There are many pagan fertility gods, and so the question posed is indeed a valled one the vanir of the nordic regions Priapus is a god of fertility, protector of horticulture and viticulture. His statue, holding a wooden sickle in his hand, was used in the Roman gardens as scarecrow. and since Catholism spread through the roman impire it is plosable that Priapus was used to win the masses to catholism.
just a thought