Feast of St. Sebastian, January 20

 

Oops. The holiday on Monday threw me off. Yesterday was the feast of St. Sebastian. Sebastian was a Roman soldier in the time of Diocletian, one of the great Catholic haters of all time. Sebastian was found out by Maximian (who took over for Diocletian when he went east to fight) who ordered him put to death. Sebastian was shoot up with arrows and left for dead. Only the nursing of St. Irene saved him; but he was eventually beaten to death. And Irene died from an arrow through the neck.

Sebastian is the patron saint of archers, soldiers, and athletes.