St Barbara is the patron saint of Artillerymen and Combat Engineers, and others who work with explosives.
Members of the Greek Artillery, and the Cypriot National Guard, celebrate with loukoumades, a traditional sweet pastry covered with honey, that is said to resemble cannon balls.
So raise your TimBits (donut holes for you Americans in the crowd) high, grab a glass, and tap and drink a toast to those past and present who put themselves in harm's way.
Saint Barbara's feast day
The CME (Canadian Military Engineers) has no patron saint, but engineers often participate in artillery celebrations honouring Saint Barbara, the patron saint of the artillery. Saint Barbara's feast day, frequently but incorrectly called her birthday, is 4 December.
Saint Barbara lived around 300 AD and was the only daughter of a wealthy heathen named Dioscorus. Legend has it that her father confined her in a tower to keep her from the influences of Christianity and so that no man could ask for her hand in marriage. While in the tower, she accepted the Christian faith against the will of her father. The officials decreed that she be tortured for her faith and put to death by beheading by her father himself. As she was about to be beheaded, she prayed that all who might invoke her aid be granted their request. A tempest arose at the moment she was killed and, amid the thunder and lightning, her father was consumed by fire.
Because of the events surrounding her death, Saint Barbara has been associated with lightning. When gunpowder made its appearance in the western world, Saint Barbara was invoked for aid against accidents resulting from explosions, and she is often the patron saint of gunners, miners and others who work with explosives. At one time her image was placed on arsenals and the magazine of a French warship is still called the "Sainte-Barbe."
For the complete article (on CME), please click HERE
Almighty God, we pray Thee to bless the Canadian Military Engineers.
May our bridges always stand, and our charges never fail.
Our members be ever loyal, and our officers worthy of their loyalty.
May we work diligently in all our purposes, and be skilled in our trades, steadfast for Queen and country everywhere.
Just wanted to pop by and say hi as I haven't been very active on the blogs or FB lately. Know I'm thinking of you and yours.
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I have never heard of her or her story…but then Saints and me don’t usually eat at the same table. But I like having a patron Saint on six. OOH RAH for your Canadian soldiers at arms.
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