Sebastian was born at Narbonne, Gaul. He was a soldier in
the Roman army at Rome in about 283. He died in c. 288 and was an early Christian
saint and martyr. He was killed during the Roman emperor Diocletian's
persecution of Christians. He is normally represented in art and literature
tied to a post or tree and shot with arrows.
He persuaded twin brothers Marcellian and Marcus (who
were deacons and came from prominent family) to be firm with their faith when
the two were under the sentence of death.
Both brothers married and resided in Rome with their wives and children.
They repudiated to sacrifice to the Roman gods which put them under arrest.
Their parents Tranquillinus and Martia visited them in prison to convince them
to abandon Christianity. Towards the
end, the entire family converted to Christianity by St. Sebastian.
Sebastian had been an instrument for many conversions
including the master of the rolls, Nicostratus, who was in charge of prisoners
and his wife, Zoe, the jailer Claudius; Chromatius, Prefect of Rome, whom he
healed of gout; and Chromatius' son, Tiburtius; a deaf mute for six years who
doubted that he was a Christian and whom he healed as soon as she converted to
Christianity. St. Sebastian approached
the latter "Do you desire to be with God?", and made the Sign of the Cross on her head. "Yes",
she responded, and regained her sight at that very instance.
Chromatius freed the prisoners, his slaves, and resigned
as prefect and retired in Campania. Sixteen (16)
persons who were brought by him to jail were also converted by
Sebastian. After being secreted by a Christian namely Castulus, Mark and
Marcellian were martyred later on together with Nicostratus, Zoe, and
Tiburtius.
He was called captain in the praetorian guards by Emperor
Diocletian, as did Emperor Maximian when the Diocletian went to the East. No
among them were aware that Sebastian was a Christian. The latter accused
Sebastian for his alleged betrayal. He
was sentenced of execution when discovered that he was a Christian during
Maximian's persecution of the Christians.
He was brought into the field and there to be shot by the archers. The
arrows did not kill him miraculously. The widow of Castulus, Irene of Rome,
went to retrieve his body to bury it, and she discovered he was still alive.
She brought him back to her house and nursed him back to health. The other
residents of the house doubted that he was a Christian.
The soldiers who executed the sentence left him with shot
of arrows. However, St. Castulus’ wife
in the name of St. Irene found him alive
when she retrieved his body. She took
care of him until St. Sebastian recuperated.
Subsequently, he intercepted the Emperor, condemned him
for his callousness against Christians, and was beaten to death as commanded by
the Emperor. His body was thrown into a privy. However, in an apparition, Sebastian
told a Christian widow to retrieve his body (which was uncorrupted) to the
place he pointed to and bury it "at the "Catacombs by the apostles". Brought by this, he is sometimes recognized as the
saint who was martyred twice.
He was venerated at Milan as early as the time of St. Ambrose and was interred on the Appian Way. He is patron saint of athletes because of his physical endurance and charismatic approach of propagating, defending and bringing the good tidings; archers, soldiers, and
besought for intercession for protection against plagues. Likewise, he
is patron to all soldiers. He entered the Roman army under Emperor Carinus in 283 to defend the confessors and martyrs of his day without
expecting anything in return. He was avowed as patron of plague victims of his
accounted healings of those afflicted with numerous illnesses.
Remains reputed to be those of Sebastian are housed in
Rome in the Basilica Apostolorum, built by Pope Damasus I in 367 on the site
of the provisional tomb of Saints Peter and Paul. The church, today called San Sebastiano fuori le mura, was reconstructed in the 1610s under the patronage of
Scipione Borghese.
Sebastian is commemorated by an optional memorial on 20 January. In the Church of Greece, Sebastian's feast
falls on 18th of December.
Sebastian is one of the patron saints of the city of
Qormi in Malta, Acireale, Caserta and Petilia Policastro in Italy, Melilli in
Sicily, Spain, Rio de Janeiro.
He is also the patron of a college named for him in
Manila, Philippines which is adjacent to the Parish of San Sebastian.
Sebastian is the patron saint of the Roman Catholic
Diocese of Bacolod, in Negros Occidental, Philippines.
He is the patron of Knights of Columbus Council #4926 in
the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose in California, serving the
cities of Mountain View and Los Altos.
References:
- Did you know? St. Sebastian wasn't killed by arrows, http://newtheologicalmovement.blogspot.com/
- http://www.catholic.org/, St. Sebastian
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