Barnabas curing the sick by Paolo Veronese
The 11th June is the feast day of St Barnabas, an early Christian who was born Joseph in Cyprus. He was renamed Barnabas when he joined the Apostles in Jerusalem. He carried out several missionary journeys with Paul the Apostle and is mentioned in the Book of Acts. According to Christian tradition, Barnabas was martyred in Cyprus in 61 AD, being stoned to death. He is seen as the founder of the Cypriot Orthodox Church.
According to Steve Roud, in The English Year, St Barnabas's Day was celebrated in the 15th and 16th centuries by decorating churches with garlands of flowers such as roses, woodruff and lavender. He also writes of how “maidens went 'gathering' for church funds, and money was paid out for 'bread, wine and ale for the singers of the King's Chapel and for the clerks of the town'.”
11th June this year is also Trinity Sunday, which is celebrated eight weeks after Easter and on the Sunday following Whitsun. This holy day celebrates the Trinity, i.e. the three persons of God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Taken from our Feast Days section.
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