St. Casimir

St. Casimir was born on 3 October 1458 at the royal castle of Kraków, a son of King Casimir IV of Poland, and died on 4 March 1484 at Grodno (in modern Belarus). Raised as a prince of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and prepared for the responsibilities of rule, he stood apart from the ambitions and pleasures of court life through his remarkable purity, humility, and devotion to prayer.

Deeply attached to the Blessed Virgin Mary — the Marian hymn 'Daily, Daily Sing to Mary' is traditionally associated with him — he gave generously to the poor and the sick and refused to compromise his conscience even in matters of state. He died of tuberculosis at only twenty-five, unmarried and renowned for his chastity. Canonized in 1521, he is honored as a patron saint of Poland and Lithuania and a model of youthful holiness.