Not many people have heard of her, but St Corona has suddenly been thrust into the public's consciousness. 

She is the patron saint of resisting epidemics and her relics are going on display in Aachen Cathedral this summer after 25 years in storage. 

While the golden shrine that houses some of St Corona's remains had not been expected to draw a blockbuster crowd, it may now be exhibited in a completely empty cathedral.

The cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, had originally intended to display the shrine as part of an exhibition on gold craftsmanship. However, Germany's COVID-19 lockdown means the public may not get to see it.  

"We have brought the shrine out a bit earlier than planned and now we expect more interest due to the virus," said Aachen Cathedral spokeswoman Daniela Loevenich. The coronavirus has now infected nearly half a million people worldwide, with more than 30,000 in Germany alone, which has cast a spotlight on the Christian martyr, who died at the age of 16.

A gruesome story

Corona means crown in Latin and became associated with the saint after she earned the "crown of eternal life," following her martyrdom. The virus, on the other hand, is so called because of its spiky structure.

The legend tells us that St Corona was tortured and then brutally killed by the Romans for declaring her Christian faith in around 170 AD. It is said the 16-year-old was tied to two bent palm trees and then torn apart as the trunks were released. It is uncertain where she lived – various accounts place her in Greece, France and Sicily.

"That is a very gruesome story and led to her becoming the patron of lumberjacks," said Brigitte Falk, head of Aachen Cathedral Treasure Chamber, adding that it was pure chance she also became a patron saint of resisting epidemics.

Her main relics can be found in the Basilica of Saints Victor and Corona in Feltre, a hill town in the province of Belluno in northern Italy, one of the first regions in Europe to be quarantined due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"Like many other saints, St Corona may be a source of hope in these difficult times," said Falk.