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Püha
Barbara - St Barbara Püha
Barbara elas 4.saj. ning kasvas üles paganluses. Tema isa püüdis teda muudest
mõjudest eemal hoida, kasvatades tütart üksildasse torni suletuna, kuid neiul
õnnestus salaja tutvuda kristlusega. Isa soov tütar mehele panna leidis
vastuseisu. Kord isa äraolekul, kui oli
käsil tema vannitoa ehitamine, muutis tütat isa projekti, lastes sinna kahe
akna asemel kolm ehitada. Isa sattus reisilt tulles sellisesse raevu, et
andis tütre võimudele üles kristlasena, kes austab Püha Kolmainsust ning viis
surmanuhtluse täide isiklikult. Legendi järgi hukkus isa
peatselt pikselöögist ning Barbarat on hakatud austama äikese ning tule eest
kaitsjana, hiljem paigutati tema kaitse alla ka suurtükiväelased, mineerijad,
aga ka arhitektid ja kaevurid. Samuti hoolitseb ta legendide põhjal selle
eest, et inimene saaks viimsel tunnil sakramente. Teda kujutatakse sageli
torniga, käes palmioks, sageli hoiab ta karikat, mõnikord on tema läheduses
suurtükk. Tema mälestuspäev on 4. detsember. Barbara lived in the 4th century and brought up as a heathen. A
tyrannical father, Dioscorus, had kept her jealously secluded in a lonely
tower which he had built for that purpose. She gave herself to prayer and
study, and contrived to receive instruction and Baptism in secret by a
Christian priest. Barbara resisted her father's wish that she marry. Before going on a journey her father commanded that a bath-house be
erected for her use, and during his absence Barbara had three windows put in
it, instead of the two originally
intended. When her father returned he denounced her before the civil
tribunal, accusing her in Christianity and honoring the Trinity. She was
tortured, and at last was beheaded. The father himself carried out the
death-sentence. Before the ninth century St. Barbara was publicly venerated both in the
East and in the West. The legend that her father was struck by lightning
caused her, probably, to be regarded by the common people as the patron saint
in time of danger from thunder-storms and fire, and later by analogy, as the
protector of artillerymen and miners. She was also called upon as intercessor
to assure the receiving of the Sacraments of Penance at the hour of
death. St. Barbara is represented standing in a tower (often with three
windows), carrying the palm of a martyr in her hand; often also she holds a
chalice and sacramental wafer; sometimes cannon are displayed near her. In the Greek and present Roman calendars the feast of St. Barbara falls
on 4 December, while the martyrologies on the ninth century generally place
it on 16 December. |
