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Saint Barbara
Saint Barbara of Izmit was one of the first virgin martyrs but her original story in
Greek is lost.. Saint Barbara lived in the Byzantine period around about 300
A.D, and was venerated as early as the seventh century.
According to legend, Saint Barbara was the extremely beautiful daughter of a wealthy
pagan named Dioscorus, who lived near Nicomedia in Asia Minor. Because of her
breath-taking beauty and fearful that she be demanded in marriage and taken away from him,
he jealously shut her up in a tower to protect her from the outside world.
Shortly before embarking on a journey, Dioscorus commissioned a sumptuous
bathhouse to be built for her, approving the design before he departed. During
her father's journey Saint Barbara spent much time in contemplation. She had heard of the
Christian Faith was able to watch the surrounding countryside from her view out of the
tower. Her mediation of growing things; animals and the people gave her
a deep appreciation of God's work. She decided that God was indead present in the world,
and that the idols of wood and stone worshipped by her parents must be condemned as false.
Gradually she came to accept the Christian faith, and finally turned to Christ in holy
baptism. In homage to her new found faith, Saint Barbara had the builders redesign
the bathhouse to include three windows, instead of the orginal two, so that the three
windows might symbolize the Holy Trinity.
When Dioscorus returned he became angered that his daughter had changed his design and
enraged to find that she had converted to Christianity . In his rage Dioscorus
delivered her to the Provincial Prefect , who decreed that she be tortured and put to
death by beheading. Dioscorus himself carried out the death sentence. On his way home he
was struck by lightning and burned to ashes.
Another version of the legend is that Dioscorus was the name of the Prefect and that
the Prefect, not Saint Barbara's father, performed the execution, and was the person
struck by lightning and consumed. This version is probably closer to the truth as it
would be more likely that the Prefect's name would be remember. However the version
with the father does seem a little more dramatic doesn't it?
Saint Barbara is listed as one of the 14 Holy Helper Saints. She is called upon for
mercy and for protection during thunderstorms, fires, sudden death, and is also the patron
saint of artillerymen, miners, and prisoners. Her feast is celebrated on December 4, and
is often depicted by her tower and the ciborium surmounted by the Sacred Host.
Saint Barbara because the patron saint of artillerymen in the early time when cannon
were first made. Early cannons were very unreliable. The charge was set off by
placing a match to the gunpowder through a small hole in the cannon. Embers
sometimes fell in the hole, only to set of a premature explosion when new gunpowder was
being loaded into the cannon. It was often more dangerous to be loading and firing a
cannon than it was to be in front of one. Because of Saint Barbara's association with
lightening, fire, and sudden death she was a sure thing for the artillerymen.
According to lore, an unmarried girl should place a twig from a cherry tree in a glass
of water on Saint Barbara's Day (December 4th). If the twig blossoms by Christmas
Day, she is certain to marry in the next year!
Other interesting versions of history of Saint Barbara can be found at:
The Catholic Encyclopedia
The Ballad of Saint Barbara
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