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St. Barbara is said to have lived in Helioplis (Syria). Dioscorus, her father, locked her up in a tower when she became a Christian and reported her to local authorities. After she was tortured, her father was ordered to kill his daughter. He took her to the top of a mountain and ran her through with a sword, after which he was struck by lightning and died. This account is from the 13th century Golden Legend, written by Jacobus de Varagine. These events are said to have occurred during the persecution of Maximian (286-305) who ruled jointly with Diocletian (284-305). An alternative version, suggested by historian Donald Attwater, is that she was a maiden of great beauty who was shut up in the tower to keep various suitors away from her. The date of her martyrdom is also assigned earlier in the third century, to ca. 235. She is the patron saint of people struck by lightning. The cult of St. Barbara became popular during the Middle Ages and she was one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers who were called upon during the bubonic plague of the 14th century. However, legend and no exact details exist about this saint. References are dated from the 6th century with the first artistic representation, an 8th century fresco at San Maria Antiqua in Rome. She is depicted on Raphael’s painting, the Sistine Madonna (and on a 2012 Vatican City M/S), along with St. Sixtus II, a third century Roman martyr and pope, 257-258 who died during the persecutions of Valerian. References: • Dawn Marie Beutner, Saints • David Farmer, Oxford Dictionary of Saints • Donald Atttwater and Catherine Rachel John, Penguin Dictionary of Saints Article Links: • James Hamilton, “Vatican City New Issues: March 2012” Vatican Notes, Vol. 60, No. 352 pp. 4-7 (2012) | ||||||
