St. Barbara

Barbara was raised by her tyrannical father, Dioscorus, who kept her locked in a tower. In her seclusion, Barbara devoted her time to prayer, and secretly asked to be baptized. Barbara resisted her father's attempts to have her marry. Eventually, her father denounced her. Barbara was tortured often, and finally beheaded by the hands of her own father. At the moment of her execution, her father was struck down by lightening. St. Barbara's feast day is celebrated on December 4th.