Kakwkylla | |
|---|---|
 Depiction of Kakwkylla in Kaga Church, Sweden | |
| Venerated in | Sweden, Germany |
| Attributes | Rats and mice |
| Patronage | Protects against rats and mice |
Kakwkylla was a local saint venerated in Sweden and Germany during the late Middle Ages. The saint is known by a wide range of names and was venerated as a protector against rats and mice. The veneration of Cutubilla (as she is sometimes referred to there) probably originated in Germany, possibly as a misnomer for the Irish saint Columba, perhaps combined with the misappropriated veneration of Gertrude of Nivelles. The cult probably spread to Sweden from Germany. In Sweden, where Columba was not widely venerated nor Gertrude of Nivelles associated with rats, Kakwkylla appears to have been venerated more as an independent saint and less due to a confusion with other saints.