Painting of St. Barbara, by Hans Holbein the Younger, found at WikiPaintings
Posted on 12/04/2013 5:19:02 PM PST by Pyro7480
Although, in the Roman liturgy, St. Barbara is merely commemorated in the Office of St. Peter Chrysologus, yet the Church has approved an entire Office for the use of those Churches which honour the memory of this illustrious virgin in a special manner. The legend which follows, although of considerable weight, has not, consequently, the authority of those which are promulgated for the use of the whole Church, in the Roman breviary. Let us not, on this account, be less fervent in honouring this glorious marytr, so celebrated in the east, and whose feast has been for so many ages admitted, with more or less solemnity, into the Roman Church....
...Barbara had her body torn with iron hooks, her sides burnt with torches, and her head bruised with mallets. During these torments she consoled her companion, and exhorted her to fight manfully to the last. Both of them had their breasts cut off, were dragged naked through the streets, and beheaded. The head of Barbara was cut off by her own father, who in his excessive wickedness had hardened his heart thus far. But his ferocious cruelty was not long left unpunished, for instantly, and on the very spot, he was struck dead by lightning.Such is the account of the life and martyrdom of the courageous virgin of Nicomedia. She is invoked in the Church against lightning, on account of the punishment by divine justice on her execrable father. The same incident of the saint's history has suggested several Catholic customs: thus her name is sometimes given to the hold of men-of-war where the ammunition is stowed; she is the patroness of artillery men, miners, etc.; and she is invoked by the faithful against the danger of a sudden death....
(Excerpt) Read more at dignareme.blogspot.com ...
Catholic ping!
The first map you will see will highlight botanical gardens, high schools, shops, etc. But nowhere will you see Mission Santa Barbara.
You have to zoom in real close and the best you will get is something called "Mission Historical Park".
This is some kind of political correctness run amok. They list churches so it can't be because they are atheists that refuse to highlight religious institutions. Maybe it's because the Missions are supposedly where all of those "evil" Catholic missionaries destroyed the faiths of the local Indian populations.
Oh well. I just mention it because I visited Santa Barbara recently and wanted to find out where the Mission was so I could visit it, but found it hard to locate it via Google maps.
/end rant
Thanks for the ping. I did not know St. Barbara’s story. St. Barbara, pray for us.
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