St. Christopher

St. Christopher was an early martyr whose veneration is ancient and widespread, though almost nothing can be known of him with historical certainty; his very name, meaning "Christ-bearer" in Greek, gave rise to the beloved legend by which he is remembered. Tradition places his martyrdom in the third century, most likely in Asia Minor under the persecution of the Emperor Decius.

The famous legend, which the Church has always understood as pious story rather than history, tells of a giant of a man who sought to serve the greatest of kings and undertook to carry travelers across a dangerous river. One night he bore a child who grew heavier and heavier until it seemed he carried the weight of the whole world; the child revealed himself as Christ, bearing the weight of the world's Redeemer, and thus the ferryman became the Christ-bearer. Long invoked as a protector of travelers, he was removed from the universal calendar in 1969 because of the legendary character of his story, yet remains a popular and beloved patron, celebrated on 25 July.