Cultural aspects in Christian and Islamic religions - unesdoc - Unesco

on carnivals and now form of feasting has reached
Beirut and other Lebanese cities.
Saint Barbara feast includes other family traditions
among which:
feast; it is eaten with sugar and pistachios
since the martyr fled from her father and
entered a wheat field which immediately
grew to cover her up to prevent her father
from finding her for some time.
zlabya,
‘uwwaymat, and qatayif) to say that Barbara
was given bitter food in her torture, but God
turned it in her mouth into sweet-tasting
food. Some take this pastry as a sign that
Barbara has attained heavenly joy.
household lights candles the number of his
family members. This custom developed
since the Saint was tortured by kindling her
body with lit torches that burnt her ribs but
God healed and appeased her pain.
of the feast to have the smoke of candles
darken their eyelids is inspired from the
martyrs’ beautiful eyes and from the
heavenly lights – healing and blessing
her – which she saw as she was subject to
torture.
St Barbara as their Patron Saint since it was
said that Barbara was seen fleeing from her
father, but on her way was a huge stone,
which soon enough was cut into two to
let her go and hide. She is also the Patron
Saint of miners and those who work with
explosives since she was known to overcome
hardships with great courage and strength.
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