Saint ChristopherArticle Free Pass Saint Christopher,
(flourished 3rd century; Western feast day July 25; Eastern
feast day May 9), patron saint of travelers and, in the 20th
century, of motorists, one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. 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 f