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Gay-ing the saint…

How did this come to be? For centuries, classical painters took the martyrdom of St. Sebastian for their subject in art. It became an opportunity to paint the male nude, exercising the pagan notions of the beauty and excellence of the human body, without censure from the Church.

The saint is always represented devoutly accepting martyrdom, often heroically gazing ecstatically towards heaven. There is absolutely no connotation of eroticism in these more ancient depictions of the saint. He was, after all, a young soldier of athletic build, hence his patronage of athletes, soldiers and policemen, as well as inspiration to young boys and men. (For an in-depth view of St. Sebastian in art, go to “Iconography of St. Sebastian” - be careful of the 20th century content however.)

Unfortunately, modern artists, as well as writers, have ascribed a homoerotic dimension to the iconography of St. Sebastian, which is nothing less than sacrilegious, if not blasphemous. Naturally, throughout the ages, some painters may have been interested in the male nude from a homoerotic impulse, indeed, perhaps these men themselves were homosexuals. However, I do not believe for a minute they thought of Sebastian as either gay or the patron saint of gays, as modern gay people like to claim.

I’m convinced the modern claims by gay people that Sebastian is their patron, and myths concocted to prove he was gay, emanate from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The writings of Thomas Mann, Oscar Wilde, as well as the art of Aubrey Beardsley, seem to attest to this “coming out” party in literary and artistic circles. Of course there is evidence throughout the ages of homosexuality in society and the arts, nevertheless, the 20th century must be understood as the time in modern history that the subculture eventually became a more or less socially acceptable behavior.

Since the 1930’s gay people have been claiming historical personages as their own. Therefore, it is not surprising, in the later half of the 20th century, icons and patron saints have been re-scripted to enhance the spiritual vacuum of gay people’s lives. (Visit this site purporting to promote saints who were gay.)

Contemporary images of the saint are often vulgar, if not pornographic, reflecting the highly sexualized aspect of gay culture. It seems to me, St. Sebastian is a safe way to eroticize religious devotion, while for the most part avoiding the ultimate blasphemy of likewise representing Christ in the various aspects of His Sacred Passion. Of course, that is not to say that this has not already been done. It has.

As Catholics, abiding in communion with the Saints, we must preserve the authentic veneration of the saints, clarifying why they are saints, and protest any political force who would mock or defame, or use our brothers and sisters in glory to promote a life of sin, much less, sell a product.

A homosexual may indeed take St. Sebastian as his patron, provided he does not impute this sin to the saint, and looks to the martyr for strength to overcome his disordered inclination.

The feast of St. Sebastian is January 20th, shared with St. Fabian.