Saint Casimir
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| Saint Casimir Jagiellon | |
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| Confessor | |
| Born | October 3, 1458, Wawel, Kraków |
| Died | March 4, 1484 (aged 25), Hrodna, Belarus |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Canonized | 1522, Rome by Pope Adrian VI |
| Major shrine | Vilnius Cathedral |
| Feast | March 4 |
| Attributes | Confessor, Prince |
| Patronage | patron saint of Poland and Lithuania |
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Saint Casimir Jagiellon (October 3, 1458 - March 4, 1484), patron saint of Poland and Lithuania, was prince of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
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[edit] Biography
A member of the Jagiellon dynasty, Casimir was born at Wawel, the royal palace in Kraków, and died at Hrodna.[1]
St. Casimir (Lithuanian: Kazimieras, Polish: Kazimierz, Belarusian: Kazimir) was the grandson of Jogaila and was the second son of Grand Duke of Lithuania and later king of Poland Casimir IV and Queen Elisabeth of Austria. His grandfather was Albert II Habsburg, king of Bohemia, king of Hungary, and "King of the Romans" in the Holy Roman Empire.
From the age of nine, St. Casimir received his education from Fr. Jan Długosz and Filippo Buonaccorsi (also known as Filip Callimachus). When Casimir was thirteen he was offered the throne of Hungary by factions discontented with king Mattias Corvinus. Casimir, who was eager to defend the Cross against the Turks, accepted the call and went to Hungary to receive the crown. His uncle Władysław III, king of Poland and Hungary, had earlier been killed in battle at Varna in 1444. Casimir was unsuccessful in his undertaking and returned as a fugitive. He again became the pupil of Fr. Długosz in 1475. His father, King Casimir IV, had initiated him well into public affairs and when his brother Władysław, ascended to the Bohemian throne, Casimir became heir-apparent to the throne of Poland. In 1479, the king went to Lithuania for five years, and Casimir was left in charge of Poland. From 1481-1483 he administered the state with great prudence and justice. His father tried to arrange a marriage with a daughter of Emperor Frederick III, but Casimir preferred to remain single. Due to his devout faith and weakened by excessive fasting, he developed severe lung problems, possibly tuberculosis, which he proved unable to fight off. On a journey to Lithuania in 1484, he died at Hrodna, Belarus. His remains were interred in Vilnius, Lithuania. There is a Chapel of Saint Casimir in Vilnius Cathedral where his remains rest.
St. Casimir lived and reigned with great dignity and possessed great charm and character. Several miracles are ascribed to him. He was canonized by Pope Adrian VI in 1522 and is the patron saint of several countries.
On June 11, 1948 Pope Pius XII named Saint Casimir the special patron of all youth.
[edit] Ancestors
| Saint Casimir | Father: Casimir IV Jagiellon |
Paternal Grandfather: Jogaila |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Algirdas |
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Queen Mary Stiegal I of Lithuania |
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| Paternal Grandmother: Sophia of Halshany |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Andrew of Halshany |
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| Paternal Great-grandmother: |
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| Mother: Elisabeth of Austria |
Maternal Grandfather: Albert II of Germany |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Albert IV, Duke of Austria |
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| Maternal Great-grandmother: Johanna of Bavaria, Queen of Bohemia |
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| Maternal Grandmother: Elisabeth II of Bohemia |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor |
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| Maternal Great-grandmother: Barbara of Celje |
[edit] See also
- Kaziuko mugė in Vilnius, a fair held on the Sunday nearest to St. Casimir's Day, the anniversary of his death
- Saint Casimir's Day (his feast day, March 4)
[edit] References
- ^ St. Casimir - Catholic Encyclopedia article
