The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-04-23
Legend of St. Christopher.
From the Irish .RosarY.l

In the beautiful Othce Tor the teaStS OF martyrs
the Church sings Behold the saints, how great
tribuations they all have suffered that they might
securely attain the palm of martyrdom. Their
bodies are buried In peace, and their names shall
live for evermore." The name of st. Christopher
lives today though he was martyred in the days of
the early Christian prosecutions under the Roman
Emperor Decius iii Lycia, Asio Minor. He is hon
ored on July % in the martyroogy which bears the
name of st. Jerome and the Measurable Breviary,
attributed to st. 1sidore, mentions the translation
of his relics to Toledo. whence they were brought
into France, to the Abbey of ST. Denys, near Paris.
There are still a few statues of gigantic height,
which witness to the remembrance of him by our
Catholic ancestors, who invoked his intercession,
especially IN times of pestilence.
Christopher means "Christ-bearer" and, like
~Theophorus." was a word dear to the saints ex-
pressve of their great love of Our Lord, which is
the chief treasure they carry in their hearts. the
object of their whole affection We do not know
anything of his life, save the fact and time of his
martyrdom. His name, perhaps, adopted by him
self on his conversion from paganism may have
given the tradition of his great stature, and this
combined with the fact of his martyrdom-pro-
lOnged perhaps, through a long series of fortunes
cruelty devised by pagan judges, which may be al
legorcaly expressed by representing the saint wad
ing through a sea or food of tribuations before he
received the palm of martyrdom-nay have been
the source from which was created by pious i'm
agination the beautiful legend of his life
The beauty of the legend though it may rest on
q very slender historical basis, should secure him
place in all future Alphabets of Saints. In these
modern days. when science and historical criticism
hold sway over our minds we cannot believe the
legend itself; perhaps ancestors never gave it
credence at least it has never been recognized by
the Church. Still are never tired of hearing it
told though we be as child who, perhaps
er having heard of ST Nicolaus looks forward with
eager preparation the eve of each Christmas to
the advent of the benefcent Santa Claus whether
II be through the doorway or down the chimney.
The earlier part of the legend is perhaps now
generally forgotten; the latter part is better known,
preserved it is by pictures. The first Is sketch
taken from the fresco painting in the old Catholic
Church at Pickering, in Yorkshire. The fresco be-
longs to the late fifteenth early sixteenth century,
and amidst all the iconoelasm of the Reformation
was left intact with other legends, including that
Of St George, until about 1850 when the Vicar de-
lbeTatey eff8ced and whtewashed the whole. The
Protestant whltewash was, however, carefully re-
moved in 1873, and this art-work of the old Cath
Ole days, perhaps the best in England, though many
others have again seen the light was as nearly as
possible restored. The second illustration is from
an ancient woodcut of little earlier date.
Thus runs the legend translated from Legenda
Sanctorum sive Lombartica Historic (Jacobi JAN
uensis) 1892:
Christopher, native of Canaan, was one of the
3ugest Of men, and had face it frightened one to
look upon; his length measured full twelve cubits
Once as some Of the chronicles Of his deeds relate
when he Of the retinue of King of Ca
naan, the idea took possession of his mind to go
seek out the greatest of the princes of the EARTH
and remain III his service until his death Accord
lngly he went and discovered at last certain very
mighty klng-the greatest, it universally said,
N the whole world. The King graciously accepted
ms proHered service, and gave him place in his
court
Now. after while one Of the court testers sang
song where the name of the devil was always com
ing IN, and every time the devils name was men,
uonod, the King, who was Christian, made the
sign Of the cross on his forehead. Christopher no
IIeed this, and was puzzled, wondering what the
jhlng was doing, and what good the sign could do
nm Asking him about it, and finding him shy to
speak of it. Christopher made answer: off thou
eLest me not, l will serve thee no longer"
30 the King said: whenever / hear the name
81 the devil spoken myself for fear the devil
should get hold of me and do me hurt"
hen said Christopher: IF thou art afraid the
uev will harm thee, it is plain he is stronger and
greater than thou. / wronged in my hope
mad found in thee the first and mightest of princes
leave thee to seek my lord devil; him will serve"
Accordingly, Christopher left the Kings SER
wee, and FASTENED away to look for the devil
Some time afterwards Christopher found him
sell crossing desert, and there he came across a
great army. One of the soldiers savagelookinp
and terrible to behold came out from the multitude
ana asked him whittier he was going CHRISTOPHER
gave hm his answer: Il am seeking my lord devil.
LOT have chosen him as my master"
but the soldier said: 81 am he whom tbou seeL
est" ~ i 'nou seek
Then Christopher was glad. and swore himself q
servant for and the devil his lord and master
1hey went away together, and came to a country