Saint Casimir

Saint Casimir Jagiellon, born on October 3, 1458, was a prince of Poland and Lithuania and the second son of King Casimir IV Jagiellon. Tutored by Johannes Longinus, he became heir apparent after his elder brother Vladislaus was elected as King of Bohemia in 1471. At just thirteen years old, Casimir participated in a failed military campaign to install him as King of Hungary. He is known for his piety and devotion to God, as well as his generosity towards the sick and poor. Suffering from an illness likely tuberculosis, he died at the age of 25 on March 4, 1484, in Vilnius. His canonization was initiated by his brother King Sigismund I the Old in 1514, with tradition holding that he was canonized in 1521. Saint Casimir is celebrated as a patron saint of Poland, Lithuania, and Lithuanian youth.