Lentorama 2018: Second String Saints

Day 2 - St. Christopher

It's a little odd to refer to St. Christopher as a second string saint, given that he's still really popular, but as it's likely that he never existed I'll get used to it.

The general story is that Christopher lived in the second century, and while working to guide people across a river he was given a child to carry across. As they went the water rose, and the child grew incredibly heavy. Barely making the other side, Christopher learned that the child was actually Christ, and that the weight represented the weight of the world.

After this, Christopher wound up in Asia Minor trying to convert the locals, and while there refused to make a pagan sacrifice. Women were sent to Christopher to tempt him, but he wound up converting them. The local king, enraged, ordered Christopher's execution, which took several attempts.

Now for the confusing part. There are no contemporary references to Christopher, so it's possible that he's based on the Egyptian St. Menas, who is also associated with a story where he carried a Christ child across a river. There's also a gap of several centuries between when Christopher was said to have lived and when his veneration became common.

Even with all the mystery about who Christopher actually was (or even if he was), he's still a saint, so feel free to wear you St. Christopher medal the next time you go on a trip.