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Above: Icon of St Christopher the Cynocephalus, from the
Byzantine Museum of Athens (David
Woods' St. Christopher website).
Below: Icon from Church
of St. George Cegelkoy.
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One of the most fascinating legends of early Christianity is Saint
Christopher "the dog-head."
David Woods has collected the essential texts in this tradition at his
St.
Christopher website. Here is an excerpt from one of the lives of Saint
Christopher:
Now this Christopher was one of the Dogheads, a race that had the heads
of dogs and ate human flesh. He meditated much on God, but at that time
he could speak only the language of the Dogheads. When he saw how much
the Christians suffered he was indignant and left the city. He began
to adore God and prayed. "Almighty God," he said, "give
me the gift of speech, open my mouth, and make plain thy might that
those who persecute thy people may be converted". An angel of God
came to him and said: "God has heard your prayer." The angel
raised Christopher from the ground, and struck and blew upon his mouth,
and the grace of eloquence was given him as he had desired. Thereupon
Christopher arose and went into the city, and immediately began to stop
the offering of sacrifice. "I am a Christian," he said, "and
I will not sacrifice to the gods". There came a certain Baceus
to him and struck him. "You may do so", said Christopher,
"for I will not strike you in return, but I forgive you, for forgiveness
is the new law." Baceus went to the king, and said: "Hail
O King, I have news for you. I have seen a man with a dog's head on
him, and long hair, and eyes glittering like the morning star in his
head, and his teeth were like the tusks of a wild boar. I struck him
for he was cursing the gods; but he did not strike me, and said it was
for the sake of God that he refrained. I am telling you this in order
to know what is to be done with him, for it seems that it is by the
God of the Christians that he has been sent, to help the Christians."
"Bring him to me," said the king. The bystanders said that
a large number of men must be sent for him. "Let two hundred soldiers
go for him," said the king, "and bring him hither in chains;
and if he resist you, bring his head with you that I may see it."
You can read
the rest of St. Christopher's life and martyrdom here.
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