Saint Sebastian

Sebastian lived in Rome in the late third century and, according to his ancient Passion, was an officer of the imperial guard under the emperor Diocletian. He used his position to encourage Christians who were imprisoned and facing death, helping them to stay faithful. When it was discovered that he himself was a Christian, he was condemned to be shot with arrows and left for dead.

A Christian widow named Irene came to bury him and found him still alive. She nursed him back to health, but Sebastian refused to flee. He went to confront the emperor about his cruelty to Christians and was beaten to death, around 288. His body was buried in the catacombs on the Appian Way, where the Basilica of San Sebastiano now stands. Saint Ambrose, writing in the fourth century, already spoke of him as a martyr of Rome.

He was invoked for centuries against the plague, and he is the patron of soldiers, athletes and archers. Rio de Janeiro bears his name, São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, and celebrates him on January 20. In Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián fill the streets in mid-January, and the Spanish city of San Sebastián (Donostia) celebrates with its famous Tamborrada drum parade.