La Jollans named ‘Barbara’ convene for annual feast-day party to benefit a charity

Continuing the annual St. Barbara’s Feast Day celebration — Dec. 4, 2019 the actual Feast Day of St. Barbara — La Jollans named “Barbara” gathered at the home of Barbara Doren. (In past years, the celebration took place at Barbarella restaurant in La Jolla Shores.)

In the spirit of their namesake saint, the Barbaras choose a charity each year to benefit from their gathering. This year all donations (toys, books, stuffed animals, etc.) were given to military families with children.

An Internet search reveals St. Barbara was a legendary virgin martyr of the early church. Accounts place her in the third century in Heliopolis Phoenicia, present-day Baalbek, Lebanon. According to legend, Saint Barbara was a young woman killed by her father Dioscorus, who was then killed by a bolt of lightning.

Saint Barbara is the patron of architects, geologists, stonemasons and artillerymen, and venerated as one of the 14 Auxiliary Saints (Holy Helpers).