The thought of saints and sainthood provokes our mind or diverts it to think of something positive and holy. We often depict it as someone who lives a life full of virtues and deeds. Many saints are referred to as virtuous but few of them are not virtuous. It is interesting to know that few saints who are often referred to as virtuous are not virtuous. They might be referred to as cool or chill and the opposite of how saints are represented.
Let’s delve into ten saints that are truly cool and aggressive:
10) St. Francis of Assisi Canonised July 16, 1228 by Pope Gregory IX:
Source: Wikipedia
St. Francis of Assisi remains a very important figure in Catholicism. According to history, St. Francis is known to have interacted with animals. Moreover, not only does his interaction with animals make him unique but his legacy of being intact with his goals and spirit makes him unique among all. He is also known to have embarked on a sacred journey to convert the Muslims to Christianity. One of the leaders, Sultan Melek-el-Kamel was part of the plan of St. Francis whom he wanted to convert to Christianity. Although the Sultan declined St. Francis showed him The Fire Test to make the Sultan believe in his virtues and spirit.
9) St. Louis IX Canonised 1297 by Pope Boniface VIII :
Source: Wikipedia
St. Louis IX of France ascended the throne at the very young age of 12. Although he took over the reins, he was too young to rule the country. Hence St. Louis’ mother Blanche of Castile took over the reins until St. Louis was legally able to make decisions and rule. The significant interest of St. Louis relies on his crusades which are mainly military campaigns against the Muslim rules to reclaim the sacred lands.
These were deeply due to the religious purpose, the sacred objective to capture and control Jerusalem. St. Louis majorly participated in two important crusades the Seventh Crusade which was held in 1248 and the Eighth Crusade which was held in 1270, during which St. Louis devastatingly died.
8) St. George 4th Century AD:
Source: Wikipedia
St. George was born in the third century and was a remarkable Roman soldier. In today’s world, St. George’s martyrdom is celebrated as the world’s most prominent military saint ever. St. George’s military and spiritual journey began when he joined the army of Diocletian. He was so talented in his role that he emerged to the ranks of the finest soldiers in the army. The legacy of St. George remains unsung.
According to folklore, the dragon and St. George’s bravery are remarkable parts of the culture. A dragon had taken over the city of Libya and Silene. The citizens were forced to flee by providing their livestock and goods. When the princess was chosen, St. George arrived and defeated the Dragon by rescuing the princess. This tale depicts the bravery of St. George, inspiring millions of its followers.
7) St. Ignatius of Loyola Canonised March 12, 1622, by Pope Gregory XV:
Source: Wikipedia
St. Ignatius of Loyola was born to a prominent Spanish knight in 1491. His life was not full of roses as at a very young age he suffered a cannonball wound. The wound was so serious that it shattered his legs leaving him with severe injuries during the Battle of Pamplona. These sufferings were enough for him to lose willpower but despite all that, he remained resilient.
The phase of injury and recovery was very painful yet St. Ignatius didn’t lose hope and immersed himself in religious texts and preachings. This led him to reconnect with the purpose of life and hence became a priest. He founded many schools and colleges promoting education and knowledge. His mission to spread Catholicism globally was successful. His courage and determination are still applauded to date.
6) St. Simeon Stylites 5th Century:
Source: Wikipedia
St. Simeon Stylites was a Syrian Monk and one of the most remarkable figures in Christian Asceticism. Many accounts of his life show that he lived a simple and peaceful life. In early life, he spent forty days in a tiny hut without food or water. Later in his life, he stood on a pillar for more than thirty-five years only to be exposed to the four elements of the earth. His basic diet was goat milk and flatbread.
He ultimately sacrificed himself while he was standing upright, this condition caused him a malignant ulcer on his thigh and was in deep agony and pain. But he stood steadfast and remained calm and determined. The legacy of St. Simeon remains an inspiration for all the people in the world.
5) St. Joan of Arc Canonised on May 16, 1920, by Pope Benedict XV:
Source: Wikipedia
We usually rethink of masculine gender prominently as priests and bishops but St.Joan of Arc remains one of the most distinctive and courageous women in history. She is remarkably known to have led the French Army during the war of Hundreds’ Years. Due to her bravery and dedication, she paved the way for the coronation of Charles VII. St. Joan of Arc was a devout Catholic, who claimed to receive divine visions and guidance to drive the Britishers from France. Joan was a brave woman who led many armies in the wars of Orleans and Patay. St. Joan was very young when she was executed in 1430.
4) St. Vladimir of Kyiv 10th and 11th Centuries AD:
Source: Wikipedia
St. Vladimir is known as the Grand Prince of Kyiv. His remarkable transformation from a simple pagan to a chant leader of Christianity. He was the first person to abandon paganism as he was influenced by the teachings of Byzantine, Fyodor and other prominent Christian leaders. He ruled Kyiv with dignity and respect, made many monasteries and schools and United the people of Kyiv. St. Vladimir of Kyiv remains a prominent figure in history.
3) St. Moses the Black 4th Century AD:
Source: Wikipedia
St. Moses the Black Knight was a slave before he underwent a remarkable transformation to become a spiritual saint. He used to a slave under the Egyptian government officials and was later dismissed for suspected murder. He was disturbed by his accusations and to seek revenge, he swam across the river Nile with a knife. He found that the accuser had already fled so he sacrificed four sheep and sought refuge in the monastery. This was how he was inspired by the Monks and became a prominent monk figure.
2) St. Longinus 1st Century AD:
Source: Wikipedia
St. Longinus was a renowned Roman soldier who sacrificed his life to fight for the Roman Empire. According to history, his bravery lies in the pivotal role in the crucifixion of Jesus. He stabbed Jesus in the side while he was on the cross. This truly remarkable moment shows how fascinating and brave St. Longinus was. The stab of Jesus caused bleeding and a drop of bleeding got into St. Longinus’ eyes. This brought back his eyesight as he was blind before. This remarkable moment made him convert to Christianity, leaving behind military warfare. He later become a prominent brave monk figure.
1) St. Quiteria 2nd Century AD:
Source: Wikipedia
St. Quiteria was another extraordinary woman. Her life was not bad of roses, as her mother was disgusted by the births of daughters and lack of sons. The mother chose to abandon the daughters and ordered their death. One of the nurses saved the nine daughters and one of them was St. Quiteria. The sisters rose to mark a warrior gang against pagans and they were bravely United to fight against the Roman Empire.
