Christopher (3rd century)

Biography

He is represented as a bearded giant, with a staff and carrying a small child: the Child Jesus. Legend says that he was dedicated to passing travelers through a river ford, always looking for that Jesus Christ of whom he had heard so much. One day a little boy arrived, he carried him and in the middle of the river he became so heavy that he could barely reach the other bank: Christopher carried on his shoulders more than the entire universe, the same God who created and redeemed him, and whom he had finally found. Saint Christopher was baptized in Antioch and then went to preach in Lycia and Samos, where he was imprisoned by King Dagon. He resisted Dagon's flattery to recant, but he sent two courtesans, Niceta and Aquilina, to seduce him, who were won by Christopher and died martyrs. He was tortured and after several attempts Dagon ordered his throat cut. According to Walter of Speyer, the Syrian nation along with Dagon converted to Christ.