November 8th
St. Castorius
Quattro Santi Coronati (The Four Crowned Saints) by Nanni di Banco
St. Castorius was one
of a group of martyred artisans sometimes called the Four Crowned Saints. The
others were named Symphorian, Claudius, and Nicostratus. They were a group of
sculptors and carvers that lived under the rule of Emperor Diocletian. They were commissioned to do carvings for the
Emperor, however they refused to make a carving of the Greek god, Aesculapius,
god of medicine and healing. While Diocletian accepted this, when
the four refused to make sacrifices to the god, Diocletian had them killed by
locking them in lead coffins and throwing them in a river.
Castorius is the patron saint of sculptors.
Links of interest:
Emperor Diocletian from roman-emperors.org
More information on Diocletian and the Diocletian persecutions from Catholic Encyclopedia
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