Saint Sebastian

Download a black-and-white PDF/coloring page of Saint Sebastian. (I left his shield bare, so you can draw your own design.)

Tough. Strong. Brave. A fighter. Catholic, too. Saint Sebastian was the captain of the Praetorian Guard under Diocletian and Maximian, who didn't know about his faith. Diocletian was very surprised to find out that, during his persecution of Christians, his own guard was one! He ordered Sebastian put to death.

Sebastian is always shown shot with arrows. Actually, a search for images of him show a slightly effeminate guy tied to a tree and shot up with arrows. Alas, this is what people think when they consider Sebastian, thanks to the art of the Renaissance. But the story does not end there. Sebastian was not martyred by arrows. And the best part of the story actually happens after the arrow-shooting.

The widow of St. Castulus went to claim his body for burial but found him alive. And so she nursed him back to health. Yes, he survived all those arrows. And you know what he did once he was healthy? He intercepted the emperor and denounced him for the persecution of Christians. That takes some serious faith and moxie. This time, the emperor had him beaten to death and so Sebastian became a martyr for the Christian faith in 288 A.D. I'm in awe of someone who had the guts to survive a would-be execution than go to the person who ordered it in the first place and speak his mind.

He's also the patron saint of soldiers and athletes, and we named our third son after him.

To learn more about Saint Sebastian, read this fascinating little bio at EWTN.





p.s. A very heartfelt thanks to Amazing Grace who helped me figure out my PDF trouble. Blessings to you! ♥