By Jim Davis - Florida Catholic
St. Sebastian's belfry towers over its quiet residential neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale.
Twin crosses mark the front doors to St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale.
St. Sebastian Church in Fort Lauderdale combines wood, marble and metal textures.
Sanctuary at St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale, combines wood, marble and metal textures.
The ornate main crucifix at St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale, takes a modern approach, but retains a sense of Jesus' suffering.
Loaves and fish are embossed onto a cloth in front of the pulpit of St. Sebastian Church in Fort Lauderdale, a reminder of a miracle by Jesus in feeding 5,000.
Full-size statue of St. Sebastian at his namesake church in Fort Lauderdale is actually toned down from stories about his martyrdom -- one said he was shot with so many arrows that he looked like a porcupine.
In place of the usual rose window, St. Sebastian Church in Fort Lauderdale has this vivid cameo of Pentecost. The Bible says that tongues of flame settled on the disciples and empowered them to preach the gospel in various languages.
Window in the lobby of St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale, shows an abstract ship, a traditional symbol of the Church.
In this window at St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale, Mary is crowned queen of heaven by the Father and the Son, with the Holy Spirit hovering overhead as a dove.
Christ resurrects, confounding the guard at his tomb, in this window at St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale.
The Assumption of Mary is depicted in this window at St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale.
The Ascension of Jesus is depicted in this window St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale. Angels show the tools of his suffering -- a flagellum and whipping post, a spear and crown of thorns -- over which he prevailed.
St. Ann, Mary's mother, reads from a book in this window at St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale.
Mary carries the unborn Christ Child in this window of the Immaculate Conception at St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale.
St. Sebastian carries a clutch of arrows plus a palm frond, two signs of his martyrdom, in this window at St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale.
Statue of St. James the Greater holds a staff and water gourd, showing him as the patron saint of travelers, in this window at St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale.
A kingly cross and orb over two symbols of the Trinity -- a triangle and three interlocked circles -- at the Chapel of the Divine Healer at St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale.
Saints Cosmas and Damian treat a patient in this window at the Chapel of the Divine Healer in St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale. Legend says the twins didn’t charge for their medical services.
Window at St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale, shows St. Luke, who is believed to have been a doctor. The artist made Luke's walking staff into a combination cross and caduceus. The latter, originally associated with the Greek god Hermes, has become a symbol of modern doctors.
"Who touched me?" says Jesus in this window at the Chapel of the Divine Healer at St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale. According to the Bible, a woman had hemorrhaged for years, but was healed instantly when she touched Jesus' garment.
The Holy Family shares a quiet day at home in this window at the Chapel of the Divine Healer at St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale. But the young Jesus holds a small cross, foreshadowing how he would die.
Outdoor mosaic of Mary faces a footpath to St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale. The maritime-themed artwork has her holding a ship, often used as a symbol for the Church.
Photography: JIM DAVIS | FC
FORT LAUDERDALE | Saints are rightly honored for giving their lives for the faith. But St. Sebastian is among the very few who paid the ultimate sacrifice twice.
Whenever people picture the soldier-saint, whose feast day is Jan. 20, they usually remember paintings of him bound to a stake, his body pierced with arrows. Many don’t know that he barely survived that execution — then was clubbed to death.
Photographer: JIM DAVIS | FC
St. Sebastian carries a clutch of arrows plus a palm frond, two signs of his martyrdom, in this window at St. Sebastian Church, Fort Lauderdale.
Legend says the third-century saint was born in Gaul, then went to Rome and joined the army. He so distinguished himself that he was appointed to the Praetorian Guard, the personal bodyguards of the emperor Diocletian.
In the year 286, the emperor learned Sebastian was converting soldiers to Christianity and ordered Sebastian's death. Sebastian was shot by archers, then left for dead.
A Christian widow found Sebastian and nursed him back to health. Once recovered, he sought out Diocletian in public places and denounced him for persecuting Christians.
This time, Diocletian had him beaten to death and his body thrown in a sewer. Another woman found the body and had it buried in the city's catacombs.
He is the patron saint of soldiers and athletes. The saint lent his name to a river, a city and a county in east-central Florida.
Sebastian is also the patron saint of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The city's full name is Sao Sebastiao de Rio de Janeiro, or "St. Sebastian of the January River."
His namesake church in the Archdiocese of Miami was born in 1959. It was served first by priests from St. Anthony Church, the mother congregation for Catholic churches in Broward County.
Nestled in the quiet community of Harbor Inlet, just south of Fort Lauderdale's public beach, St. Sebastian is well suited to serve Catholics in the city's beach resorts. The church has also developed a range of ministries in prayer, music, religious education, 12-step programs and other areas.
Photographer: JIM DAVIS | FC
The architecture of St. Sebastian Church in Fort Lauderdale adopts a slimmed-down Mediterranean style.
