Christopher, Saint

Saint, a saint of the Roman Catholic and Greek churches. He was supposed to have suffered voluntary martyrdom in the third century. The story runs that he was put to the torture by the perfect Dagnus, that nothing could be found to harm him, but one of the poisoned arrows shot at him rebounded and injured the eye of Dagnus. In pity Christopher laid his own head upon the block would heal the wound of his tormentor. Dagnus' eye was restored and he was converted to Christianity. According to the old legend, Christopher's name had been Adokimos, which means the Unrighteous. He was a native of Syria, and a man of gigantic stature, measuring twelve feet in height, well proportioned and strong. Proud of his size and strength, he determined to devote his power to the service of the greatest of rulers. He therefore found, as he believed, the most powerful prince on earth and served him faithfully. But one day, while journeying through a lonely country, they came to a place where two roads met. The prince made the sign of the cross. "Why do you do that?" asked Adokimos, who was a heathen. "For protection against the power of Satan," answered the monarch. "Then, if you fear Satan, he is more powerful than you, and henceforth I will serve Satan." So the giant served Satan. Once, however, in a wood he saw Satan tremble before an image of Christ, and immediately he forsook his master and sought for Christ that he might serve the most powerful only. For long he searched in vain, but at last a pious hermit taught him of Christ and baptized him. But Adokimos said, "I cannot spend my life in prayers and fasting; I should then lose my strength and that is all I have." So the wise hermit stationed the giant in a little hut beside a stream which holy pilgrims often wished to cross, and bade him bear over such travelers on his mighty shoulders. For many years Adokimos lived beside the river and patiently and faithfully performed his task. One dark night a little child called for his services. Adokimos set the boy on his shoulders and plunged into the stream, but as he advanced the burden grew heavier and heavier until he could scarcely stand even with the support of his strong staff. He was tempted to throw off the burden, but struggled on, and at last, exhausted, set the child down on the further bank. Then Adokimos looked at the little one and saw to his astonishment that a glory shone about its head. "Thou shalt no more be called the Unrighteous," said the child, "but thou shalt be called Christopher, because thou hast borne the Christ. In bearing me, thou has carried the sins of the whole world." Then he thrust the giant's staff into the ground and disappeared. In the morning the staff had taken root and bore leaves and buds and blossoms, that all men might know that Christopher spoke the truth when he said he had borne the Christ.