www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Feast of Saint Barbara

Dear friends, December 4 marks the feast day of St. Barbara, co-patron along with St. Theodore of my parents' hometown of Filadelfia in Calabria, Italy. We always invoked St. Barbara during thunderstorms chanting in our dialect: Santa Barbara non rumbati, ca li porti sugnu apierti, li candili su'addumati, Santa Barbara non rumbati. Trans. Saint Barbara stop the thunder because the doors are open, the candles are lit, Saint Barbara stop the thunder. Here is a legend of the saint from the U.S. military Order of St. Barbara: The legend of Saint Barbara

According to legend, Saint Barbara was the extremely beautiful daughter of a wealthy heathen named Dioscorus, who lived near Nicomedia in Asia Minor. Because of her singular 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, he commissioned a sumptuous bathhouse to be built for her, approving the design before he departed. Barbara had heard of the teachings of Christ, and while her father was gone spent much time in contemplation. From the windows of her tower she looked out upon the surrounding countryside and marveled at the growing things; the trees, the animals and the people. She decided that all these must be part of a master plan, 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.

As her belief became firm, she directed that the builders redesign the bathhouse her father had planned, adding another window so that the three windows might symbolize the Holy Trinity.

When her father returned, he was enraged at the changes and infuriated when Barbara acknowledged that she was a Christian. He dragged her before the perfect of the province, 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 lightening and his body consumed.

Saint Barbara lived and died about the year 300 A.D. She was venerated as early as the seventh century. The legend of the lightning bolt which struck down her persecutor caused her to be regarded as the patron saint in time of danger from thunderstorms, fires and sudden death.

When gunpowder made its appearance in the Western world, Saint Barbara was invoked for aid against accidents resulting from explosions--since some of the earlier artillery pieces often blew up instead of firing their projectile, Saint Barbara became the patroness of the artillerymen.

Saint Barbara is usually represented standing by a tower with three windows, carrying the palm of a martyr in her hand. Often, too, she holds a chalice and a sacramental wafer and sometimes cannon are displayed near her. The feast of Saint Barbara falls on December 4th and is traditionally recognized by a formal Dining-In or military dinner, often involving the presentation of the Order of Saint Barbara.

The Order of Saint Barbara is an honorary military society of the United States Field Artillery. Both U.S. Marine and Army field artillery along with their military and civilian supporters are eligible for membership. The order is managed by the U.S. Field Artillery Association and two levels of recognition exist. The most distinguished level is the Ancient Order of Saint Barbara and those who are selected for this honor have achieved long-term, exceptional service to the field artillery surpassing even their brethren in the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara. The order links field artillerymen of the past and present in a brotherhood of professionalism, selfless service and sacrifice symbolized by Saint Barbara.

Dear Vito:

My amazement at the wealth of knowledge offered by the members of this Forum is endless. I had never before heard that artillerymen formally venerated St. Barbara!

Just yesterday as we remembered her during the Divine Liturgy, I was trying to recall some pertinent aspect of her life.

Thank you!

In Christ,
Andrew (also from Philadelphia)

Andrew,

You may want to try this link:
Orthodox Feast & Saints - December [abbamoses.com]

It gives brief lives of saints for everyday.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

My sister and grandmother are named Barbara. Although the Latin church removed their names from the calendar a few years ago, people still name their girls Barbara.

I understand that in the Middle East a young girl is chosen for her beauty and virtue and dreeses up as St. Barbara on her feast day and travels house to house in the village. She carries a silk bag like an Italian bride and people put money in the bag. Her visit brings blessings on the home. Nice custom.

Dear Mike, I think St. Barbara among others was removed from the universal Latin Church calendar but still appears on many local church calendars. In Christ, Vito

oh Mike forgot to say I have sister Barbara and had grandmother of same name.

Our sermon yesterday was about self sacrifice and commitment to the faith, and the example Father used was St. Barbara. He read the details of her life from the Prologue of St. Nikolai Velimirovic.

Andrew

As St Barabara is the saint to do with explosives she is venerated in the mining industry. In the Western Australian outback city of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, which is one of the world centres of the the gold mining industry there is a very busy small square named after her in the heart of the city. A few years ago a statue of her was placed there with an explanation of who she was.

I think St Barbara may also be the patron saint of bell ringers.

Dear Friends,

St Barbara is honoured by East Slavs by boiling perogies in oil (as she was boiled in oil by her father etc.)!

She is also a Patron of Kyiv/Kiev as her relics were brought there and enshrined in the Cathedral of St Barbara.

It was formerly the case in the 19th century that all tourists to Kyiv/Kiev recieved copies of her akathist!

I have an Orthodox medallion with Sts Anthony and Theodosius on one side and St Barbara on the other.

A portion of her relics are also enshrined in Winnipeg, Canada.

She is also depicted on the Icon of All Saints of Rus' published by Jordanville.

Alex

Our priest mentioned that as well, I was unaware of that fact. Now I have another reason to want to visit.

Andrew

The Georgian church has a holiday called "Barbaroba" [eng.primenewsonline.com] to celebrate the feast day. I had not heard of that until seeing this story.

Andrew

Another tradition is to cut the branch off a cherry tree and put it into a bucket of water to see if it will bloom on Christmas. If it does that means that the next year will be good. (A superstition, I know.)