by Father Francis Xavier Weninger, 1876 The holy virgin and martyr, St. Barbara, who, from the most ancient times, has been celebrated in the whole Christian world, was born of heathen parents in Nicomedia, of Bithynia. She was much beloved by her father, Dioscorus, on account of her unusual intelligence. He appointed a tower as a special place, well fitted up, for her dwelling, and chose the best masters to instruct her in art and science, but especially in paganism, as he feared she might be induced to unite herself to one not agreeable to him, or be seduced by the Christians, of whom he was a great enemy. But just this solicitude of her father gave her cause to think, and thus to arrive at the knowledge of the true God. She contemplated the heavens, the sun, moon and stars, in their regular course; she meditated on the changing of the seasons; looked on the wonderful creation of the world and its inhabitants, and justly concluded from it that there must be a Creator--that He alone must be the true God, and that the gods she worshipped had no power. To these contemplations she united prayers, and also led a most blameless life. The Almighty, who forsakes not one who aids himself, gave her opportunity to become instructed in the Christian religion, and to receive holy baptism, without the knowledge of her father. (Click here to download the full story)
قصة القديسة بربارة وايمانها بالسيد المسيح ...
ولدت بربارة في مدينة نيقوميدية. وكان ابوها ديوسيقورُسغنياً وثنياً متعصّباً. فأحسن تربيتها بالعلوم والآداب. وبما أنّها كانت رائعةالجمال وضعها في برج حصين، وأقام من حولها الأصنام لتظلّ متعبّدةللآلهة. فأخذت تتأمّل في هذا الكون وتبحث عن مبدعه. ولم ترَ في الأصنام سوىحجارة صُم لا يرجى منها خير. فأتاح لها الله أن اتصلت بالمعلّم فالنتيانوس فأخذيشرح لها أسرار الديانة المسيحيّة وتعاليم الإنجيل السامية. فأذعنت بربارة لهذاالمرشد الحكيم وآمنت بالمسيح وقبلت سرّ العماد المقدّس، ونذرت بتوليتها للربيسوع.
Subject Corner 
