Mining's martyr remembered

(JB) Luxembourg's patron saint of miners will be celebrated this Saturday with a parade at a former mine in Esch-sur-Alzette.

The festival of Saint Barbara begins with a procession, in which participants will carry a statue of Saint Barbara and one will dress as a miner, departing the Heinzenberg at 3pm. The cortege will then follow rue Jean-Pierre Bausch and Hiehl right up to the Welcome Centre in Ellergronn for speeches, finger food and refreshments.

Traditionally the festival of Saint Barbara is marked on December 4. The legend goes that she was the daughter of a rich pagan called Dionoscorus, who locked her in a tower to preserve her from the outside world. When she turned down a marriage offer on the basis she had converted to Christianity, her father attempted to kill her.

Barbara escaped but was betrayed to her father by a shepherd. Her opponents attempted to maim and kill her but every morning her wounds were healed. Meanwhile lit torches intended to kill her would go out as soon as they came near her. Barbara was eventually beheaded by her father, who was later killed by lightning.

Because of her association with lightning and fire, Barbara was made the patron of artillery and mining.