The year of her death could have been either circa 200 c.e. or maybe 306 c.e.
Santa Barbara/Saint Barbara’s legend is included in Vincent of Beauvais' Speculum historiale (xii.64). Her legend can also found in later versions of Jacobus de Voragine’s Golden Legend (Legenda aurea) which was popular in the Middle Ages. Sundry versions of the tale, including two surviving mystery plays, differ on the location of her martyrdom, which is variously named as being in either Tuscany, Rome, Baalbek, Antioch, or Nicomedia.
Despite any inconsistencies or questions involving Saint Barbara’s holy life, she has NOT been removed from the Catholic Church's official list of saints. Many Catholics—and certain parishes and locations—still actively venerate Santa Barbara/Saint Barbara and celebrate her feast day.
Nevertheless, historical questions regarding some of dates and locations involving Saint Barbara’s legend eventually caused her feast day to be removed from the General Roman Calendar.
Saint Barbara is still known as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
The legend that a lightning bolt struck down her father, Dioscorus, has caused Santa Barbara to be invoked for protection against lightning, storms, thunder, and fire. Due to her associations with fire and explosions, Saint Barbara is also the patroness of artillery and mining.
Thus, Saint Barbara is specifically venerated by those who face the danger of a "violent death " and/or "sudden death" due to their type of employment. She is invoked against thunder and lightning, fire, as well as all accidents arising from gunpowder explosions. As such, she became the patron saint of artillerymen, armourers, military engineers, gunsmiths, and anyone else who worked with gunpowder or other explosive materials. Following the widespread adoption of gunpowder in mining in the 1600s, Saint Barbara was adopted as the patron of miners, tunnellers, and other underground workers. As the study of geology developed as a scholarly pursuit, she acquired a patronage of geologists. Likewise, as mine engineering developed in association with mining, she became patron of this profession.
The Italian word, “santabarbara”, as well as the Spanish term, “santabárbara”, and the now obsolete French term, “Sainte-Barbe”, all signify the powder magazine of either a ship or a fortress.
Santa Barbara is the patron saint of Paternò, Italy, in the province of Catania. The festa di Santa Barbara has been claimed to be “one of the most beautiful Catholic feasts in Italy.” Events honoring Santa Barbara are held annually on December 3, 4, 5 and 11, May 27 and July 27.
Official Feast Day:
December 4 (formerly December 16); her feast day was limited to local calendars in 1969.
Patronage:
Santa Barbara is specifically invoked against: the perils and problems caused by fire, thunder, lightning, lightning strikes, storms, explosions, death by artillery, and mine collapse--as well as vermin.
Her patronage also includes: fire prevention, fire safety, firefighters, artillerymen, ammunition workers, gunners, explosive workers, bomb technicians, manufacturers of fireworks, fireworks, ammunition magazines, military shells, artillery, armourers, warehouses, smelters, prisoners, martyrs, dying people, sudden death, surgeons, gravediggers, safety from storms, boatmen, mariners, sailors, architects, artisans, carpenters, builders, construction workers, miners, tunnelers, geologists, stonecutters, tilers, fortifications, brass workers, foundry workers, chemical engineers; military engineers, ordnance workers, mathematicians, brewers, hatters, milliners, hatmakers. She is likewise known as the “Patron of Good Death”.
The sword—which Santa Barbara is frequently depicted with--is the same sword that was used by her father to behead her.
She can also be invoked to pray for any person who is guilty of the sin of impenitence, which is the persistent refusal of a sinner to repent from a mortal sin—even as that sinner exhales the last breath of life.
Santa Barbara is also honored in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the “Great Martyr Barbara”.
Santa Barbara likewise has patronage over: Paternò, Italy; Russian Missile Strategic Forces; Lebanon.
In Catholic iconography, Santa Barbara is represented by:
Santa Barbara is often—but not always—depicted in a white dress with a red robe. The red represents the blood of Christ, while the white represents her purity as a virgin martyr.
Saint Barbara’s veneration can be traced to the 9th century—appearing first in the Eastern Christian churches. Yet, during the 7th century, the name of “Saint Barbara” was likewise known in Rome.
—Myth Woodling, August 2021
Four Santa Barbara Prayers
Prayer Requesting the Protection of Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, blessed virgin, great of immense power, may God be with you, and you with me on the path of good. With your winning sword deliver me from evil, injustice, envy, and evil eyes (malocchia). With the power of lightning, protect me from my enemies, glorify the fire mouth of my cannon and let it emerge victorious.
Amen.
Safe Travel in Rain and Thunderstorms
Santa Barbara, save me from sudden death, as I am traveling thru thunder and rain, while under your protection. Amen. (Recite 3 Our Fathers.) Amen.
Most Powerful Prayer Petitioning the Protection of Santa Barbara
And Her Assistance with Money and Finances
Powerful Santa Barbara, a fighter, help me win this battle.
You who did not fall into the temptation of evil, you who claimed with your love, all adversity, coming out victorious, I beg you to intercede for me to GOD, Our Lord, to help me cope with this moment in which He tests me.
May He, from his august abode, grant me the force enough where the good will be the winner.
(Make your first Money Request)
LORD, that you gave Santa Barbara an incredible strength to withstand the greatest outrages and torments for being faithful to You, we ask that we—like her—we be strong in adversity and humble in prosperity to achieve—like her—eternal bliss.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
(make your second Money Request)
Blessed Barbara, who dyed your chaste virginity with the red blood of your martyrdom for the love of your Lord God, defend me from the storms, fires, catastrophes, and all calamities of this world.
Deliver me from sudden death. Intercede for me to the Lord to help me achieve prosperity in this life, to live in holy friendship, and to reach the end of my days in peace in his divine grace.
(make your third Money Request)
Amen. (Make the Sign of the Cross)
Prayer for Courage in Action
Saint Barbara, you are stronger than the tower of a fortress and the fury of hurricanes. Do not let lightning hit me, thunder frighten me, or the roar of chaos jolt my courage. Stay always by my side so that I may confront all the storms and battles of my life as needed. Winning all the struggles, may I be grateful to you, my protector, and render thanks to God, the Creator of Heaven, Earth, and Nature, who has the power to dominate the fury of the storm and to mitigate the cruelty of war.
Saint Barbara, pray for me and for who I must protect.
Amen.
August 22, 2021, Myth Woodling