Tag Archives: saint barbara

US Army Colonel Selects Unit’s New Patron Saint

US Army Col Phil Deppert, commandant of the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA, recently selected St Jerome as the patron saint for military linguists:

The tradition of patron saints as guardians over areas of life, to include occupations, dates back to as early as the fourth century. Linguists now join with other military career fields who have followed in this tradition. St. Michael, paratroopers, and St. Barbara, field artillery, are examples of military occupations that have previously inducted a patron saint.

In an indicator of the times, the DLI Chaplain (Maj) Chan-young Ham said they went out of their way to say they weren’t trying to endorse Christianity:  Read more

US Marines Honor Patron Saint of Artillery

The Quartermasters have Saint Martin, but Marine artillery has Saint Barbara, whom they honored in a ceremony in Afghanistan:

Marines…smiled as all in attendance lifted their cups in a toast to honor the patron saint of artillery, Saint Barbara.

According to legend, the tyrant Dioscorus, a pagan, kept his daughter Barbara secluded in a tower to shelter her from the world. In her solitude she gave herself to prayer and became a Christian. Her father, Read more