CHRISTOPHER, SAINT

flourished 3rd century, ; Western feast day July 25; Eastern feast day May 9 patron saint of travelers and, in the 20th century, of motorists. Though one of the most popular saints, there is no certainty that he existed historically. According to the Roman martyrology, he died in Lycia under the Roman emperor Decius (c. 250). He is the hero of many later legends, which represent him as a giant who, after being converted, devoted his life to carrying travelers across a river. One day a small child asked to be transported, and in the middle of the river the child became so heavy that Christopher staggered under the burden, complained of the weight, and was told that he had borne upon his back the world and Him who created it. Hence, Christopher (Greek: "Christ-Bearer") is generally represented in art carrying the Christ child on his back. In 1969 his name was dropped from the calendar of the Roman Catholic church, and his feast day is no longer obligatory.