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Saint Eustace

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For the Lithuanian saint, see Eustace of Vilnius.
Saint Eustace and companions
The Vision of Saint Eustace, by Pisanello.
Martyrs
Died118 AD
Venerated inRoman Catholic Church; Eastern Orthodox Church
FeastSeptember 20 (Western Christianity); November 2 (Eastern Christianity)
Attributesbull; crucifix; horn; stag; oven
Patronageagainst fire; difficult situations; fire prevention; firefighters; hunters; hunting; huntsmen; Madrid; torture victims; trappers

Saint Eustace, also known as Eustachius or Eustathius, was a legendary Christian martyr who lived in the 2nd century AD. A martyr of that name is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, which, however, judges that the legend recounted about him is "completely fabulous."[1] For that reason Eustace was removed from the Roman Catholic calendar of saints to be commemorated liturgically worldwide on the former feast of "Saint Eustace and Companions."[2]

Legend

Prior to his conversion to Christianity, he was a Roman general named Placidus, who served the emperor Trajan. While hunting a stag in Tivoli near Rome, Placidus saw a vision of Jesus between the stag's antlers. He was immediately converted, had himself and his family baptized, and changed his name to Eustace (Greek: Ευστάθιος Efstathios, "good stability" or "fruitful"). A series of calamities followed to test his faith: his wealth was stolen; his servants died of a plague; when the family took a sea voyage, the ship's captain kidnapped Eustace's wife; and as Eustace crossed a river with his two sons, the children were taken away by a wolf and a lion. Like Job, Eustace lamented but did not lose his faith. He was then quickly restored to his former prestige and reunited with his family; but when he demonstrated his new faith by refusing to make a pagan sacrifice, the emperor, Hadrian, condemned Eustace, his wife, and his sons to be roasted to death inside a bronze statue of a bull or an ox, in the year AD 118.

Variants

The opening part of this legend, up to the martyrdom, is a variant of a popular tale in chivalric romance: the Man Tried By Fate.[3] Except for an exemplum in Gesta Romanorum, all such tales are highly developed romances, such as Sir Isumbras.[4]

Diffusion of his Veneration

The story was popularized in Jacobus de Voragine's "Golden Legend" (c. 1260). Eustace became known as a patron saint of hunters and firefighters, and also of anyone facing adversity; he was traditionally included among the Fourteen Holy Helpers.

As with many early saints, there is little evidence for Eustace's existence, even as a martyr.[5] Elements of his story have been attributed to other saints (notably the Belgian Saint Hubert).

Saint Eustace's feast day in the Roman Catholic Church is September 20, as is indicated in the Roman Martyrology.[6] In addition, a celebration of Saint Eustace and his companions was included in the Roman Calendar from the twelfth century until 1969, when it was removed because of the completely fabulous character of their Passio,[7] resulting in a lack of sure knowledge about them. Some traditionalist Catholics continue to observe the pre-1970 Roman Calendar.

Patronage and cultural references

He is one of the patron saints of Madrid, Spain. Scenes from the story, especially Eustace kneeling before the stag, became a popular subject of medieval religious art. Early artistic depictions of the legend include a wall painting at Canterbury Cathedral and stained glass windows at the Cathedral of Chartres. There is a Church of Saint Eustace in Paris. The island of Sint Eustatius in the Netherlands Antilles is named after him. A church and school in Portageville, Missouri is named after him.

The novels "The Herb of Grace" (US title: Pilgrim's Inn) (1948) by British author Elizabeth Goudge, and Riddley Walker (1980) by American author Russell Hoban, incorporate the legend into their plot.

The saint's cross-and-stag symbol is featured on bottles of Jägermeister. This is related to his status as patron of hunters; jägermeisters were senior foresters and gamekeepers in the German civil service at the time of the drink's introduction in 1935.

In the 2009 horror film, Saw VI, a character, Jill, enters a hospital called "Saint Eustace Hospital."

See also

References

  1. ^ "Martyrologium Romanum" (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2001 ISBN 88-209-7210-7)
  2. ^ "Calendarium Romanum" (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1969), p. 139
  3. ^ Laura A. Hibbard, Medieval Romance in England p5 New York Burt Franklin,1963
  4. ^ Laura A. Hibbard, Medieval Romance in England p3 New York Burt Franklin,1963
  5. ^ Laura A. Hibbard, Medieval Romance in England p4 New York Burt Franklin,1963
  6. ^ "Martyrologium Romanum" (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2001 ISBN 88-209-7210-7)
  7. ^ "Calendarium Romanum" (Libreria Editrice Vaticana), p. 139
  • Saint George and Saint Eustace. Harbaville Triptych (10th century).
    Saint George and Saint Eustace. Harbaville Triptych (10th century).
  • Saint Eustace, from a 13th century English manuscript.
    Saint Eustace, from a 13th century English manuscript.
  • On a wing of the Paumgartner Altarpiece, Albrecht Dürer painted Lukas Paumgartner with the banner of his patron St Eustace, in the contemporary armor of a landsknecht.
    On a wing of the Paumgartner Altarpiece, Albrecht Dürer painted Lukas Paumgartner with the banner of his patron St Eustace, in the contemporary armor of a landsknecht.
  • Saint Eustachius, an engraving by Albrecht Dürer, ca. 1501. As in the Pisanello above, he kneels before a stag with a cross in its antlers, surrounded by dogs including greyhounds.
    Saint Eustachius, an engraving by Albrecht Dürer, ca. 1501. As in the Pisanello above, he kneels before a stag with a cross in its antlers, surrounded by dogs including greyhounds.
  • Patron Saints: Saint Eustachius
  • The Golden Legend: The Life of Saint Eustace
  • Public Domain Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Sts. Eustachius and Companions". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  • The 'Life of St Eustace' window at Chartres Cathedral
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