St. Eustachius

Eustachius is martyr and like Hubertus patron of the hunters. His feast is the 20th September in the West, and 2nd November in the East. The name means: good épi (Greek - Latin).

The legend relates that Eustachius, who's name was Placidus before his conversion, that he was as a hunter and Roman general of a legion in little Asia under emperor Trajan. One day during a hunt he saw a stag that carried a luminous crucifix between the antlers. He fell off his horse and heard the words: "why you do you hunt me? I am Jesus, that you honor without to know it. Go to the bishop of the Christians and become baptized."

Placidius converts and was baptized under the name d'Eustache, together with his wife Trajana (after baptism Theopista) and his sons, Agapius and Theopistus.

God tested his faith and steadfastness of his belief in many heavy blows. He impoverished and hiked to Egypt. There he was violently separated from his wife and his sons, however, later they were reunited unexpectedly. During the christian pursuits through emperor Hadrian (117-38), he refused to sacrifice heathen gods and died as martyr. After beeing  reproached to the lions in the Rome amphitheater, he and his family were burned alive in the internal of a bronze bull.

On representations, one finds Eustachius as a hunter with a spear, a hunting horn, and a stag that carried a luminous crucifix between the antler poles. On his death as martyr reprimands a glowing oven that is added sometimes. Also wild animals can be his mark.

Eustachius, whose cult is mixed often with that of the holy Hubertus, is patron of Paris, Madrid,  and the hunters. As one of the fourteen holy helpers, he is invoked in difficult situations.