The Life of St. Casimir

Casimir Jagiellon (October 3, 1458 – March 4, 1484) was a prince of the Kingdom of Poland and of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania who became a patron saint of Lithuania, Poland, and youth.

A member of the Jagiellon dynasty, Casimir was born at Wawel, the royal palace in Krakow, and died at Grodno.

St. Casimir was the grandson of Jogaila, who introduced Christianity into Lithuania, and was the second son of king of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Casimir IV and Queen Elisabeth of Austria.

From the age of nine, St. Casimir was educated by Jan Dlugosz and Filippo Buonaccorsi (also known as Filip Callimachus). At the age of thirteen he was offered the throne of Hungary by factions discontented with king Mattias Corvinus. Casimir, eager to defend Christianity against the Turks, accepted the offer and went to Hungary to obtain the crown.  Casimir was unsuccessful in this undertaking and returned as a fugitive.

His father, King Casimir IV, had him educated well concerning public affairs and when his brother Wladyslaw, became king of Bohemia, Casimir became crown prince and heir-apparent to the throne of Poland. Between 1479 and 1484 his father spent most of his time in Vilnius attending to the affairs of Lithuania, while Casimir acted as the vice-regent in Poland. Between 1481 and 1483, he administered the state with great prudence and justice. His father tried to arrange a marriage with a daughter of Emperor Frederick III of Germany, but Casimir preferred to remain single.  Shortly afterward he fell victim to a severe attack of lung trouble, which, weak as he was from fasting and mortifications, he could not withstand. This occurred while on a journey to Lithuania, he died at the court of Grodno, 4 March 1484. His remains were interred in the chapel of the Blessed Virgin in the cathedral of Vilna.

St. Casimir was possessed of great charms of person and character, and was noted particularly for his justice and chastity. Often at night he would kneel for hours before the locked doors of churches, regardless of the hour or the inclemency of the weather. He had a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin.

He was canonized by Pope Adrian VI in 1522 and is the patron saint of Lithuania and Poland. On June 11, 1948, Pope Pius XII named Saint Casimir the special patron of all youth.  He is usually depicted wearing a crown and holding lilies.

(Source: The Catholic Encyclopedia & Wikipedia)