On Mon, 5 Oct 1998, M Breakspear wrote:
> I have just returned from a rainy holiday in Alsace and was lucky enough
> to be invited to spend a working day in Schauinsland mine over the
> border in The Black Forest. In a niche at the top of one of the shafts
> was an efigy of Saint Barbara who, I was told, is the patron saint of
> miners in that area. Does anyone know the history of Saint Barbara and
> if she has that role in other countries? Mike Breakspear
In fact, St Barbara is a Roman Catholic saint and details about her life
can be found at
http://dttwv01.org/201st/LSB.htm
http://members.aol.com/TheBarbara/Saint.html
http://www.kfunigraz.ac.at/ -> search -> Saint Barbara
a bit more comic style is
http://www.adena.com/adena/sts/barbara.htm
Veneration of St Barbara is common in Southern Germany and Austria, and
traditionally twigs of forsythia or cherry trees are cut on December 4,
her special day, and put into a vase with water. If the twigs are in bloom
by Christmas this is considered a good sign. She's the patron saint of all
those in danger of sudden death (her prosecutor was struck by lightening),
including miners. There is a similar chapel in the Erzberg underground
mine (Voest Alpine) at Eisenerz, Styria, Austria.
Further info at
[log in to unmask]
Irene
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Wer die Vergangenheit nicht kennt, kann die Zukunft nicht gestalten.
(Goethe)
Irene E Schrufer-Kolb
School of Archaeological Studies Tel.: +44-116-252-3980
University of Leicester FAX: +44-116-252-5005
University Road e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Leicester LE1 7RH HTTP://WWW.LE.AC.UK/AR/IES1/
United Kingdom
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