The Feast Day of St Barbara

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St Barbara, Santa Barbara dei Librai

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December 4th is the feast day of St Barbara, the patron saint of armourers and firemen and is invoked against sudden death by lightning

St Barbara has no historical basis, but the legend surrounding her is a colourful one.  
According to the Legenda Aurea (The Golden Legend, c. 1290) by Jacopo de Varagine (c. 1230-98), her pagan father Dioscurus kept her locked up in a tower to discourage any suitors. The tower had two windows, but, in her father's absence, she persuaded some workmen to add a third.

A priest in the guise of a doctor managed to get into the tower and she was baptised. She then told her father that the windows symbolised the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Her father was furious and handed her over to the Roman authorities. She refused to recant and was tortured before being beheaded by her own father. However, on his way home he was struck by lightning and his body burst into flames.

St Barbara's special attribute is a tower, commonly one with three windows, which we can see on the facade of the church of Santa Barbara dei Librai.  

St Barbara is the patron saint of armourers and firemen and is invoked against sudden death by lightning. The stucco detail beneath her statue actually depicts two firing cannons.
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• See: Church of Santa Barbara dei Librai

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Santa Barbara dei Librai