It is celebrated on September 25
San Cristóbal de La Guardia is a popular saint in Spain, particularly in the Andalusia region. He is considered the patron saint of children and travelers, and is invoked for protection against the evil eye and bad luck.
Biography and life of San Cristóbal de La Guardia
San Cristóbal de La Guardia is a municipality in the province of Toledo, in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. It is located in the region of La Jara and is part of the Campo de Montiel Commonwealth.
The municipal term, which currently has an area of 23,6 km², is located in the southeast of the province, in the extreme north of the natural region of La Jara. It limits to the north with Mora and Villacañas, to the east with El Carpio de Tajo and El Casar de Escalona, to the south with Fuensalida and to the west with Argés.
The origin of the name of the municipality is uncertain. Some historians believe that it comes from the Latin "cristobalus", while others believe that it derives from the proper name "Cristóbal". Other scholars affirm that the place name comes from the Arabic "Qurtuba", since during the Middle Ages San Cristóbal was known as "Cortuba". However, this last hypothesis does not have solid historical evidence.
The first documented mention of the town dates back to the year 1085, although it is likely that it existed before since archaeological remains belonging to prehistoric and Roman times have been found in its surroundings. In the XNUMXth century, San Cristóbal became part of the stately domain of the Cabrera family, Marquises of Villena. At the end of the XNUMXth century, the town was occupied by the infantes Juan and Enrique Pacheco during the wars between them and Pedro I el Cruel. Later it was incorporated into the royal domains by Alfonso XI.
During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) San Cristóbal suffered numerous attacks by Franco's troops due to its strategic location between Madrid and Valencia. In 1937 the town was bombed by Italian aircraft, thus supporting Franco's troops; After these attacks, a large part of the urban center was reduced to ashes, as well as numerous rural dwellings. As a result of the end of the conflict, many inhabitants emigrated abroad in search of better working and social conditions; however, since the mid-50th century, San Cristobal has experienced significant population growth, mainly due to local industrial (ceramic) and agricultural (barley) development, as well as daily arrivals from Madrid (70 km) and Toledo (XNUMX km).
Prayer to Saint Christopher of La Guardia
Saint Anthony of padua,
that in heaven you are glorious,
and on earth you are mighty,
for your love of Jesus.
second sentence
Oh, Saint Christopher of La Guardia,
that you are the protector of travelers,
I beg you to guide and protect me
on all my trips, whether long or short.
May you free me from all danger and accident,
and that I arrive at my destination safe and sound.
Oh Saint Christopher of La Guardia, pray for us.
important things you did
-It was the first town to have a town hall in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
-It was the first town to have a primary school.
-It was the first town to have a public library.
-It was the first town to have a post office.
-It was the first town to have a bank.
-It was the first town to have a newspaper.
-It was the first town to have a cinema.