Christopher
(), Saint a Christian martyr, lived probably about the 3d century. According to the legend, which is interesting as the basis of many popular superstitions, Christopher determined to serve only the most powerful of monarchs. He visited the court of a great prince, who was afraid of the devil, from which he concluded that the devil must be the stronger; but he noticed that the latter, to whom he offered his services, had some fear on looking at the image of Christ. Thus Christopher set himself to find one whose strength was superior to that of the devil. In his distress he went to ask advice of a hermit, who suggested to him the idea of carrying pilgrims across a torrent over which there was no bridge, and this became for a long time the daily occupation of Christopher.
One day a child presented itself on the borders of the stream; Christopher took the burden upon his shoulders, thinking it easy enough, but it nearly crushed him. The child was Christ, and, in order to make himself known to Christopher, he ordered him to thrust his great stick into the earth. Christopher obeyed, and saw with astonishment, on the following morning, that the stick had been transformed into a date-tree, with fruit and leaves. Thousands of men, having been drawn near by that miracle, accepted the Christian religion; but the pagan governor of the province put Christopher in prison, and tried his faith by the most cruel tortures. He then was beaten with red-hot iron rods, and many other barbarities were inflicted upon him, but he remained unchangeable. Finally three thousand soldiers were ordered to shoot at him poisoned arrows, none of which struck him, but returned against those who had shot them. The governor himself was struck in the eve, when Christopher indicated to him the remedy by which to cure the wound: it was that, when Christopher’s own head had been cut off, he should wash his eye with his blood. Christopher was beheaded. The governor was entirely cured by the blood of the martyr, and was baptized, with all his family. This saint is ordinarily represented under the figure of a giant carrying Christ on his shoulders, and leaning upon a large stick, making all efforts. not to succumb under the burden. The popular belief of the Middle Ages identified the image and the name of Christ with those of St. Christopher, and it was said that “he who ever saw St. Christopher would never die an infamous death.” See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Christopher (2)
is likewise the name of several early Christians:
1. One of three soldiers of Diocletian’s guard, who, being converted, A.D. 269, by the constancy of St. George, suffered charring, scarification, imprisonment, and death, April 19 (Basil, Alenol. 3:63).
2. A deacon, who, with Clement, bishop of Ancyra, and Charito, the second deacon, had his throat cut (A.D. 296) in prison, January 23 (Basil, Menol. 2).
3. A monk at Jerusalem, who testified to the superiority of the common life over the solitary condition of a hermitage (Migne, Patrol. 74:170).
4. Bishop of Arcadiopolis in Asia, at the second council of Constantinople, A.D. 553 (Labbe, Concil. 5:582).
5. A Sabaite, martyr in Palestine under the Saracens (April 14), in the 8th century (Migne, Dict. Hagiog. s.v.).
6. Dean (“primicier”) and counsellor of the see of Rome, who, with his son Sergius, treasurer of the Roman Church, obtained armed assistance from Desiderius, king of Lombardy, to, dislodge the antipope Constantine. Christopher opposed the intrusion of Philip, and procured the election of Stephen III. He attempted to induce Desiderius to restore the Church property which he had plundered; the king was exasperated, and so used his influence at Rome that the eyes of Christopher and Sergius were torn out, which in three days caused the death of the former, cir. A.D. 775 (Ceillier, Hist. des Auteur’s 12:1117).
7. Patriarch of Alexandria (A.D. 804-837), who wrote a “synodical” letter to, the emperor Theophilus, the iconoclast, in favor of the worship of images, citing the story of king Abgarus. It was signed by fourteen hundred and fifty-five bishops and priests. He wrote De Vita Humana (Paris, 1608), under the name of Theophilus Alexandr. (Cave, Hist. Lit. 2:23). 8. “Patricius, patria Mityleleus,” a menologist, author of an iambic Historia Sanctorum, beginning with September and ending with August. He is included by Cave, Hist. Lit. (Dissert. 1), among writers of uncertain date.