Soldiers of the 142nd Field Artillery Brigade, Arkansas Army National Guard, celebrate with one another during the Saint Barbara’s Ceremony held at the Fort Smith Convention Center in Fort Smith, Arkansas, on Feb. 9.
A special table was reserved at the event.
Set for one, the empty chair represent Americans who were or are missing from each of the services, all with us in spirit.
The table is round – to show our everlasting concern.
The cloth is white – symbolizing the purity of their motives when answering the call to serve.
The single red rose reminds us of the lives of these Americans….and their loved ones and friends who keep the faith, while seeking answers.
The yellow ribbon symbolizes our continued uncertainty, hope for their return and determination to account for them.
A slice of lemon reminds us of their bitter fate, captured or missing in a foreign land.
A pinch of salt symbolizes the tears of our missing and their families.
The lighted candle reflects our hope for their return.
The Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain us and those lost from our country, founded as one nation under God.
The glass is inverted – to symbolize their inability to share a toast.
The chairs are/chair is empty – they are missing
According to legend, our patron saint was the beautiful daughter of a nobleman of the Roman Empire. Because of her singular beauty and fearful that she be demanded in marriage and taken away from him, and also to limit Barbara's exposure to Christianity and encourage her development as a zealous pagan, her father kept her shut up in a tower. But even such incarceration could not keep the young woman from becoming a Christian. From her window, she looked out upon the surrounding countryside and marveled at the living things. She concluded they all must be part of a master plan and the idols of wood and stone her parents worshipped had to be condemned as false. She received instruction in Christianity and was baptized.
Shortly before embarking on a journey, he commissioned a sumptuous bathhouse to be built for her, approving the design before he left. The bathhouse was to be lighted by only two windows. In token of her faith, while her father was away, she had another window pierced in the tower, making three, symbolizing the Holy Trinity. On his return, Dioscorus asked why she had made this change, and Barbara acknowledged her conversion. Despite his threats, she refused to renounce Christianity. Dioscorus flew into a rage and dragged her before the local prefect who ordered her death. The evil Dioscorus tortured his daughter, then took her to a high mountain, where he beheaded her. Afterward, as he descended the mountain, he was caught in a sudden violent storm, struck down and consumed by lightning. Only his scorched sword remained as a reminder of God's vengeance.
As a logical consequence, Barbara came to be regarded as the sainted patroness of those in danger from thunderstorms, fire, explosions that is to say, sudden death. Given the questionable reliability of early cannon misfires, muzzle bursts and exploding weapons were not uncommon - it is easy to see why our predecessors sought the protection of Saint Barbara. She has protected us well ever since.
Saint Barbara was venerated as early as the seventh century. She has been popular in the East and West since that time.
Patroness of artillerymen, Saint Barbara was venerated as one of the fourteen Holy Helpers. An occurrence of the year 1448 did much to further the spread of the veneration of the saint.
(U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Stephen M. Wright)
| Date Taken: | 02.09.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 02.19.2019 17:31 |
| Photo ID: | 5115217 |
| VIRIN: | 190209-Z-WE055-1016 |
| Resolution: | 2796x2620 |
| Size: | 3.11 MB |
| Location: | FORT SMITH, AR, US |
| Hometown: | FAYETTEVILLE, AR, US |
| Hometown: | FORT SMITH, AR, US |
| Web Views: | 24 |
| Downloads: | 5 |
This work, Arkansas Guardsmen Celebrate Saint Barbara [Image 11 of 11], by Stephen Wright, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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