Saint Christopher

Christopher was a martyr of the early Church, probably of the third century, about whom almost nothing is known for certain. His feast was removed from the universal calendar in 1969 for that reason, but he remains a saint and is still widely honoured. His name is Greek for Christ-bearer.

The legend tells of a giant who carried travellers across a river and one night bore a child who grew heavier with every step, for he was carrying Christ, the maker of the world. Painters show him wading through water with the Christ Child on his shoulder. Medieval churches often painted him large on the wall opposite the door, where all who entered would see him.