Description

Oil Dedicated to St Barbara (Patron for Architects)

St Barbara  (Patron for Architects) from A Blessed Call To Love, Ireland.

Saint Barbara is a Christian saint and martyr who is venerated as the patron saint of architects, builders, and stonemasons. According to tradition, Barbara was born in the late third century in what is now modern-day Turkey. She was the daughter of a wealthy pagan named Dioscorus, who kept her isolated in a tower to protect her from unwanted suitors.

Despite her father’s efforts to shield her from the world, Barbara became interested in the Christian faith and began secretly studying the Bible. She eventually converted to Christianity and baptized.

When her father learned of her conversion, he was furious and ordered her to renounce her faith. When she refused, he had her beaten and imprisoned in the tower where she had kept as a child.

While in captivity, Barbara continued to practice her faith and prayed for deliverance. According to legend, an opening suddenly appeared in the tower wall, allowing her to escape. She fled to the nearby mountains, where she hid in a cave.

Barbara’s father eventually discovered her hiding place and ordered her to executed. She tortured and then beheaded, but according to tradition, a lightning bolt struck her executioner and killed him, and a flock of birds encircled her body to protect it from further harm.

Saint Barbara’s association with architecture and building comes from the legend that she instructed builders in the construction of a tower with three windows, representing the Holy Trinity. She also believed to have appeared to architects and builders, offering them guidance and protection.

Today, Saint Barbara revered as a symbol of faith and strength in the face of persecution. Her feast day celebrated on December 4, and she continues to venerated by architects and builders around the world.