The virgin and Holy Martyr St. Barbara

She lived in 3rd century in Syrian Heliopolis in pagan family. Barbara was very beautiful. As she did not acquiesce to her father and marry, Dioscorus decided to hide her in a tower built for this purpose. Here in loneliness, she started to study Christianity and was secretly baptized. During father´s absence she had the 3rd window made on the tower, forming a sign of Holy Trinity. Dioscorus raged and handed her over to civil tribunal. The saint was tortured horribly and eventually she was beheaded by her own father. While angels brought her soul to heaven, the lightning stroke Dioscorus and his body burnt to ashes.

Her feast is on December 4th.

Attributes: 3-windows tower, Chalice and Host, cannon, torch.

Besides miners, she is also patron of bellmen, casters and firemen, she is one of the fourteen Holy Helpers.

In 2023 at 20th anniversary of zinc alloys production in Košice we adopted st. Barbara to be our patron to preserve and help us to solve challenges in future turbulent times. Author of our statue is local sculptor Mr. Ján Leško.

Our patron st. Barbara is depicted with Košice belfry, Urban´s tower in hands, standing on a bundle of our Mazak ingots.