Atlas / For safe travels / St ChristopherNo. 37

Plate IWestern & Southern Europe · Catholic tradition St Christopher, drawn by Wishlore

Pl. ISt Christopher. A staff and a river, from the legend: an emblem, not a portrait of the saint. Drawing: Wishlore.

No. 37 · For safe travels · Western & Southern Europe

St Christopher

A 3rd-century martyr who, legend says, carried the child Christ across a river. He became the patron saint of travellers, and is known far beyond the Church.

Earliest record: Patron saint of travellers
Source: Britannica, Saint Christopher
Region: Western & Southern Europe · Catholic tradition
Wish: For safe travels
Layers: Record Folk Modern

Keep this symbol · from £2.99 Read the sources

The story · three layers

The story, in three layers.

Record, Folk and Modern are kept apart, and each one carries its source.

Record

Legend of a 3rd-century martyr

The man who carried a child

Britannica describes Christopher as a 3rd-century martyr. Legend says he carried the child Christ across a river.

Folk

Catholic tradition

Patron of travellers

Christopher became the patron saint of travellers. Since 1969 his feast day has been optional in the Catholic calendar.

To verify: The wording of the 1969 change, on Britannica

III

Modern

Wishlore, today

How we tell it

We tell him as the patron saint of travellers. We don’t say a medal keeps anyone safe on a journey.

St Christopher

Patron saint of travellers

Story and sources on the reverse

Pl. IIThe story card. Every printed piece carries the story and a code that opens the full source list.

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Watch the story

The story, in a minute.

It opens with the pencil construction, then follows the record, how people used it, and the piece we make today. Every fact in it comes from the sources on this page.

Length: 0:55
Narration: English, with subtitles on screen
Images: Pencil construction and the atlas drawing on this page, animated; no AI images; jewellery shown as a line drawing
Sources: Listed at the end of the film

Story film · 0:55 · Drawn from the atlas plate · no AI images

In one breath

He carried a child across a river, the legend says. Who would you keep it for?

St Christopher

The story, in three layers.

The man who carried a child

Patron of travellers

How we tell it

How would you like to keep it?

The story, in a minute.

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