 St. Barbara by Robert Campin |
St. Barbara was born in Nicomedia on the Sea of Marmara, daughter of a satrap called Discorus. He had her shut up in tower to preserve her from Christian teaching. While her father was absent, Barbara got converted and decorated one of the windows in her tower in honor of Holy Trinity. Her father was outraged and commanded her death. She managed to escape, but was betrayed by a shepherd. She was caught and tortured, and finally beheaded. Immediately after her execution her father was struck down by lightning. St. Barbara protects against lightning, she is the patron saint of gunners, miners, and firemen. In fine arts her attributes are: three-windowed tower, lightning, crown of martyrdom.
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