In this work by St. Ambrose, St. Sebastian, a revered Christian figure, supports the martyrs Marcellian and Marcus as they face execution for their faith. Despite emotional pleas from their parents and spouses, who lament their impending deaths, Sebastian urges them to resist the temptations of earthly attachments and embrace the promise of eternal life. He emphasizes the fleeting nature of worldly pleasures and the eternal joys awaiting martyrs in heaven. The narrative culminates in a miraculous event where Zoe, the wife of Nicostratus, regains her speech after witnessing Sebastian's divine presence, further solidifying the faith of those around him.

A historical children's book about St. Sebastian, St. Quadratus, St. Tarcisius, St. Pancratius, and St. Agnes, young and courageous Christians who faced cruel persecutions during the time of the Early Church.

Artwork by Luigi Ontani, Paul Schrader, Louise Bourgeois, Chris Burden, Francesco Clemente, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Fiona Tan. Photographs by Catherine Opie, David Wojnarowicz. Text by Wolfgang Tillmans.

Plague, a devastating and recurring affliction throughout the Renaissance, had a major impact on European life. Not only was pestilence a biological problem, but it was also read as a symptom of spiritual degeneracy and it caused widespread social disorder. Assembling a picture of the complex and sometimes contradictory responses to plague from medical, spiritual and civic perspectives, this book uncovers the place of music - whether regarded as an indispensable medicine or a moral poison that exacerbated outbreaks - in the management of the disease. This original musicological approach further reveals how composers responded, in their works, to the discourses and practices surrounding one of the greatest medical crises in the pre-modern age. Addressing topics such as music as therapy, public rituals and performance and music in religion, the volume also provides detailed musical analysis throughout to illustrate how pestilence affected societal attitudes toward music.

In his illustrious life, Saint Sebastian was the senior commanding officer of the elite forces for the greatest military power on the planet--the Roman Empire. By his glorious death, he became a commander in the greatest military power in the universe--the communion of saints of the Roman Catholic Church. Throughout the Church's history, countless martyrs have offered their lives to Christ rather than deny Him. One of the most revered is Saint Sebastian, and for this, his name appears in the Roman Canon. A native of Milan, Saint Sebastian was the primus pilus, the senior centurion of elite soldiers in the Roman army who commanded eight hundred of the best soldiers in the world's greatest military at the time. Taking the same ethic for the spiritual battle as he did for the empire's battles, Saint Sebastian worked tirelessly and inconspicuously to strengthen other Christians, especially during the cruel persecutions and martyrdoms of the third century. The heroic examples of Saint Sebastian and his companions inspired others to follow the Lamb of God, even to the point of death, giving their lives as holocausts to the one, true living God rather than worship devils. It is only fitting that another great saint from Milan, Saint Ambrose, detailed the courage and fidelity of these brave soldiers. A Tale of Death and Glory will compel you to stay firm in your faith amidst the growing threats of persecution from secular authorities and to seek heaven with renewed vigor, for "this earthly life passes quickly, like a fleeting dream."

“Let us agree,” Federico Garcia Lorca wrote, “that one of man’s most beautiful postures is that of St. Sebastian.” “In my ‘Saint Sebastian’ I remember you,” Salvador Dali replied to Garcia Lorca, referring to the essay on aesthetics that Dali had just written, “. . . and sometimes I think he is you. Let’s see whether Saint Sebastian turns out to be you.” This exchange is but a glimpse into the complex relationship between two renowned and highly influential twentieth-century artists. On the centennial of Dali's birth, Sebastian’s Arrows presents a never-before-published collection of their letters, lectures, and mementos. Written between 1925 and 1936, the letters and lectures bring to life a passionate friendship marked by a thoughtful dialogue on aesthetics and the constant interaction between poetry and painting. From their student days in Madrid's Residencia de Estudiantes, where the two waged war against cultural “putrefaction” and mocked the sacred cows of Spanish art, Dali and Garcia Lorca exchanged thoughts on the act of creation, modernity, and the meaning of their art. The volume chronicles how in their poetic skirmishes they sharpened and shaped each other’s work—Garcia Lorca defending his verses of absence and elegy and his love of tradition while Dali argued for his theories of “Clarity” and “Holy Objectivity” and the unsettling logic of Surrealism. Christopher Maurer’s masterful prologue and selection of letters, texts, and images (many generously provided by the Fundacion Gala-Salvador Dali and Fundacion Federico Garcia Lorca), offer compelling and intimate insights into the lives and work of two iconic artists. The two men had a “tragic, passionate relationship,” Dali once wrote—a friendship pierced by the arrows of Saint Sebastian.

From Johnnette Benkovic bestselling author and host on the EWTN Global Catholic Network comes these short but powerful daily meditations taken from Scripture and the writings of the saints. Designed as a day-by-day spiritual resource, this book features 365 quotes along with a short meditation to enrich your mind, lift your spirit, and feed your soul.