Across Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine and other Arab nations, Christians will be celebrating Saint Barbara’s day on the eve of December 3rd with boiling pots of barley, wheat mixed with sugar, raisins, and pomegranate seeds. Children will be dressed in various costumes in what is becoming a clear show of the westernization of the very eastern tradition originally linked to the saint.
Although Barbara’s place of birth and martyrdom remain a subject of dispute, most accounts place her in 3rd century Heliopolis of Phoenicia, present-day Baalbeck, Lebanon. Daughter of a rich pagan named Dioscorus, she was locked up in a tower to preserve her from the outside world. According to popular belief, she secretly became a Christian, much to the displeasure of her father.
Upon his return from travels, she acknowledged her faith before him, causing a great uproar in the village. Once news reached the Roman prefect of the province, Martinianus, an order of her imprisonment and torture was made.
Although there are several versions to this story, the most commonly agreed upon states that Barbara’s wounds would miraculously heal every morning after each night she was subjected to torture in an effort to revoke her faith, which she held strong to.
Finally, she was able to escape and to keep herself from getting caught; she would use several disguises, including masks and animal skins to elude soldiers. She relied on the kindness of strangers whose doors she knocked along the way. Her travels were finally cut short when she was captured and subsequently executed by her father who beheaded her. He was struck by lightning following her death, according to the popular legend.
The details related to her use of masks reinforces the theory of the story having taken place in Lebanon -late poet and philosopher
Said Akl's Phoenicia- since the use of masks to ward off evil was practiced by the ancients, according to several archeological findings.
Lebanese who celebrate Christmas symbolically recreate the escape of Saint Barbara by planting wheat seeds (or chick peas, barley grains, beans, lentils, etc.) in cotton wool on the eve of her feast. The seeds germinate and grow up to around 6 inches in time for Christmas, when the shoots are used to decorate the nativity scene usually placed below the Christmas tree.
Saint Barbara is believed to have run through freshly planted wheat fields, which grew instantly to cover her path.
Planting wheat seedlings is also related to traditions linked to the rebirth of Baal, a Phoenician diety. As depicted by Greek historian, Herodotus,
islanders on the island of Lesbos adopted the cult of Baal Dagon and called him Adonis.
In Fairy Tale Culture:
The story of Saint Barbara is likely to have influenced the German fairytale Rapunzel, who like the saint was locked in a tower. In the Brothers Grimm version however the maiden lets down her hair so that her rescuer can climb up the tower to save her.
Rapunzel’s story also has similarities to the 10th-century AD Persian tale of Rudāba included in the epic poem Shahnameh by Ferdowsi. In the Farsi version, Rudāba who was also locked in a tower, throws down her long locks from a room atop a tower, so that her lover can climb up to see her.
In Food Culture:
Obviously wheat played an important role in the Saint's escape, so commemorating the events using the grain to make a delicious treat, seems like the way to go.
Ameh Maslou' (whole wheat porridge)
Wash wheat and boil it in the water. 1 part wheat to 5 parts water. Remove foam from the surface if any forms. Separately boil 1 tablespoon of anise seeds and filter its water into the wheat while boiling. Wait until the wheat is cooked. You will have to taste to know. When done, serve it with sugar, orange blossom water and rosewater to taste. Top the mixture with almond, walnuts, pine seeds, pomegranate seeds and raisins.
In Popular Culture:
What better way to end this post than with late
Sabah's rendition of Heshleh Berbara, the popular folk song recited by children during the feast. Here's hoping we hold strong to our traditions, the ones that make us happy at least.
Heshleh Berbara, Maa Banet el Hara
Erefta min a'nayha, w min lamset idayha
W min hak el eswaya, heshleh Berbara
Rough translation:
Barbara, the runaway, with the village girls
I knew her by the look in her eyes, from the touch of her hands
And from that bracelet of hers, Barbara the runaway