 St. Christopher On A Movodo Watch (8637)
Saint Christopher Protect us. This is the most common of all the Saint symbols, and this one only being in silver is far plainer than the two enameled ones coming up. What makes this one of my favorite canes isn’t the beauty of the metal, but that it is also a watch. Most know St. Christopher as the patron Saint of travel, how appropriate to pair a watch with him, as it would certainly be an aid in travel. I also like the fact you can’t tell it’s a watch from looking at it. As you can see in the picture with my hand, the latch is almost invisible. You have to know where it is before you push the button and the lid flies up. The workmanship in this one piece handle is terrific, as you would expect from a Movado. It is my guess someone had this custom made, as you wouldn’t think there would be a huge demand for a watch with this combination. Movado is made in Switzerland where most of the watch canes of the world have come from. Canes were also carried much longer in Europe than they were in the U.S., as Europe has always used public transportation in far higher numbers than in America. I would date this in the 1930’s or 40’s.
Christopher is always portrayed as bent over carrying a heavy weight, with a staff to keep him from falling over. The weight he is carrying is the Christ child, as illustrated by the hallo over his head and cross over crown in his hand. Most, including myself, know little else about him. I went to a book recommended by the Catholic Church called, “Lives of the Saints, for every day in the world, by Fr. Alban Butler. This book is one of the most famous ever written. Father Butler (1710-1763) devoted 30 years of meticulous research to the lives of Saints and was first published in 1750’s. The Church believes this book should be” read daily to put oneself in tune with their Holy Catholic traditions and to develop a truly Catholic approach to life.” I quoted that from their dust jacket. There must be a lot of books nobody reads, to have a jacket just to keep the dust off those unread words. The point is this, if I’m going to talk about Church beliefs I have had no training in, I’m only going to use the exact words of the accepted expert on the subject.
St. Christopher, Martyr is found on July 25. Although St. Christopher is one of the most popular saints in the East and the West, nothing certain is known about his life or death.
The Roman Martyrology makes him a martyr under the Emperor Decius. According to an ancient legend he was the son of a heathen king who gave him the name Offerus. Acquiring in time gigantic stature and great strength, Offerus resolve to serve only the strongest and bravest. He bound himself successively to a mighty king and to Satan, but he found both lacking in courage, the former dreading even the name of the devil, and the latter frightened at the sight of a cross by the roadside. For a time his search for a new master was in vain, but at last he found a hermit who told him to offer his allegiance to Christ, instructed him in the Faith, and baptized him. Christopher, as he was now called, would not promise to do any fasting or praying, but willingly accepted the task of caring people, for God’s sake, across a raging stream. One day he was carrying a child who continually grew heavier, so that it seemed to him as if he had the whole world on his shoulders. The child, on inquiry, made himself known as the Creator and Redeemer of the world. To prove his statement the child ordered Christopher to fix his staff in the ground. The next morning it had grown into a palm-tree bearing fruit. Thereafter he promised to serve the Lord faithfully and became a zealous preacher of the Gospel (Gospel means good news), converting many to the Faith. On his missionary journeys he came to Lycia, where, after his first sermon, eighteen thousand heathens requested baptism. This excited the rage of Emperor Decius who had him cast into prison, and after many cruel torments, beheaded.
I don’t know about you, but I enjoyed that, it wasn’t over my head. When I look at my St. Christopher canes, I think I’ll have a lot more respect for Chris after this. At the end of each days lesson Father Butler has a reflection.-“We ought all to be Christbearers, by preserving in our hearts faith, hope and charity, and by receiving our Lord worthily in Holy Communion.” There’s that symbolism again, I don’t think he wants us to have communion now.
Category: Gadget
Sub Category: City - Manufactured
Listed: 2006-10-08 22:37:09
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