Icon of Saint Christopher

Icon Saint Christopher silkscreen of excellent quality with ”vivid” colors and gold acrylic background

Celebration 9 May

The Holy Martyr Christophoros came from a semi-barbarian tribe and was called Rebrovos, which means unacceptable, disapproved, damned. He probably lived during the reign of Emperor Decius (249 – 251 AD), when the Bishop of Antioch was the Holy Hieromartyr Babylon (commemorated on September 4).

The Saint was so very ugly in appearance, that he was called a “dog-face”.

His conversion to Christ was miraculous. He was taken prisoner in a battle his nation was waging with the Roman imperial troops. He joined the Roman legions and fought against the Persians under Gordi and Philip.

When he was still in the catechumenate, in order to please Christ, he settled in a dangerous river passage and carried on his shoulders, free of charge, those who wished to cross the river. One day a little child presented himself to him, who begged him to take him across the river.

Rebrovo willingly put it on his shoulders and leaning on his staff he entered the river. But as he proceeded, the weight of the child increased, so that with great difficulty he managed to reach the opposite bank. When he had reached his destination, he told the child, in a low voice, that if he could lift the whole world he would not be so heavy.

The child replied, “Do not be surprised, for you have not only carried the whole world, but also the one who made it. I am He in Whose service thou hast put thy powers, and in proof of this plant thy staff, and tomorrow it shall have sprouted,” and immediately he disappeared.

Rebrovos planted the rod and the next day found it had indeed sprouted. After this incident he was baptized a Christian by the Holy Martyr Bavila, who renamed him Christopher. The uncreated divine grace, which he received at the time of his baptism and anointing, transformed his entire being. And this even his disfigured face seemed brighter and more beautiful.

In Orthodox hagiography, the Saint is depicted carrying Christ on his shoulder. Perhaps because of this fact, he is considered the protector of drivers and in the Small Eucharist and specifically in the Sequence “for the blessing of a new vehicle” there is, first in the series, his apolytic.

During the persecution against Christians at that time, shortly after his baptism, he saw Christians being abused by the pagans. Out of indignation he intervened and made severe remarks to them, and escaped arrest thanks to his gigantic stature and herculean strength.

But he was denounced to the emperor and his arrest was ordered. Two hundred soldiers were sent for this purpose. These, after searching various places, found him at the moment when he was preparing to eat a piece of dry bread.

The soldiers, exhausted and hungry, asked St. Christopher to give them something to eat and in return they promised not to mistreat him.

One of the soldiers, seeing that there was no other food but dry bread, mocked Christopher, and said that he would gladly become a Christian if he had the strength to fill them all with that piece of bread.

Then the Saint, after kneeling down, began to beg Christ to multiply that piece of bread, as He multiplied the five loaves in the desert, so that the hungry soldiers might be filled and enlightened in His recognition and confession.

The Saint’s request was answered and the piece of bread was multiplied. Seeing this miracle, the soldiers fell at the feet of the Saint and begged him to make them better acquainted with his God.

The Saint simply expounded the Christian doctrine and after they all expressed their desire to become Christians, he led them to the Bishop of Antioch, Babylon, who, after catechizing them, baptized them.

When the emperor Decius was informed of the event, he arrested and beheaded the soldiers, and tried to persuade Christopher with promises and flattery, but his efforts were met with his persistent refusal.

Thereupon he sent to him two corrupt women, Aquilina and Cullini, hoping that with their charms they would seduce and entice him.

The two women, having heard the Saint’s exhortation to return to the path of purity and virtue, became Christians and, after presenting themselves before the Emperor Decius, confessed Christ. For this they met a martyr’s death.

Saint Christopher was then subjected to horrible torture and finally suffered death by beheading in 251 AD.

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