Saint Christopher
Not much is known about Saint Christopher - there are no known written accounts of his birth, life or death.
Before the formal canonization process began in the 15th century, many saints were "born from" legends, pagan mythology and/or other religions.
Saint Christopher is one of these saints - born from a legend:
The 13th Century Golden Legend
Christopher was initially called Reprobus. He was a Canaanite five cubits (7.5' or 2.3m) tall and had a fearsome face. While serving the King of Canaan, Christopher took it in his head to go and serve, "the greatest king there ever was."
He went to the king who was reputed to be the greatest, but one day he saw the king cross himself at the mention of the devil. On thus learning that the king feared the devil, he departed to look for the devil.
He came across a band of marauders, one of whom declared himself to be the devil, so Christopher decided to serve him. But when his new master avoided a wayside cross, and Christopher found out that the devil feared Christ, Christopher left him and enquired from people where to find Christ.
Christopher came across a hermit who told him that he could serve Christ by fasting and prayer. Christopher replied that he was unable to perform this service. The hermit then suggested that because of his size and strength, Christopher could serve Christ by assisting people across the dangerous river, where the people were perishing in attempts to cross it. The hermit promised that this service would be very pleasing to Christ.
After Christopher had performed this service for some time, a child asked Christopher to take him across the river. During the crossing, the river became swollen and the child felt as heavy as lead, so much so that Christopher could scarcely carry the child and found himself in great difficulty. When he finally reached the other side, he said to the child: "You have put me in the greatest danger. I do not think the whole world could have been as heavy on my shoulders as you were." The child replied: "You had on your shoulders not only the whole world but Him who made it. I am Christ, your King, whom you are serving by this work." Then the child vanished.
Christopher later visited the city of Luci, and there he comforted the Christians who were being martyred. Brought before the local king, Christopher refused to sacrifice to the pagan gods. The king tried to win Christopher over with riches and by sending him two beautiful women to tempt him. But Christopher converted the women to Christianity, as he had already converted thousands in the city. The king ordered Christopher to be killed. Various attempts failed but finally he was beheaded.
His remains were possibly taken to Alexandria by Peter of Attallia where he may have been identified with the Egyptian martyr Saint Mina.
Christopher means "Christ-bearer" which was the title given to the name of the valiant Menas or Mina who died in Antioch.
Christopher was venerated by several Christian denominations as a martyr killed in the reign of the third century Roman Emperor Decius (249-251) or under Roman Emperor Maximinus II Dacian (307-313)
Saint Mina - Who Is this Saint?
Saint Mina (Minas, Mena, Menas, Mennas) was born in the year 285, in Egypt, in the city of Niceous. His father was Eudoxios, and his mother was Euphemia.
His story:
On the feast of the Virgin Mary, Euphemia prayed with tears that God may give her a blessed son. A sound came from the icon of the Blessed Virgin that sounded like 'Amen.'
A few months later, Euphemia gave birth to a son and named him, Mina. When Mina was 14 years old, his father died. When Mina was 15 years old, he joined the Roman army and was given a high rank due to his father's reputation.
When Mina was 18, he left the army and devoted his whole life to Christ. He lived in the desert as a hermit. Five years of living as a hermit, Mina saw a revelation of the Angels crowning the martyrs with glorious crowns. A voice spoke to him, "Blessed are you Mina because you have been called to the pious life from your childhood. You shall be granted three immortal crowns: one for your celibacy, another for your asceticism and a third for martyrdom.
Soldiers executed Mina and burned his body for three days, but Mina's body was unharmed from the flames. Mina's sister bribed the soldiers and had her brother's body brought to a church.
An angel appeared to Pope Athanasius of Alexandria and ordered him to load Mina's body on s camel and head into the Western Desert. The camel stopped and wouldn't budge from a certain spot so Mina was buried here.
The Roman governor decided to secretly remove the body of Mina to be his deliverer and strong protector. He wanted to rebury Saint Mina in Alexandria. As the camel passed Lake Mariont and came upon the place where Mina was originally buried, the camel knelt down and refused to move. The governor had Mina's body moved and placed on another camel, but this camel refused to move too. So Saint Mina was buried here - the precise location to where he was first buried.
During the fifth century, the location of where Saint Mina was buried was unknown. However, anyone who traveled to this certain spot was cured. The daughter of Emperor Zeno had leprosy. She went to the site, others before her had gone, and was healed. Saint Mina appeared to her that night. Zeno's daughter shared her vision and Zeno had Saint Mina's body dug out and built a cathedral there.
This is the Monastery of Saint Mina. Location: 9 Mar-Mina Road, Qesm Borg Al Arab, Alexandria Governorate 21934, Egypt, where relics of Saint Mina and Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria lie.
Saint Mina of Mareotis, Saint Mina of Cotyaes and Saint Mina of Constantinople are most likely the same saint: a military saint.
Inside the Monastery of Saint Mina..
Because Saint Mina's life mirrors Saint Christopher's life - it is said through the many who have researched Saint Mina that he is known on the Western Hemisphere as Saint Christopher.
This above image is of a clay flask with the name: Saint Mina along with his picture that archaeologists have found in a multitude of places in Egypt.
The medals in France have: Regardez Saint Christopher et aller sur rassuré. Translation: "Look at Saint Christopher and go on reassured." Or: Voici Saint-Christophe et passez votre chemin en toute sécurité. Translation: Behold St. Christopher and go your way in safety.
The medals in Spanish: Si confías en San Cristóbal, que no va a morir en un accidente. Translation: If you trust in St. Christopher, you won't die in an accident.
#SaintChristopher #SaintMina #CatholicSaints
What do you think? Same saint or different? Please leave your comments below.
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