March 12, 2009

Patron saint of youth

I have featured the St. Stanislaus Kostka Chapel of the Ateneo de Manila High School twice already, and now, here is the Jesuit saint for whom the chapel is named. Stanislaus Kostka was born of a noble Polish family in October 28, 1550. While studying in a Jesuit college in Vienna, he decided that he wanted to enter the Society of Jesus. The superiors at Vienna were hesitant to accept him, fearing the wrath of his father. So Stanislaus decided to appeal to the superior general in Rome. He walked from Vienna to Rome, a distance of 763 kilometers (474 miles) as the crow flies. He was accepted into the novitiate of St. Andrew in late October 1567. He had only spent ten months in the novitiate when he died in 1568, at the tender age of 17, on August 15, the feast day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

statue of St. Stanislaus Kostka at the Ateneo de Manila High School

16 comments:

Olivier said...

avec cette couleur bleue, cela rend très bien sur la statue.
blue colour is tres nice on the statue, it gives one quoted mystic

escape said...

i didnt know that there's a patron saint for the youth. but i believe that this is very important as a lot the youth needs someone to look up to.

Lois said...

I like that statue and the history too, especially that he was Polish. My father's family came from Poland.

अविनाश said...

liked d bluse shade..is it natural or its edited?

Lilli & Nevada said...

Nice statue and the history was very informative

Fio said...

I like your post, Hilda.
Especially that I'm Polish :)
Grat shot, thank you!

Lowell said...

Very interesting, Hilda. One doth wonder, however, how someone could do enough "saintly" business by age 17 and still involved in his studies to be canonized...

Cezar and Léia said...

He walked from Vienna to Rome!Oh gosh!Amazing!
I loved this story about Stanislaus.
Great post!
Kind Regards
Léia

Anonymous said...

That's so interesting - I really like your blog as it's so full of interesting factoids as well as great photos!

Layrayski said...

That was an interesting post. Wow. I know that the stories of the saints could be a nice read but I'm just a crybaby I can't read things like that without having to fight tears. he he he

JaamZIN said...

very expressive sculpture!

PAK said...

Thank You! (I know, it is for Fio, but as another Pole here, I thank You for posting this statue of Stanisław Kostka (to name in polish).)

Hilda said...

Avinash:
It's actually white but some of the hanging lights on the trees around it are blue, hence the color.

PAK:
You're welcome! Of course, it's for everyone — just especially for Fio because she recognized the name of the chapel immediately last December.

Joe Narvaez said...

Cool! Siya pala ang patron nating mga bagets hehe.

Neva said...

This is lovely....

Anonymous said...

Fascinating photo and story!

One wonders about the beatification and canonization of an 17-year-old.

But it is interesting that he would abandon his nobility to become a novitiate.