July
25: Feast of 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. 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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