ANTIQUE 18TH CENTURY ST. BARBARA CATHOLIC THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION BRONZE MEDAL For Sale

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The Spanish word "Santa Barbara", thecorresponding Italian word Santa Barbara, and the obsolete French Sainte-Barbesignify the powder magazine of a ship or fortress. It was customary to have astatue of Saint Barbara at the magazine to protect the ship or fortress fromsuddenly exploding. Even today Saint Barbara is the patron saint ofartillerymen, military engineers, gunsmiths, miners, and anyone else who workswith cannon and explosives. Saint Barbara's intersession is invoked againstthunder and lightning, accidents arising from explosions of gunpowder, and sheis venerated by Catholics who face the danger of sudden and violent death in work.

This medal is 2 inches long and weighs 25 grams ofbronze. It is an original medal from my late mother's vast estate collection ofCatholic Medals (Bertha; the founder of Church-Woman Antiques).

This medals dating can be confirmed on pages 2 & 3 ofthe book AN INTRODUCTION TO RELIGIOUS MEDALS, by Bob Forrest, and published byNUMISMATICA INTERNATIONAL in 2004.In addition, this book has chapters (outlinedin the table of contents), describing each of the categories of medals, theirpossible place of pilgrimage (acquisition), and origin of the mint where theywere made. We recommend that anyone serious about collecting medals from thisperiod acquire a copy of this book.

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