Mar 26, 2015

β›ͺ Saint Castulus of Rome

Saint Castulus of Rome,
Pray for us !
β›ͺ Saint of the Day : March 26

β›ͺ Other Names :
β€’ Castulus of Moosburg β€’ Castolo β€’ Castulo β€’ Catulus β€’ Kastl β€’ Kastulis β€’ Kastulus

β›ͺ Died :
β€’ Buried alive in 288 on the Via Labicana outside Rome, Italy β€’ A cemetery named for him developed on the land β€’ A church dedicated to him was built in the 7th century on the site of his execution β€’ Relics transferred to a Benedictine monastery in  Moosburg an der Isar, Germany c.768 β€’ Relics transferred to Landshut, Germany in 1604

β›ͺ Patronage :
β€’ Against blood poisoning β€’ Against drowning β€’ Against erysipelas β€’ Against fever β€’ Against Horse Theft β€’ Against lightning β€’ Against storms β€’ Against wildfire β€’ Cowherds β€’ Farmers β€’ Shepherds β€’ Hallertau, Germany β€’ Moosburg an der Isar, Germany

β›ͺ Symbols :
β€’ Spade or shovel, a reference to being buried alive; it and his feast day in early spring led to his association with farmers and then shepherds.

Saint Castulus (died 286) is venerated as a martyr. According to tradition, he was the chamberlain (or officer, valet) of Emperor Diocletian and the husband of Irene of Rome, also venerated as a saint. 

A convert to the Christian religion, he sheltered Christians in his home and arranged for religious services inside the palace of the emperor. Among those he sheltered were Mark and Marcellian. He is one of the saints associated with the life and legend of Saint Sebastian.

With his friend Saint Tiburtius, he converted many men and woman to Christianity and brought them to Pope Saint Caius to be baptized. He was betrayed by an apostate named Torquatus and taken before Fabian, prefect of the city. 

Castulus was tortured and executed by being buried alive in a sand pit on the Via Labicana. According to tradition, Irene subsequently buried the body of the martyred Sebastian. She was later martyred herself, around 288 AD.

Veneration of St. Castulus

A church dedicated to him at Rome, built on the site of his martyrdom, existed from at least the seventh century.

Castulus was venerated in Bavaria after relics of his were taken to Moosburg. Duke Heinrich der LΓΆwe started the construction of the Kastulus Minster (cathedral) in 1171.

In 1604, relics were also brought to Landshut. His relics still rest in Landshut's church of St. Martin's and Kostel Sv. HaΕ‘tala (Church of St.Castulus), Prague.

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