St. Casimir Jagiellon was born in 1458, the third of thirteen children of Polish King Casimir IV and Elizabeth of Austria. St. Casimir despised regal life; he wore a hairshirt and plain clothes, slept on the ground, and spent sleepless nights meditating on the Passion. His father tried to arrange marriage with a German princess but Casimir insisted on celibacy. He died en route to Lithuania on March 4, 1484, at the age of 25. St. Casimir was buried with a copy of a Marian hymn he frequently recited and later canonized by Pope Adrian VI in 1522. St. Casimir is remembered as a patron of Poland, Lithuania, and bachelors. (Source: Catholic News Agency)

St. Casimir, pray for us!