therefore, the grandmother of Jesus Christ (although the Qur’an never actually names her, she is mentioned as the mother of Mary). The story which gave rise to this moniker is much lesser known and has a few variations depending on your source.
As the story goes, Mary’s childhood home (Anne’s home-home) was carried by angels across the Adriatic Sea and returned back to solid ground in the Italian seaside town of Loreto. Some sources say that after Mary’s death the angels moved the house in order to gladden Anne (which makes sense – who could be upset dining out on fresh frutti di mare on the Italian coast?). Other sources say that the house was moved in advance of an invasion.
Either way, the story of the ‘Flying House’ has interested archaeologists who have noted that the house is made from limestone and cedar – two materials not actually found in Loreto. These materials actually match the foundations of the Grotto of Annunciation in Nazareth (the house where the Angel Gabriel told Mary that she was to give birth to Jesus). As such, the Flying House and the Grotto are thought by some to have originally been part of the same dwelling.
If you’re interested, you can read more in volume one of Encyclopedia of Sacred Places by Norbert Brockman.
We like this story at OpenRent. Whether one is religious or not, it is always nice to think that there is someone out there looking over you as you embark on such an important moment in your life as moving house – whether it be for a couple of years or a couple of months, we know how important it is to find somewhere you can call home.
I thought it was Pickfords