`Never again," you moan. Your head is splitting open, your stomach is in knots, you can't open your eyes without a major effort and as for actually moving - forget it. Yes, it's what many of us have to look forward to on the first day of 1999. A hangover. And what will make you feel better? Well, you could do worse than to pray - to the patron saint of hangovers, Saint Bibiana. She might be one of the lesser-known patron saints, but she comes in very handy this time of year, especially if you've run out of painkillers.
Legend has it that Saint Bibiana, daughter of a Christian knight, lived in Rome in the fourth century, and suffered persecution by Julian the Apostate. After her father was banished and her mother beheaded, St Bibiana was tortured and died from her abuse. This virgin never renounced her faith and became a martyr. It is claimed the herb which grew on her grave could cure headaches and hangovers. Saint Bibiana is also the patron of single women and her feast day is December 2nd.
If praying doesn't seem to do the trick, other hangover remedies include lots of liquid (but definitely not the hair of the dog), painkillers (but not aspirin, which can irritate the stomach) and lots of food to replace all the nutrients you've lost (but not junk food, which is hard for your system to cope with).
Of course, you could always do your praying before New Year's Eve - to Saint Michael the Archangel, patron saint of temptation.