St. Christopher
Feast Day: July 25
A huge man wades into a rushing river at night.
On his shoulders sits a small child.
With every step, the child gets heavier.
The water rises. The man leans hard on his staff.
By the time he reaches the other side, he can barely stand.
“You were so heavy,” he gasps. “It felt like I was carrying the whole world.”
The child answers that he carried more than the world.
He carried the One who made it.
That is the famous legend of St. Christopher.
St. Christopher, pray for us.
Wait, Is St. Christopher Still a Saint?
Yes.
This is one of the most common questions Catholics ask about him.
In 1969, the Church revised its universal liturgical calendar.
Saints whose lives we know very little about historically were taken off the list of feasts celebrated at every Mass around the world.
St. Christopher was one of them.
But he was never “un-sainted.”
He is still listed in the Roman Martyrology, the Church’s official list of saints.
Catholics may still honor him, ask his prayers, and wear his medal.
What We Know
Christopher was a martyr.
He was honored as a saint very early, and a church was dedicated in his honor in the 400s.
He is traditionally said to have died in Lycia, in what is now Turkey, in the 200s, during the persecution of the Christians.
Beyond that, the details of his life are not historically certain.
The Legend of the Christ-Bearer
The most famous version of his story comes from the Golden Legend, a collection of saints’ lives written in the 1200s.
It tells of a giant of a man who wanted to serve the greatest king in the world.
He served a king, until he saw the king was afraid of the devil.
So he served the devil, until he saw the devil was afraid of the cross.
So he set out to find Christ.
A hermit told him he could serve Christ by carrying travelers across a dangerous river.
He did it, day and night.
Then came the night of the little child.
After that night, he took the name Christopher.
It means “Christ-bearer.”
Tradition holds that he went on to preach the faith and gave his life as a martyr.
What St. Christopher Teaches Us
Whether every detail of the legend happened or not, its point is true.
Every Christian is called to be a Christ-bearer.
We carry Him in our hearts after Communion.
We carry Him to the people we meet.
And sometimes, serving Christ looks like ordinary, heavy, faithful work.
Carrying people across the rivers in their lives.
You do not have to be famous to serve the greatest King. You just have to carry Him.
When Is the Feast of St. Christopher?
St. Christopher is remembered on July 25 in the Roman Martyrology.
July 25 is also the feast of St. James the Apostle, which is what is celebrated at Mass that day.
But many Catholics still mark St. Christopher’s day, and some parishes bless cars and travelers around this date.
Patron Saint Of
St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers, drivers, and all who are on the road.
That is why so many Catholics keep a St. Christopher medal on their keychain or in their car.
Looking for a saint for another need? See Patron Saints for Every Need.
A Prayer to St. Christopher
This traditional prayer is often called the Motorist’s Prayer.
Grant me, O Lord, a steady hand and watchful eye, that no one shall be hurt as I pass by.
Thou gavest life, I pray no act of mine may take away or mar that gift of Thine.
Shelter those, dear Lord, who bear me company from the evils of fire and all calamity.
Teach me to use my car for others’ need; nor miss through love of undue speed the beauty of the world, that thus I may with joy and courtesy go on my way.
St. Christopher, holy patron of travelers, protect me and lead me safely to my destiny. Amen.
Save or share the Prayer to Saint Christopher for Travelers.
St. Christopher, pray for us.
