St. Ambrose wrote that Sebastian came from Milan and was born in the third century. Legend says that Sebastian was head of the Roman Imperial Guard for the Emperors Diolcetian and Maximian. Although he was well-trusted by the emperors, Sebastian had a secret.
He was a Christian.
It was a time of intense persecution of Christians. Sebastian is said to have used his position as head of the Imperial Guard to visit and aid imprisoned Christians while they awaited death for their faith.
Legend also says that when authorities discovered Sebastian was a Christian, he was arrested, tied to a tree and shot with arrows. He was nursed back to health by St. Irene, but was later arrested a second time. He was clubbed to death and his body thrown in a sewer. His body was recovered and buried in the catacombs on the Via Appia.
The Catholic Church celebrates his feast on January 20.
- Little Blue Book, Diocese of Saginaw