Barbe or Barbara lived in the 3rd century in what is now Turkey.
As Governor Dioscore's only daughter, she refused all the marriage proposals made to her. Enraged, her father built a tower with two windows and locked her inside.
One day, Barbe received a visit from an angel who recounted the Passion of Jesus to her. She then began corresponding with the scholar Origen, who taught her more about Christ’s mission and even helped her be baptized in secret.
To symbolize her conversion, she had a third window cut into her tower in honor of the Holy Trinity.
Upon returning from one of his trips, Dioscorus questioned his daughter about this third window. She confessed her devotion to him, which enraged him.
Having tried to flee and despite enduring the most horrific tortures, Barbara refused to renounce her faith, ultimately driving her father to behead her.
Immediately after committing this parricide, Dioscorus was struck by lightning and reduced to ashes.
Saint Barbara is now known as the patron saint of miners and firefighters—professions associated with fire and explosions—and her feast day is celebrated every December 4.