“To all, he was a shining example of poverty and of sacrificial love for the poor and needy.”
                                                                                                                                                    -  Pope John Paul II

Casimir Jagiellon was a prince of the Kingdom of Poland and of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Casimir was the third child and the second son of the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Casimir IV and Queen Elisabeth Habsburg of Austria. Casimir was a polyglot and knew Lithuanian, Polish, German and Latin languages.

After his elder brother Vladislaus was elected as King of Bohemia in 1471, Casimir became the heir apparent. At the age of 13, Casimir participated in the failed military campaign to install him as King of Hungary. He became known for his piety, devotion to God, and generosity towards the sick and poor. Prince Casimir completed his formal education at age 16 and spent most of his time with his father. In 1476, Prince Casimir accompanied his father to Royal Prussia where he tried to resolve the conflict with the Prince-Bishopric of Warmia.

In 1481, Mikhailo Olelkovich and his relatives planned to murder King Casimir and Prince Casimir during a hunt at a wedding of Feodor Ivanovich Belsky. The plan was discovered and Prince Casimir, perhaps fearing for his safety, was sent to Poland to act as vice-regent. Around the same time his father tried to arrange his marriage to Kunigunde of Austria, daughter of Emperor Frederick III. However, Casimir refused the match, preferring to remain celibate and sensing his approaching death.

Later, Prince Casimir developed tuberculosis. In May 1483, Prince Casimir joined his father in Vilnius. His health deteriorated while rumours about his piousness and good deeds spread further. In February 1484, the Polish sejm in Lublin was aborted as King Casimir IV rushed back to Lithuania to be with his ill son. Prince Casimir died on 4 March 1484, in Grodno. His remains were interred in Vilnius Cathedral, where the dedicated Saint Casimir's Chapel was built in 1636.

He became ill and died at the age of 25. He was buried in Vilnius Cathedral and his cult grew. His canonization was initiated by his brother King Sigismund I the Old in 1514 and the tradition holds that he was canonized in 1521.


Other Saints of the Day
1. Saint Adrian
2. Saint Appian
3. Saint Basil and Companions
4. Saint Felix of Rhuys
5. Saint Placide Viel