On Tuesday (Nov 30), while at Walgreens (pharmacy) and waiting to speak with a pharmacist, I found myself near a little display of Holy candles. One caught my attention and drew me. Saint Barbara. Her kind, intense gaze. The beauty of her face and vestments. The helpful-- and unexpected -- prayer on back. The gorgeous crimson wax filling the glass candle, so fitting for the blood of a Holy martyr. I have plenty of (other) Holy candles already, so decided to wait; finished my business at Walgreens and went home. But I couldn't stop thinking of Saint Barbara. Next morning I returned to buy a Saint Barbara candle, surely the exact one I'd picked up to look over the day before. Every day now she is lit on my home office desk. I accidentally left Saint Barbara's candle lit while out shopping Thursday evening [], we were gone at least 90 minutes, but all was safe. I've since read what I can find of Saint Barbara online. She chose me, and I'm thankful! She graces my home with an added measure of peace and comfort.
Wonderful! Please look on ewtn online soon because they have a movie coming on soon about her. I think it might be tomorrow. Look up the schedule. I saw the trailer. You will love it.
I watched a talk on St Barbara today from Sensus Fidelium. PS Did you know Padre Pio won the Lottery twice?
Everyone here is likely familiar with this (it's new to me): Father mentions she was one of "The Fourteen Holy Helpers, very popular in the Middle Ages." I've read a lot about the Black Death, and years 1100 to 1350 are especially interesting to me. The 1200's most of all. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteen_Holy_Helpers The Fourteen Holy Helpers are a group of saints venerated together by Roman Catholic Christians because their intercession is believed to be particularly effective, especially against various diseases. This group of Nothelfer ("helpers in need") originated in the 14th century at first in the Rhineland, largely as a result of the epidemic (probably of bubonic plague) that became known as the Black Death.
I like this post very much. To clarify, the German noun Not means distress, severe hardship. It has nothing to do with the English word 'not'. Thus, the Nothelfer are very powerful. It is not that they are not helping, to the contrary. They are very powerful indeed. They are particularly powerful against plagues and diseases. St. Barbara, pray for us.
