Background
According to legends of 7th century, she lived in 3th century and derived from a family of rich pagan named Dioscorus.
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Saint Barbara
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also known as
Great Martyr Barbara
St. Barbara was a legendary virgin martyr of the early church. Venerated as one of the 14 Auxiliary Saints (Holy Helpers), she is invoked in thunderstorms and is the patron saint of artillerymen and miners. Because Barbara’s authenticity is highly questionable and her legend is probably spurious, she was dropped from the General Roman Calendar in 1969.
Career
St. Barbara was carefully guarded by her father who kept her locked up in a tower in order to preserve her from the outside world. When she professed Christianity and refused marriage, he became enraged and took her to the provincial prefect, who ordered her to be tortured and beheaded. Dioscorus himself performed the execution and, upon his return home, was struck by lightning and reduced to ashes.
Achievements
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The name of Saint Barbara was known in Rome in the 7th century her cult can be traced to the 9th century, at first in the E. Since there is no mention of her in the earlier martyrologies, her historicity is considered doubtful.
Saint Barbara is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Her association with the lightning that killed her father has caused her to be invoked against lightning and fire; by association with explosions, she is also the patron of artillery and mining. Her feast on December 4 was included in the Tridentine Calendar, having been introduced in Rome in the 12th century. In 1729, that date was assigned to the celebration of Saint Peter Chrysologus, reducing that of Saint Barbara to a commemoration in his Mass. In 1969, because the accounts of her life and martyrdom were judged to be entirely fabulous, lacking clarity even about the place of her martyrdom, it was removed from that calendar. But she is still mentioned in the Roman Martyrology, which, in addition, lists another ten martyr saints named Barbara.
Her feast day for Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and Anglicans is December 4.
Saint Barbara became the patron saint of artillerymen. She is also traditionally the patron of armourers, military engineers, gunsmiths, tunnellers, miners and anyone else who worked with cannon and explosives. She is invoked against thunder and lightning and all accidents arising from explosions of gunpowder. She is venerated by Catholics who face the danger of sudden and violent death in work.
The United States Army Field Artillery Association and the United States Army Air Defense Artillery Association maintain the Order of Saint Barbara as an honorary military society of the United States Army Field Artillery and the United States Army Air Defense Artillery. Members of both the United States Army and United States Marine Corps, along with their military and civilian supporters, are eligible for membership.
