A fanatical pagan named Dioscorus lived at Heliopolis in Syria at the time of the Emperor Maximinus Daia. He grew fearful that his daughter Barbara was growing friendly with Christians and may even have taken up their faith. To prevent this if he could, he shut her up in a high tower. All this was in vain, Barbara's faith was only strengthened, even having a third window cut into her prison to remind her of the Holy Trinity. Eventually her father reported her to the pagan authorities. They tortured her, but she refused to recant. At this the judge ordered Dioscorus himself to slay his own daughter. He took Barbara up onto a mountain and killed her with his sword. As Dioscorus was coming down the mountain he was struck by lightening and was killed.

As a result, Barbara is regarded as one who protects men and women from both lightening and sudden death. In modern times, she has also become the Patron Saint of artillerymen and engineers.