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St. Sebastian

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Religious Figure

The Resume

    ( -January 20, 287)
    Patron saint of archers, athletes, pin makers and soldiers
    Invoked against plague
    Member of the Roman Praetorian Guard who secretly converted to Christianity
    Martyred during the reign of Diocletian

Why he might be annoying:

    His hagiographers dispute whether he was born in Italy or Gaul.
    Paintings of his 'martyrdom' usually show him being shot with arrows.
    However, he survived this and was actually martyred by being beaten to death.
    The oldest images of him (5th century) show him as a mature bearded man.
    Later artists depicted him as a handsome youth.
    Paintings of his martyrdom -- a nearly naked youth, pierced with arrows, eyes lifted to heaven in (hopefully religious) ecstasy -- have a homoerotic/S&M appeal.
    He was named patron saint of pin makers because his body resembled a pin cushion after being shot full of arrows.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He used his inside position in the Praetorian Guards to find a hiding place for the Pope during the persecutions.
    After surviving being shot by arrows, he bravely (or foolhardily) confronted Diocletian.
    Diocletian was so surprised at meeting a man he thought dead that he briefly considered converting to Christianity himself.
    Diocletian had second thoughts and ordered him cudgeled to death.
    He was a popular subject of Renaissance art.
    Many gay Catholics unofficially consider him their patron saint.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 102 Votes: 46.08% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 70 Votes: 30.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 21 Votes: 38.10% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 102 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 119 Votes: 47.06% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 15 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 31 Votes: 41.94% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 15 Votes: 53.33% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 17 Votes: 29.41% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 20 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 141 Votes: 44.68% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 37 Votes: 29.73% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 58 Votes: 36.21% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 150 Votes: 44.67% Annoying