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Here is San Teodoro, the original patron saint of Venice but a decidedly second string player in the pantheon of early Christian martyrs. Pilgrims in mass would never flock to a lagoon to see him.

So in the year 827 Venice decided to get hold of a more prestigious saint in keeping with their growing prominence. A small group set sail for Alexandria, Egypt with the express intent of stealing the mortal remains of Saint Mark the Evangelist. Now he was a saint that could lure pilgrims.

The appropriate guards were bribed, Mark's body was stealthily exhumed and replaced with another. But while bringing the body to the ship an alarm sounded and officials came to search the vessel. The Venetians by then had covered Mark's body with pork knowing that the Muslims would turn back, disgusted. And so the evangelist was brought safely back to Venice to much fanfare and celebration and he, symbolized by the lion, has been the patron saint ever since.

When one thinks of the subterfuge, stratagems, and sheer cunning of this early venture one can begin to understand how and why Venice was so successful for so long - and why poor San Teodoro would just never do.