Literal Translation
Not to know which Saint to devote oneself to/to turn to
Actual Meaning
Being confused, stuck in an impossible situation, not knowing which way to look
Etymology
In the Middle Ages, devotion to saints was an integral part of daily life: veneration of tombs and relics, processions, pilgrimages, votive offerings… Every town, every parish, every brotherhood, every situation had its own saint. People felt close to them and turned to them in times of crisis as well as for the small ups and downs of everyday life. While each saint had their own ‘speciality’, it was also common to invoke several saints for the same request. So which one should you choose? Saint Anne or Saint Gabriel when you wanted a child? Saint Gregory the Great, Saint Cosmas or Saint Damian when you had a stomach ache? Saint Rita or Saint Jude when the cause is hopeless? The choice is not always obvious, and it was at the beginning of the 16th century that the expression ‘ne plus savoir à quel saint se vouer ’ appeared, meaning not knowing who to turn to. It has also taken on the meaning of being confused or not knowing how to get out of a situation.