Was
there really ever a Saint Christopher who carried Christ across a
river? There is no such story in the Bible, but here is the legend and some historic facts from wikipedia. . .
July
25: Saint Christopher
The Legend
According to the legendary account of his life Christopher
was a Canaanite 5 cubits (7.5 feet) tall and with a fearsome face who converted
to Christianity. A hermit suggested that because of his size and
strength Christopher could serve Christ by assisting people to cross a
dangerous river, where they were perishing in the attempt. The hermit promised
that this service would be pleasing to Christ.
After Christopher had performed this service for some time, a
little child asked him to take him across the river. During the crossing, the
river became swollen and the child seemed as heavy as lead, so much that
Christopher could scarcely carry him and found himself in great difficulty.
When he finally reached the other side, he said to the child: "You have
put me in the greatest danger. I do not think the whole world could have been
as heavy on my shoulders as you were." The child replied: "You had on
your shoulders not only the whole world but Him who made it. I am Christ your
king, whom you are serving by this work." The child then vanished.
Christopher later visited the city of Lycia and there
comforted the Christians who were being martyred. Brought before the local
king, he refused to sacrifice to the pagan gods. The king tried to win him by
riches and by sending two beautiful women to tempt him. Christopher converted
the women to Christianity, as he had already converted thousands in the city.
The king ordered him to be killed. Various attempts failed, but finally
Christopher was decapitated.
The
Historical Facts
Historical
examination of the legends suggests Reprobus (Christopher) lived during the
Christian persecutions of the Roman emperor Decius, and that he was captured
and martyred by the governor of Antioch.[7] Historian David Woods has proposed
that St. Christopher's remains were possibly taken to Alexandria by Peter of
Attalia where he may have become identified with the Egyptian martyr Saint
Menas.
The legend of
Saint Christopher records two important historical facts that identify him with
the historical Saint Menas. The first is that the Greek and Latin legends of
Saint Christopher identify him as belonging to the Third Valerian Cohort of the
Marmantae (Latin: Cohors tertia Valeria, at Marmantarum), a military unit of
Northern Africa of Marmarica (between modern day Libya and Egypt), recruited by
none other than the Emperor Diocletian. The second is that Saint Christopher
was martyred in Antioch.
The martyrdom
of Saint Menas corresponds to the details of the legend of Saint Christopher.
The theory that identifies the two saints as one and the same concludes that
the name "Christopher" meaning "Christ-bearer" was a title
given to the name of the valiant Menas who died in Antioch. Since he was not a
native of that land, his name was not known and so he was simply revered by his
generic title: "Christophoros" or "Christ-Bearer." Saint
Menas happens to be the patron of travelers in the Coptic tradition, which
further supports an association with Saint Christopher who is the patron of
travelers in the Greek and Latin traditions.
Devotions
Medallions
with St. Christopher's name and image are commonly worn as pendants, especially
by travelers, to show devotion and as a request for his blessing.
St. Christopher is a widely popular saint, especially revered by athletes,
mariners, ferrymen, and travelers. He is revered as one of the Fourteen Holy
Helpers. He holds patronage of things related to travel and travelers — against
lightning and pestilence — and patronage for archers; bachelors; boatmen;
soldiers; bookbinders; epilepsy; floods; fruit dealers; fullers; gardeners; a
holy death; mariners; market carriers; motorists and drivers; sailors; storms;
surfers; toothache; mountaineering; and transportation workers.
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