聖基多福 (殉道)
聖基多福最常見的形象是將他描繪成一個身材高大、留著鬍鬚的男人，肩上扛著聖嬰涉水過河。聖嬰耶穌將世界像一個球一樣握在手中。
相傳，聖基多福的真名是雷普羅布斯，他是一個巨人，想為世上最強大的國王服務。雷普羅布斯曾經選擇服事魔鬼，但最後拋棄魔鬼，去尋找耶穌基督。
有一位隱士建議雷普羅布斯利用自己強大的力量和體形，幫助旅行者渡過險要洶湧的河流。
有一天，雷普羅布斯聽到一個孩子請求他幫助渡河的聲音。雷普羅布斯便把孩子扛在肩上，開始趟過快速上漲的河水。但越往河裡走，孩子就越重。好不容易費了九牛二虎之力把小孩揹到對岸；他說道：孩子，我的命幾乎喪在你手裏。我生平第一次遇到這樣重的人，就好像整個宇宙的重量都壓在我的背上似的。小孩答道：基多福，你不必驚奇；你剛才揹的，不僅是整個宇宙，更是創造宇宙的主宰。我就是耶穌基督，你所事奉的主人；你既然忠心事奉了我，現在，你把木杖插入土裏，明天，它就會開花結果。說完，小孩便隱沒不見了。
基多福依言，把自己的那根木杖插在土裏；第二天早晨，那根木杖枝葉茂盛，開著美艷的花。然後，基多福啟程到里西亞城；可是，當地的方言，他一句也不懂；他就求耶穌賞賜他能夠通曉當地的方言。天主俯允他的祈求。那時候，里西亞教難很激烈，許多教友都在廣場被處決；基多福以當地的方言，在廣場上勸大家鼓起勇氣，堅守信德。官吏見了，摑擊他的臉；基多福說：假如，我不是基督徒的話，早就以牙還牙，把你的臉打爛了。基多福說罷，把行杖插在土裏；求天主賞賜那根行杖開花結實。行杖真的開花結果；八千異教徒看了因而信服，棄邪歸正，領洗皈依基督。
里西亞的國王知道了這件事，派差役去拘捕基多福。差役來了，看見基多福還在祈禱，不敢下手逮捕他，只站在一旁。國王再派一批差役去；可是第二批差役也不敢驚動他。基多福唸完了經，張開眼來，看見那些差役環繞著他，就問他們有甚麼事 ？差役們說：國王派我們來捉你，你快快逃命。我們回去對國王說找不到你。基多福說：我跟你們一起去好了。途中，他給差役們講道，勸化了他們。
回到皇宮，國王嘲笑基多福說：你真的是一個傻子，居然會相信一個被釘在十字架上的基督。你快向我們的神獻祭，我賜你金銀財寶、高官厚爵；不然的話，我就要把你千刀萬剮。基多福不肯背教，被押在監獄裏；國王派亞基利娜和尼茜兩位美女去誘惑他，基多福一點兒也不動心。
國王把基多福提解到公庭，用鐵棍笞打；再把鐵絲燒紅了，叫他坐在上面；然後，在他的頭上放一個燒紅的十字架；又把他推在火窟裏。雖然受了酷刑，基多福一點兒也沒受傷；國王下令將他縛在石柱上，叫四十名武士用亂箭射死他。可是，武士射出的箭高懸空中，沒有觸及基多福的皮膚；有一支箭突然向國王飛來，把他的眼睛射瞎。
基多福高呼道：暴君，明天我就要死了；你拿一些泥和我的血攙和、塗在眼上，眼睛就會恢復視力。第二天，國王命人將基多福斬首，把他的血和了泥土，塗在眼睛上，當場就好了；國王就皈依了基督。聖基多福在七月二十五日殉道。
聖基多福被奉為旅客的主保；人們也求他保佑脫免水災和暴風等災難。
在現代，聖基多福也被奉為駕駛者的主保。在太子道聖德肋撒堂正門的左邊圍牆角落，豎立著聖基多福像。該聖像於1980年由已故的胡振中樞機祝聖，豎立在教堂的圍牆邊，面對繁忙的街道，保護馬路上的車輛及行人。昔日，每年7月25日皆舉行汽車祝聖儀式，惟近年已停辦。
祈禱
天主，你藉聖基多福教導我們幫助有需要的人，求你賜我們勇氣和力量，渡人於難關，並求你保護旅客和異鄉人。因你的聖子、我們的主耶穌基督，他和你及聖神，是唯一天主，永生永王。亞孟。
Saint Christopher, Martyr
The most popular image of St. Christopher depicts him as a huge, bearded man, carrying the Christ-Child on his shoulders as he wades across a river. The Child Jesus is holding the world in His hands like a ball.
According to the tradition, Christopher’s real name was Reprobus and he was a giant of a man who wanted to be at the service of the world’s strongest king. Reprobus once chosen to serve the Devil but eventually abandoned the Devil and went looking for Jesus Christ.
A hermit advised him to use his great strength and stature to assist travellers cross a dangerous river. One day he heard a child’s voice asking for help to cross the river. Reprobus put the child on his shoulders and began to wade through the rapidly rising water. But the further he went into the river, the heavier the child became. It was only with great effort that he managed to reach the opposite shore. There the child revealed his true identity as Jesus. The weight that Reprobus (now Christopher) had been carrying was that of the whole world, saved by the blood of Christ.
Other legends state that St. Christopher travelled after this experience and evangelized thousands of people. Arriving in Lycia in Asia Minor, and witnessing to Christians there who were being martyred. At that time, St. Christopher was detained and ordered to offer a sacrifice to the emperor. When he refused, it was decided to attempt to persuade him with money and women. Two women were sent to seduce him, but instead he converted them to Christianity.
After this, it was decided to have him killed, but various attempts to assassinate him failed. Eventually, he was arrested and beheaded. He was martyred on July 25. St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers and drivers.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your servant, St. Christopher, as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the virtue he showed in casting off the works of evil and turning to serving You.
St. Christopher, legend says that your desire to serve the most powerful king led you to serve the devil for a time. But you discovered the error of your ways and turned to wholehearted service of God.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you served!
You learned of the Christian Faith from a holy hermit and set about finding a way to serve God well in your life. You spent the rest of your life helping travelers and preaching the Gospel, until your martyrdom.
Pray for me, that I may wholeheartedly renounce sin in my life. Pray that I may always seek to serve God to the best of my ability.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Christopher, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
資料來源 References
圖：https://www.athoniteusa.com/cdn/shop/products/LRPSaintChristopherlevel_1800x1800.jpg?v=1652105671
中文內容：公教報4129期 (https://kkp.org.hk/node/detail/49727/)
https://guodegang.pixnet.net/blog/post/380801876
English text: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints/07/25/st--christopher--martyr.html