Saint Barbara

Saint Barbara is honored as an early Christian martyr, traditionally said to have been born in Heliopolis in Syria (some accounts place her birth in Nicomedia). She was the daughter of a wealthy pagan, Dioscorus, who kept her secluded in a tower. In secret Barbara came to believe in Christ, and when her father arranged a marriage for her, she refused. During his absence she had a bath-house built with three windows instead of two, professing the mystery of the Holy Trinity. When her father discovered her faith, he handed her over to the authorities. Though tortured and imprisoned, Barbara remained steadfast; legends tell of light filling her cell and her wounds being healed. Condemned to death, she was beheaded—by her own father—who, according to tradition, was struck by lightning afterward. Her tomb became a place of prayer and reported miracles. Beloved among the Fourteen Holy Helpers, she is invoked especially by those who face sudden danger, and is patroness of workers around explosives, including artillerymen and miners. Her feast day is December 4.