In centuries past it was a common Catholic custom to invoke the spiritual assistance of 14 ancient Catholic Saints--mostly martyrs--for help in a host of personal problems: Throat ailments, headaches, stomach and intestinal disorders, epilepsy, storms, traveling, diabolical possession, fire, madness, backache, family troubles, death agony, bites from animals, lightning, sudden death, etc. These 14 Saints became known as "The 14 Holy Helpers," and devotion to them was virtually universal in the Church. Here are the Patron Saints of maidens, mechanics, architects, builders, Christian philosophers, cripples, beggars, women in childbirth, dancers, midwives, physicians, etc.
Among the 14 Holy Helpers are St. George, St. Blaise, St. Christopher, St. Denis, St. Margaret, St. Catherine, St. Barbara, etc. This book has a short, inspiring biography of each Saint, followed by the lessons to be learned from his life, plus the principal cares for which he is usually invoked. Devotions and prayers to each Saint complete the book.
All in all, The 14 Holy Helpers is a work to inspire everyone to invoke these Saints--in order to obtain many favors from Heaven and to link the present age with the earliest centuries of the Church.
Profile Beautiful maiden imprisoned in a high tower by her father Dioscorus for disobedience. While there, she was tutored by philosophers, orators and poets. From them she learned to think, and decided that polytheism was nonsense. With the help of Origen and Valentinian, she converted to Christianity.
Her father denounced her to the local authorities for her faith, and they ordered him to kill her. She escaped, but he caught her, dragged her home by her hair, tortured her, and killed her. He was immediately struck by lightning, or according to some sources, fire from heaven.
Her imprisonment led to her association with towers, then the construction and maintenance of them, then to their military uses. The lightning that avenged her murder led to asking her protection against fire and lightning, and her patronage of firefighters, etc. Her association with things military and with death that falls from the sky led to her patronage of all things related to artillery, and her image graced powder magazines and arsenals for years. One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
While there were undoubtedly beautiful converts named Barbara, this saint is legend, and her cultus developed when pious fiction was mistaken for history.
Died beheaded by her father c.235 at Nicomedia during the persecution of Maximinus of Thrace; relics at Burano, Italy, and Kiev, Russia
Patron Of:
Against Lightning, Archers, Automobiles, Bachelors, Boatmen, Bookbinders, Bus Drivers, Epilepsy, Floods, Gardeners, Hazards While Traveling, Lightning, Mariners, Motorists, Porters, Sailors, Storms, Sudden Death, Toothache, Travel, Travelers, Truck Drivers
Profile Third century martyr in the persecutions of Decius. Little else is known for sure.
His fame derives from the pious legend of him being a "Christ-bearer" (= Christopher). He was a powerfully built man who wandered the world in search of novelty and adventure. He came upon a hermit who lived beside a dangerous stream and served others by guiding them to safe places to cross. He gave Offero instruction in the truth of God. Offero took the hermit's place, but instead of guiding travelers, he carried them safely across the stream.
One day he carried a small child across the stream; the child's weight nearly crushed him. When they arrived on the other side, the child revealed himself as Christ, and he was so heavy because he bore the weight of the world on himself. He then baptized Offero with water from the stream. Christopher's service at the stream led to his patronage of things related to travel and travelers, people who carry things, etc. One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
Born at Canaan as Offero
Died martyred c.251 Third century martyr in the persecutions of Decius. Little else is known for sure.
Patron Of:
Against Fenzy, Against Strife, Headaches, Possesed People
Missionary to Paris. First Bishop of Paris. His success roused the ire of local pagans, and he was imprisoned by Roman governor. Martyred in the persecutions of Valerius with Saint Rusticus and Saint Eleutherius. Legends have grown up around his torture and death including one that has his body carrying his severed head some distance from his execution site. Saint Genevieve built a basilica over his grave. His feast was added to the Roman Calendar in 1568 by Pope Saint Pius V, though it had been celebrated since 800. One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
Died : beheaded c.258 at Montmarte (= mount of martyrs); his corpse was thrown in the Seine, but recovered and buried later that night by his converts; relics at the monastery of Saint Denis
Profile Soldier. Martyr. That's all we know for sure.
Several stories have been attached to Saint George, the best known of which is the Golden Legend. In it, a dragon lived in a lake near Silena, Libya. Whole armies had gone up against this fierce creature, and had gone down in painful defeat. The monster ate two sheep each day; when mutton was scarce, lots were drawn in local villages, and maidens were substituted for sheep. Into this country came Saint George. Hearing the story on a day when a princess was to be eaten, he crossed himself, rode to battle against the serpent, and killed it with a single blow with his lance. George then held forth with a magnificent sermon, and converted the locals. Given a large reward by the king, George distributed it to the poor, then rode away.
Due to his chivalrous behavior (protecting women, fighting evil, dependence on faith and might of arms, largesse to the poor), devotion to Saint George became popular in the Europe after the 10th century. In the 15th century his feast day was as popular and important as Christmas. Many of his areas of patronage have to do with life as a knight on horseback. The celebrated Knights of the Garter are actually Knights of the Order of Saint George. The shrine built for his relics at Lydda, Palestine was a popular point of pilgrimage for centuries. One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Died tortured and beheaded c.304 at Lydda, Palestine
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