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Saint Barbara is one of my favorite saints. I admire her so much I named one of my children after her. Her stalwart faith, even in the face of adversity, is an example of someone who could not be swayed by her pagan relatives, or by judges threatening torture and death. What motivates someone to believe wholeheartedly when it would be so convenient to go along with the status quo? It is because of her strong faith that I believe she is worthy of further examination.
Saint Barbara was born around the 4th century. She was raised a heathen. Saint Barbara during the time of Emperor Maximian (in latin: Emperor Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus. He was born of humble parents in the Roman province of Pannonia, modern day Slovenia. His military career earned him distinction to the point of becoming co-ruler with Emperor Diocletian). Her father's name was Dioscorus, a paynim/pagan, who adored and worshipped idols.
Dioscorus had a tower built that was strong and high in order to house his daughter in becuase she was such a beautiful young woman. Many princes asked her father for her hand in marriage but Saint Barbara refused to marry. In fact she angrily said to her father, "My father, I pray you that ye will not constrain me to marry, for there to I have no will nor thought". Dioscorus then left to go on a journey to a far off country after speaking with his daughter.
One day Saint Barbara came down from the tower to see the bath house that her father was having constructed while he was away. She noticed there were only 2 windows, one towards the north and the other towards the south. She questioned the workmen why there weren't more windows and they replied that these were the specifications ordered by her father. Then Saint Barbara had them built one more window thus creating the illusion of the Holy Trinity for her. She secretly received instructions as well as baptism there. Saint Barbara lived there in the bath house for a certain time where she survived off of honeysuckles and locusts (she was inspired by John The Baptist and followed his example). She studied and prayed there.
Before she returned to the tower she saw the idols that her father sacrificed and worshipped to. Saint Barbara suddenly received the Holy Spirit and then she became extraordinarily subtle and clear in the love of Jesus Christ because she was surrounded with the grace of God Almighty. She then proceeded to scratch the faces of the idols. While despising the idols she said: "All they be made like unto you which have made you to, err, and all them that have faith in you". With that she returned to the tower and prayed.
Upon his return Dioscorus was extremely angered finding out about Saint Barbara's alteration to the bath house. Dioscorus demanded that his daughter explain to him why she had a third window built and she replied, "I have done them to be made becuase three windows lighten all the world and all creatures, but two make darkness". He grabbed Saint Barbara and demanded that she explain how three windows can illuminate more then two and she answered, "These three windows betoken clearly the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, the which be three persons and one very God, on whom we ought to believe and worship". In his anger he pulled out his sword to kill her and Saint Barbara started to pray. She was miraculously taken in a stone and borne into a mountain on which two shepherds, who saw her fly, kept their sheep. Her father then, taking her by the hair, brings her down from the mountain and has her imprisoned.
A civil judge put forth the choice she had before her, 'Now choose whether ye will spare yourself and offer to the gods, or else die by cruel torments'. Saint Barbara answered, ' I offer myself to my God, Jesus Christ, the which hath created Heaven and earth and all other things...'. Poor Saint Barbara was then beaten. She was comforted by a vision of our Lord in her prison cell. Again Saint Barbara endured scouraging and torture before the judge commanded to have her put to death.
Her father so infuriated with her grabbed Saint Barbara from the judge and lend her up on a mountain. Saint Barbara then proceeded to say, 'Lord Jesus Christ, which hast formed Heaven and earth, I beseech thee to grant me thy grace and hear my prayer for all they that have memory of thy name and my passion; I pray thee, that thou wilt not remember their sins, for thou knowest our fragility'. There came a voice down from Heaven that said, 'Come, my spouse Barbara, and rest in the chamber of God my Father which is in Heaven, and I grant to thee that thou hast required of me'. After she heard this Saint Barbara went to her father and he beheaded her even though she had prayed for him. She received her martyrdom with Saint Juliana. When her father descended from the mountain a fire from Heaven struck him leaving behind only ashes as evidence of Dioscorus.
A noble man by the name of Valentine buried the bodies of both Saint Barbara and Saint Juliana in a little town where many miracles occurred. There are various versions as to the time and place of Barbara's martyrdom: Tuscany, Rome, Antioch, Heliopolis and Nicomedia.
*Feast Day: Dec. 4
**Patroness of: Architects, Builders, Gunners, Miners, Stonemasons
***Protectress of: Those in danger of dying without the sacraments.
****She is one of the "Fourteen Holy Helpers"
