A captain in the praetorian guards at the time of the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian, Sebastian was ordered to be executed when it was discovered that he was a Christian. He was shot with arrows and left for dead, but nursed back to health by the widow of Saint Castulus. He later confronted the Emperor and denounced him for his cruelty. Following this confrontation, he was beaten to death.
Sebastian is the patron saint of archers, athletes and soldiers.