MiamiCubano
El Martillo (My Boxing Name)
Ok, well, first things first, it's actually December 4, 2007. But, here in the Keys, we had the feast/celebration last night, Saturday, with the festivities commencing at 20:00 and ending at around 02:00, with the candle lighting having had happened at midnight. TONS of food, cigars, libations, cigars, live music/salsa, the color red, roses, candles and candle-lighting, agua bendita, cigars, yerba buena, cake made of all manner of tropical fruits, etc..
Anyway, it was an outstanding night, dedicated to the Patron Saint of Artillerymen.
For your reading/edification pleasure:
The hagiography of Saint Barbara says that she was born about A.D. 300 in Nicomedia, Bithynia. Her father, Dioscurus, was the head of a well to do, aristrocratic family. Dioscurus, who was a pretty cruel bastard, and a pagan, had her shut in a tower in order to preserve her from suitors. Because of her singular beauty and fearful that she be demanded in marriage and taken away from him, he jealously shut her up in a tower to protect her from the outside world. Influenced by the deacon Valentinus, who later became a bishop and martyr himself, she secretly converted from Polytheism to Christianity. Her father commanded that she be built a bath-house, so that she would not have to use the public baths, still trying to keep her secluded. The design for the bath-house originally had two windows, but Barbara had a third installed to commemorate the Trinity. She also carved a cross into the marble floor.
Her father, seeing these changes, was not to happy. Discovering that she was a Christian angered him further. Dioscurus went to his daughter, and when she tried to convert him to Christianity he became furious and wanted her dead. Confronted with this, she began praying. The story tells that her prayers were answered by an opening in the tower wall forming which allowed her to escape. Pursued by her father and guards, she hid in a gorge in the mountains. She stayed hidden here until a n'er do well shepherd betrayed her. As legend has it, the shepherd was transformed into a marble statue and his herd into grasshoppers.
However, she was of course found and she was gruesomely tortured, then, ultimately beheaded. Her father carried out the final sentence himself. He dragged her before the perfect of the province, who decreed that she be tortured and put to death by beheading. On his way home from the ordeal he was struck by lightning and his body consumed.
Despite being tortured, Barbara held true to her faith throughout. During the night, the dark prison was bathed in light and new miracles occurred. Every morning her wounds were healed. Torches that were to be used to burn her went out as soon as they came near her. This was the fourth miraculous occurrence during Barbara’s long and painful martyrdom, and according to the legend, Barbara died a martyr’s death on 4 December 306 A.D. Juliana of Nicomedia suffered martyrdom along with Barbara and is likewise venerated as a Saint.
She is particularly known as a Patron Saint to artillerymen. The Order of Saint Barbara is an honorary military society of the United States Field Artillery. The order is managed by the U.S. Field Artillery Association and two levels of recognition exist. The most distinguished level is the Ancient Order of Saint Barbara and those who are selected for this honor have achieved long-term, exceptional service to the field artillery surpassing even their brethren in the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara. The order links field artillerymen of the past and present in a brotherhood of professionalism, selfless service and sacrifice symbolized by Saint Barbara.
-edited for some typos...it's been a long night-day. :whistling: probably still missed some. :laugh:
Anyway, it was an outstanding night, dedicated to the Patron Saint of Artillerymen.
For your reading/edification pleasure:
The hagiography of Saint Barbara says that she was born about A.D. 300 in Nicomedia, Bithynia. Her father, Dioscurus, was the head of a well to do, aristrocratic family. Dioscurus, who was a pretty cruel bastard, and a pagan, had her shut in a tower in order to preserve her from suitors. Because of her singular beauty and fearful that she be demanded in marriage and taken away from him, he jealously shut her up in a tower to protect her from the outside world. Influenced by the deacon Valentinus, who later became a bishop and martyr himself, she secretly converted from Polytheism to Christianity. Her father commanded that she be built a bath-house, so that she would not have to use the public baths, still trying to keep her secluded. The design for the bath-house originally had two windows, but Barbara had a third installed to commemorate the Trinity. She also carved a cross into the marble floor.
Her father, seeing these changes, was not to happy. Discovering that she was a Christian angered him further. Dioscurus went to his daughter, and when she tried to convert him to Christianity he became furious and wanted her dead. Confronted with this, she began praying. The story tells that her prayers were answered by an opening in the tower wall forming which allowed her to escape. Pursued by her father and guards, she hid in a gorge in the mountains. She stayed hidden here until a n'er do well shepherd betrayed her. As legend has it, the shepherd was transformed into a marble statue and his herd into grasshoppers.
However, she was of course found and she was gruesomely tortured, then, ultimately beheaded. Her father carried out the final sentence himself. He dragged her before the perfect of the province, who decreed that she be tortured and put to death by beheading. On his way home from the ordeal he was struck by lightning and his body consumed.
Despite being tortured, Barbara held true to her faith throughout. During the night, the dark prison was bathed in light and new miracles occurred. Every morning her wounds were healed. Torches that were to be used to burn her went out as soon as they came near her. This was the fourth miraculous occurrence during Barbara’s long and painful martyrdom, and according to the legend, Barbara died a martyr’s death on 4 December 306 A.D. Juliana of Nicomedia suffered martyrdom along with Barbara and is likewise venerated as a Saint.
She is particularly known as a Patron Saint to artillerymen. The Order of Saint Barbara is an honorary military society of the United States Field Artillery. The order is managed by the U.S. Field Artillery Association and two levels of recognition exist. The most distinguished level is the Ancient Order of Saint Barbara and those who are selected for this honor have achieved long-term, exceptional service to the field artillery surpassing even their brethren in the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara. The order links field artillerymen of the past and present in a brotherhood of professionalism, selfless service and sacrifice symbolized by Saint Barbara.
-edited for some typos...it's been a long night-day. :whistling: probably still missed some. :laugh:
