When St. Casimir chose peace instead of war in Eastern Europe

St. Casimir is sometimes called the "peacemaker," as he refused to invade another country in Eastern Europe to expand his father's kingdom.

St. Casimir, son of King Casimir IV, grand duke of Lithuania and king of Poland, desired peace in Eastern Europe, and refused to lead his soldiers into war.

Fr. Alban Butler explains in his Lives of the Saints the story of this 15th-century saint and how he left the front line of war, refusing to push forward to invade Hungary.

His father, King Casimir IV, repeatedly commanded his son to lead his army into battle and claim the throne of Hungary.

St. Casimir refused to have any part in the war campaign and spent a period of time in exile from his father, knowing that if he returned, he would be forced to comply.

After this incident, St. Casimir devoted himself to prayer and study, desiring to lead a more contemplative life.

St. John Paul II pointed out the heroic virtue of St. Casimir in a message he addressed to Lithuanians who gathered in Rome to celebrate the 500th anniversary of St. Casimir’s death.

Men and women religious can find in Saint Casimir an inspiration for their consecrated lives, as they recall how he embraced a life of celibacy, submitted himself humbly to God’s will in all things, devoted himself with tender love to the Blessed VirginMary and developed a fervent practice of adoring Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament. To all he was a shining example of poverty and of sacrificial love for the poor and needy.

St. Casimir died at the young age of 25 from tuberculosis and is regarded as a patron saint of Lithuania and Poland.