St. Sebastian was born at Narbonne, Gaul, and became a Roman soldier in 283 under Emperor Carinus to defend confessors and martyrs without drawing attention to himself. He encouraged many Christians and even converted the master of the rolls Nicostratus who was in charge of the prisoners, and the jailer Claudius, as well as many others.
He was named captain of the praetorian guards by Diocletian and again by Maximian. His faith was not discovered until Maximian's persecution of Christians, when his execution was ordered. He was shot with arrows and left for dead, but was discovered still alive and was nursed back to health by the widow of St. Castulus, St. Irene. He then intercepted the Emperor, gave him a lecture on the appalling nature of his cruelty, and was then beaten to death on the Emperor's orders in 288.
He was venerated in Milan as earlier as the time of St. Ambrose and was buried on the Appian Way. He is the patron of athletes, archers, soldiers, and is appealed to for protection against plagues.
He is sometimes referred to as the Saint that was martyred twice because of how he was left for dead, nursed back to health, and then beaten to death.
I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. Some of these stories are really interesting.
Yours always,
Tara
