Christopher, St.

St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers. The Roman emperor Decius supposedly killed him around A . D . 250, but there is no historical evidence that he ever existed.

The best-known legend about St. Christopher says that he was a giant who wanted to serve the world's most powerful king. When he found out that Christ was the greatest king, he converted to Christianity. He then took up a post by a river that had no bridge and carried travelers across on his shoulders. One day he was carrying a small child who became so heavy that Christopher could barely make it across. The child turned out to be Christ himself, and Christopher had just carried the weight of the world's sins. Because the name Christopher means "bearer of Christ," the saint is usually shown in art carrying Christ as a child on his back.