A TALE OF DEATH AND GLORY: THE ACTS OF ST. SEBASTIAN AND HIS COMPANIONS by ST. AMBROSE of MILAN

Throughout the Church’s history, countless martyrs have offered their lives to Christ rather than deny Him. One of the most revered is Saint Sebastian, and for this, his name appears in the Roman Canon.

A native of Milan, Saint Sebastian was a primus pilus, the senior centurion of elite soldiers in the Roman army who commanded eight hundred of the best soldiers of the world’s greatest military at the time. Taking the same ethic for the spiritual battle as he did for the empire’s battles, Saint Sebastian worked tirelessly and inconspicuously to strengthen other Christians, especially during the cruel persecutions and martyrdoms of the third century.  

The heroic examples of Saint Sebastian and his companions inspired others to follow the Lamb of God, even to the point of death, giving their lives as holocausts to the one, true living God rather than worship devils. It is only fitting that another great saint from Milan, Saint Ambrose, detailed the courage and fidelity of these brave soldiers.

A Tale of Death and Glory will compel you to stay firm in your faith amidst the growing threats of persecution from secular authorities and to seek heaven with renewed vigor, for “this earthly life passes quickly, like a fleeting dream.”