St. Christopher

St. Christopher was an early Christian martyr venerated since at least the fifth century. Legends about him abound (including one to the effect that he had the head of a dog!), but the best-known describes a large, rugged man who took on the charitable apostolate of assisting travelers in fording a dangerous river. One day, he was approached by a small boy who asked to be taken across. En route, the river suddenly became swollen, and the man struggled to carry his charge. When he finally reached the opposite bank, he panted, “I do not think the whole world could have been as heavy on my shoulders as you were.” The boy replied, “You had on your shoulders not only the whole world but Him who made it. I am Christ your king, whom you are serving by this work.” With that, the child vanished, and the man earned the name Christopher, which means “Christ-bearer.” Owing to this story, Christopher came to be invoked for safety in travel, a patronage that has assured his tremendous popularity down to the present day.

George and Polly’s striking oil painting captures the metaphorical significance of the beloved tale, contrasting the restless motion and constant striving that often characterize our spiritual lives with the tranquil serenity to be found in Christ. The client who commissioned the work requested that the figures be integrated into an impressive natural setting in order to match the epic grandeur of the story. As a result, the depiction showcases the violent forces of nature—crashing rapids, billowing clouds, forbidding precipices—while retaining a touch of the sublime, reminding viewers of the presence of Divine Providence in the midst of the physical and spiritual tempests of our daily experience.