St. Eustachius is among the most famous early Christian martyrs from our tradition, even though his story, lost to history, has been replaced by legend.

The story is told about Eustachius that he was general of the Roman army, and originally had the name Placidus. One day he was out hunting and saw a stag; a crucifix was lodged in the deer’s antlers. The vision inspired him to convert to Christianity, and he had his whole family baptized, changing his name to Eustachius in the process.

He was asked to lead the army into a critical battle. After victory, he was invited to honor the imperial gods, but he refused. He was condemned to die with his whole family by being burned in a furnace.

An ancient Church in Rome was built in honor of St. Eustachius (who is sometimes called Eustace), and he is patron saint of hunters and of firefighters. Bottles of the Jägermeister liquor bears the saint’s symbol of a cross and stag on its label because jägermeisters were German gamekeepers and foresters and St. Eustachius was their patron.

St. Eustachius’ relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica, and his image is used here with permission from Catholic.org.

St. Eustachius, your story is lost to history, but whose faithfulness and bravery are not–pray for us!