Christo-Pagan Prayers  |  Esoteric Mystery School | Christo-Pagan Saints | Christo-Pagan Gods | SiteMap | Home Heroes of the underground church - Esoteric Christianity -- and heroes of Classical Paganism. These people are not saints or martyrs, but are nevertheless great heroes and heroines Heroes Leif Erikson Richard the Lionhearted Heroines Eleanor of Aquitaine Mother Teresa Judith, Old Testament (apocrypha) savior of her people Gurus & Great Teachers Aristotle Shankara Thomas Aquinas Lao Tzu Buddha Honorable Mentions Charlemagne Vladimir of Kiev (988 AD) Booker T. Washington George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin Honorable Warriors Alexander the Great King Arthur Phillip Martel (halted Arab invasion of Europe, father of Charlemagne) Detail of JUDITH by Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1652) Judith, Apocryphal Old Testament heroine Despite the warning of Achior that the Jews cannot be conquered unless they sin against God, the proud general Holofernes lays siege to the town and cuts off its water supply. After asiege of thirty-four days, the exhausted defenders are desperate and ready to surrender. At this point, the climax of the story, Judith (the name means "Jewess") appears and promises to defeat the Assyrians. The rest of the story is too well known to repeat in detail. Having fasted and prayed, Judith dresses in her finest garments and proceeds to the Assyrian camp, where she succeeds in killing Holofernes while he lies in a drunken stupor. The beautiful hymn of the people honoring Judith (Jdt 15:9-10) is often applied to Mary in the liturgy. "You are the glory of Jerusalem, the surpassing joy of Israel; You are the splendid boast of our people. With your own hand you have done all this; You have done good to Israel, and God is pleased with what you have wrought. May you be blessed by the Lord Almighty forever and ever!" And all the people answered, "Amen!"  Judith 15: 9-10 Top