Saint Barbara Confirmation Report

Summary:

Saint Barbara lived in Nicomedia and was the daughter of Dioscorus who prisoned her in a high tower in order to preserve her from the outside world and also due to her “disobedience.” While imprisoned her studies led her to secretly become a Christian.

Before leaving on a journey, he intended to make a private bath-house for her which intended to have two windows, but instead Barbara made them put three windows, as a symbol of the Holy Trinity. Dioscorus ordered that she was to be killed when he discovered she was Christian. He first tortured her but miracles kept on healing and saving her, but unfortunately in the end he managed to kill her by beheading. However, as a punishment he was struck dead by lightening.

What did Saint Barbara do in order to become a Saint?

She was tortured and eventually beheaded by her own father in the year 235 for refusing to abandon her Christian faith. Dying for ones beliefs in Christ is usually considered as an automatic sainthood for the martyr.

Reason for choosing Saint Barbara to be my Confirmation Saint:

Saint Barbara is someone who I continuously look up to whom practiced the Christian faith. She has always been considered my family’s favorite saint. Her story inspires me to be a better person and to be true to what I believe in despite what others say. I am amazed at the amount of courage, will, and bravery she had, and I really hope I have courage like that someday. Her story gives me a vivid reminder that their can be anger in our lives but we can control this by being in touch with God’s presence and continue to look up and pray to him no matter what.

Also, due to my cultural background, my family firmly believes she was a great saint and therefore we have great devotion and celebrate her feast day, December 4th, annually which we don’t do to any other saints, making me further familiar with her life and background. We celebrate by making a dessert from boiled bailey, lighting candles and singing songs dedicated and made about her.

Another reason why I chose this saint is due to my mother’s influence as she was describing her uniqueness, and also in respect to making her happy when she asked me to choose Saint Barbara, in which she appreciatively acknowledged. However, despite the fact that the Catholic Church no longer celebrates her feast day liturgically as of the 1962 calendar, I will always do so and will continue to venerate her and follow the older missal, in which many countries do.