Día de Santa Bárbara: Changó

Oración a Santa Bárbara

Soberano y Eterno Dios, admirable en tus Santos, especialmente en la gloriosa Virgen y Martir Santa Bárbara, a quien preveniste con tu gracia, por cuya fe a los doce años de edad padeció cárceles, azotes y otros crueles martirios, hasta ser degollada por su mismo padre, en cuyo tránsito te pidió le hicieras gracia, que los que se valieran de su intercesión fuesen libres de todo mal, socorriéndolos en la hora de la muerte, no permitiendo muriesen sin los Santos Sacramentos y se la otorgaste, asegurándola que había sido oída su petición; ruégote, Señor, por los méritos de tu querida esposa Santa Bárbara, a quien fortaleció tu Omnipotencia e ilustró tu sabiduría y abrazó tu amor, me concedas fortaleza para resistir las tentaciones para conocer y llorar mis culpas y amor tuyo, para que abrazado en él merezca el patrocinio de esta Sagrada Virgen, y en especial en la hora de mi muerte, en que fortalecido con los Santos Sacramentos y por medio de ellos y la intercesión de la Santa, gozar en su compañía contigo en la gloria, en donde vives y reinas por todos los siglos de los siglos. Amén.

The legendary biographies of Santa Barbara

According to the Roman Missal before the last Council, the martyrdom of Santa Barbara had occurred in Nicomedia, in the third century AD, under Emperor Maximinus Thrax. Variants of the many legends that correspond or are known after the seventh century, during which time the Santa was much revered and her places of hypothetical  residence became a frequent destination of numerous pilgrimages. The traditions quoted as far away as Antioch, Nicomedia or Heliopolis as  the places of Santa Barbara's birth and death. Centuries later, the medieval martyrologies indicated Tuscany or even Rome, as places where both events had occurred.

Almost all news we have to date tell that Barbara was the only daughter of a tyrant called Dioscuro. Orphaned of her mother at seven years old, and very young, she had converted to Christianity. After returning from a tour of inspection through the Roman province, her father proposed the girl in a marriage of convenience, which she rejected. Dioscuro discovered Barbara's conversion to Christianity and denounced her to the Roman praetor, who was forced to condemn her to death. The satrap, who already had built a tower to keep Barbara away from the world and forced her to apostasy, subjected her to all sorts of punishment and abuse and eventually requested permission to execute the death sentence personally. Afterward, he slit her throat with his own sword. At the moment he was committing parricide, Dioscuro was struck by lightning. To this fact, it seems, the origin of the phrase "Remember Santa Bárbara when it thunders,"  is attributed and also that the Church nominated her the Holy Protector of people and their property from storms.