St. Sebastian
A soldier in the emperor's own guard who was secretly on the other side.
Sebastian was a Roman soldier, and not a minor one. He served in the emperor's personal guard, which meant he stood close enough to Diocletian to hear him give the orders to arrest Christians.
Sebastian was one. He had been the whole time. He used the job to visit prisoners, carry messages, and quietly keep people alive.
When he was found out, the emperor had him shot with arrows and left for dead. He did not die. A widow named Irene found him and nursed him back. And then Sebastian, healed, walked back up to the emperor and told him to his face to stop. That was the part Diocletian could not forgive.
St. Sebastian facts for kids
- He was in the Praetorian Guard, the emperor's own bodyguards
- He survived being shot with arrows. That's why artists always paint the arrows.
- Patron of athletes, because of his endurance
- He went back to confront the emperor a second time on purpose
Feast day: January 20 · Patron of athletes and soldiers
St. Sebastian, make me brave the second time, not just the first.