Martyr · Remembered on January 20
St. Sebastian
St. Sebastian is remembered on January 20 in Bless’s calendar of saints. Traditionally invoked as patron of athletes, soldiers, and archers.
| Remembered on | January 20 |
|---|---|
| Title | Martyr |
| Died | c. 288 |
| Patron of | athletes, soldiers, archers |
| Next on Bless’s Today screen | None left in the published calendar (through December 31, 2028) |
Life
A soldier of the Praetorian Guard, secretly a Christian, who used his rank to strengthen imprisoned confessors until Diocletian discovered him and ordered him shot with arrows. Left for dead and bristling ‘like a hedgehog,’ he was nursed back to life by the widow Irene.
Rather than flee, he stationed himself on a staircase to confront the emperor with his cruelty — and was clubbed to death. Painters made his first martyrdom one of art’s great subjects; Rome built one of its seven pilgrimage basilicas over his catacomb grave.
Patron of
Tradition invokes St. Sebastian as patron of athletes, soldiers, and archers.
Saints with the same patronage
- St. Georgesoldiers · April 23
- St. Joan of Arcsoldiers · May 30
- St. Ignatius of Loyolasoldiers · July 31
- St. Martin of Tourssoldiers · November 11
Patronages are traditional, not an official list. All patron saints in Bless, A to Z.
In the calendar
The upcoming dates, through December 31, 2028, when Bless’s Today screen shows St. Sebastian. Where the US calendar keeps another celebration that day, it is named instead and no rank is given.
Readings
No dates are left in Bless’s published calendar, which runs through December 31, 2028. St. Sebastian keeps January 20 in Bless’s calendar of saints: see the saints of January.
All the saints of January Born on January 20? A saint for every day
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