St. Casimir

Their story

Casimir was born in 1458 in Kraków, the third of thirteen children of King Casimir IV of Poland. He was raised at court and educated by a devout priest who taught him to love God more than power or riches. As a young man he wore simple clothes under his royal robes, spent long hours in prayer, often at night before the doors of the church, and gave generously to the poor. When Casimir was only thirteen, a group of Hungarian nobles asked his father to make him their king. Casimir obeyed his father and set out with an army, but the campaign failed, and he came to believe that the war was unjust. He returned home and refused to take up arms again, even when his father insisted. For a few years, while the king was away in Lithuania, Casimir governed Poland in his name, and he was known for his fairness and his care for the poor. Casimir had a deep love for the Blessed Virgin Mary. He often prayed a long Latin hymn in her honor, and a copy of it was buried with him. He also refused a marriage his father arranged, choosing to live a chaste life dedicated to God. He became ill with tuberculosis and died on March 4, 1484, at the age of 25. He is buried in the cathedral in Vilnius, Lithuania, and he is a patron of Poland, Lithuania and young people.