Surely you know the medal of Saint Christopher : a jewel that represents a middle-aged bearded man crossing a river carrying the Child Jesus on his shoulders and a cane in his hand. Sometimes it also bears the Latin inscription ‘Stvs. Christophorvs Protector Noster ”which means:“ Saint Christopher, Our Protector ”and worn by many Catholics . But what is the curious story behind the meaning of the Saint Christopher medal ?
The curious story behind the meaning of the Saint Christopher medal
The medal of San Cristobal tells the story of this saint in just one image. For Christians, Saint Christopher is both the patron saint of travelers and the protector of children . That is why the Saint Christopher medal is usually worn in cars and that is why many parents, godparents and godmothers offer this religious jewel to their son or godson when their christening is celebrated. Etymologically, Christopher means “the one who leads Christ.” However, it is curious to discover that the saint’s real name is Ofero (also called Opherus or Offerus), who apparently belonged to a royal family from Canaan or Arabia and who also stood out for his imposing plant and strength.
Saint Christopher according to legend
Even today, San Cristóbal is considered a legendary figure in the absence of irrefutable evidence of his existence. According to legend, he served the new king of his country until he saw him freak out at the mention of the devil. Therefore, he decided to seek the devil to serve him . At this point he encountered a gang of criminals. One of these criminals pretended to be the devil himself and Ofero prepared to render his services. But very quickly, he saw that the devil was afraid of the cross. Then she realized that she actually feared Jesus, whom she later decided to serve. As you may have understood, San Cristóbal only put himself at the service of the strongest, undoubtedly to ensure he won.
In his search for Christ, he came across a hermit who explained everything about the Christian faith to him. The hermit told him that to serve Jesus Christ you have to pray and fast. The stocky man used to using his physical strength found this not to suit him at all. Therefore, the hermit offered him another alternative, to help people cross a tumultuous river and that is how Saint Christopher carried a child on his shoulders, accompanied by a stick in his hand. But unlike the people he had been helping up to then, the boy weighed more as they crossed the river. The two nearly drowned on several occasions. Saint Christopher, therefore, struggled to get him across the troubled waters , but he managed to do it anyway.
During this dangerous journey, the boy told him that he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. The boy presented himself to Ofero as Jesus Christ, his king. It was there that he became Patron of Travelers.
Devotion to Saint Christopher
Everything we know about San Cristóbal is based on this legend. We assume that there is no evidence on the biographical details of the character and what actually happened. But we have to admit that the story is inspiring. In particular, it gave rise to a special devotion in the history of the church . This is reflected in particular in the special importance that believers attach to the Saint Christopher medal.
The Saint Christopher medal
The origin of the Saint Christopher medal is none other than this golden legend. Its most common form represents the saint carrying the Child Jesus on his shoulders in turbulent waters with the inscription “Saint Christopher protect us” or “Saint Christopher our protector.” Christians, especially Catholics and Orthodox, wear the medal as a pendant in devotion to Saint Christopher and to benefit from his protection. San Cristóbal is, in general, one of the protective saints. But he is best known for protecting us on a long journey. It is for this particular reason that the religious medal representing him is often affixed to automobiles. Christian jewelry is believed to protect passengers from traffic accidents.
