St Christopher

Figure H 35.5

St Christopher is one of the most enigmatic Christian saints. The story of his life and martyrdom is described differently in different hagiographic sources. The only universally accepted facts are that he lived in the third century, and that he was a giant with superhuman strength. The most common version in the West European religious tradition was recounted by Jacobus de Voragine in the Golden Legend. The saint, who acquired the Greek name ‘Christ-bearer’, lived near a dangerous river, and would help travellers cross by carrying them on his shoulders. Once, he lifted a child on to his shoulders to cross the river, took up his staff, and waded into the water. But suddenly the water level rose and the child became very heavy. Christopher only just reached the other bank. Then he was told that he had carried Christ, the Creator and the Saviour of the World. St Christopher was very popular all over Europe in the Middle Ages, but in the 16th century, because of the doubts and the unlikely stories about his life (in Eastern Christianity, he was believed to have the head of a dog), he became unfashionable, and eventually his cult waned.

A bronze by an unknown sculptor portrays St Christopher as a traveller in ancient times, holding a young man in his arms dressed in the style of the period. The sculpture departs significantly from the image that is common in Christian iconography: a mighty bearded giant wading in the water with the Infant Jesus on his shoulders, supporting himself on a cross or a staff that has turned into a palm tree. The sculptor probably wanted to create a realistic Historicist image of an ancient giant, instead of the usual symbolic image.

Text author Dalia Vasiliūnienė

Figure H 35.5

St Christopher is one of the most enigmatic Christian saints. The story of his life and martyrdom is described differently in different hagiographic sources. The only universally accepted facts are that he lived in the third century, and that he was a giant with superhuman strength. The most common version in the West European religious tradition was recounted by Jacobus de Voragine in the Golden Legend. The saint, who acquired the Greek name ‘Christ-bearer’, lived near a dangerous river, and would help travellers cross by carrying them on his shoulders. Once, he lifted a child on to his shoulders to cross the river, took up his staff, and waded into the water. But suddenly the water level rose and the child became very heavy. Christopher only just reached the other bank. Then he was told that he had carried Christ, the Creator and the Saviour of the World. St Christopher was very popular all over Europe in the Middle Ages, but in the 16th century, because of the doubts and the unlikely stories about his life (in Eastern Christianity, he was believed to have the head of a dog), he became unfashionable, and eventually his cult waned.

A bronze by an unknown sculptor portrays St Christopher as a traveller in ancient times, holding a young man in his arms dressed in the style of the period. The sculpture departs significantly from the image that is common in Christian iconography: a mighty bearded giant wading in the water with the Infant Jesus on his shoulders, supporting himself on a cross or a staff that has turned into a palm tree. The sculptor probably wanted to create a realistic Historicist image of an ancient giant, instead of the usual symbolic image.

Text author Dalia Vasiliūnienė