Traveling with Saint Christopher

Pam Spano writes about a popular patron saint whose story has been lost to time.

Recently I traveled to Arizona to visit my friend of nearly 60 years. I had not been to that state in a long time, so I was excited.

Before the trip, I prayed to Saint Christopher for safe travels and peace of mind before I even started my journey. During those prayer times, I realized that Saint Christopher had popped into my life long before my conversion.

I remember staring into a jewelry store window at a pretty, silver Saint Christopher medal. I was maybe 19 or 20. I had no idea why I was so enamored with it. I didn’t purchase it and it was forgotten. It wasn’t until the travel restrictions were lifted and I was packing for a trip that Saint Christopher came to mind.

Who was this saint, who seemed to be forgotten?

In 1969 Pope Paul VI dropped the saint from the General Roman Calendar because there wasn’t enough historical evidence the man existed. Saint Christopher has no date of beautification or canonization, yet his popularity seems to be growing. Perhaps the return to travel in any form has sparked interest in him.

Rheanna Murray took a look at Saint Christopher and other saints who were removed from the Church calendar in her report, "Once a Saint, Always a Saint?"

For more information about Saint Christopher, visit Catholic.org.

Click to tweet:
Who was Saint Christopher, who seemed to be forgotten? #CatholicMom

If you are traveling this year, here’s a prayer to St. Christopher:

Protect me today in all my travels along the road’s way.
Give your warning sign if danger is near so that I may stop while the path is clear.
Be at my window and direct me through when the vision blurs from out of the blue.
Carry me safely to my destined place, like you carried Christ in your close embrace.
Amen.

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