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| | Medieval Painting of Saints Helena & Eloi, with blacksmith's tools, Broughton, Bucks, (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-04) |
 | | All of these, shown here against a squared pattern suggesting a chequered floor, are attributes of St. Eloi, who was a flsmith and goldsmith in his earlier life, before he became eventually bishop of Noyon in France. |
 | | Although she is painted as a youthful virgin here, Helena, born a pagan, became a Christian only in her sixties, and proved exceptionally devout and generous to churches and to the poor. |
 | | I know of no specific connection between her and St. Eloi that would account for their pairing at Broughton, but it may be that since Eloi was a particularly eloquent denouncer of vestigial paganism, both saints were seen as defenders of Christianity. |
| www.paintedchurch.org /broubhel.htm (502 words) |
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