About St. Barbara: In my thought St. Barbara is the patron of hazardous
or dangerous works and betwen them, the mining activities. In Spain are
recorded mines named too St. Barbara, as in the coal area of Asturias (North
Spain) were still lies a mine so called (Pozo Santa Barbara). The reason
may be not other than the saint protect the miners against hazards and,
probably, specially those related to gun powder or dynamite explosions used
in extractive works. There is also an enterprise devoted to military
activities (bombs, mines- thanks god recently banished- and so) called Santa
Barbara National Enterprise, I think by the same reason. Finally, Sta.
Barbara protects also against storms, and people in Spain pray the saint
when it occurs and asking protection for thunders.
Hope that helps you.
Angel Fuentes. Departament of Archaeology. University Autonoma. Madrid
At 11:22 5/10/98 -0400, you wrote:
>I am new to this group so a few words to introduce myself. I am a retired
>civil engineer and a member of a number of caving and mining societies. I
>live close to the freestone underground quarries at Box in Wiltshire UK and
>have some knowledge of them.
>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
>
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