How Did a Third-Century Catholic Sat Bee a Gay In? Here’s the Homoerotic History of Sat Sebastian

Contents:

• HOW DID A THIRD-CENTURY CATHOLIC SAT BEE A GAY IN? HERE’S THE HOMOEROTIC HISTORY OF SAT SEBASTIAN
• ST. JOHN HENRY NEWMAN: THE FIRST OPENLY GAY CATHOLIC SAT?
• WHO IS THE PATRON SAT OF GAY PEOPLE?
• GAY SATS (AND BI-POSIVE ON)

HOW DID A THIRD-CENTURY CATHOLIC SAT BEE A GAY IN? HERE’S THE HOMOEROTIC HISTORY OF SAT SEBASTIAN

His wrgs nvced historians John Boswell and Brian Patrick McGuire that Aelred was a gay man, albe one who still disuraged any sexual activy outsi the bounds of marriage.

ST. JOHN HENRY NEWMAN: THE FIRST OPENLY GAY CATHOLIC SAT?

Several relig anizatn, s cludg the Natnal Anglin Catholic Church and Integry the Epispal Church the Uned Stat have regnized Aelred as the patron sat of such gay-iendly groups as the Orr of St. An abbot medieval France, Bernard of Clairvz mataed a lengthy personal relatnship wh the archbishop Malachy, acrdg to gay liberatn theologian Richard Cleaver. Boris would go on to hold special signifince for gay Christians bee of his apparently romantic relatnship wh his servant, Gee the Hungarian.

This 16th-century Spanish sat was prone to g homoerotic imagery poetry exprsg his love of Christ, most notably his poem "On a Dark Night. By that terpretatn, such scripture as referenc to the disciple reclg upon the bosom of the Lord have spired homoerotic art pictg the relatnship between Christ and John as romantic.

This is the view explored Martti Nissen and Kirsi Stjerna's Homoeroticism the Biblil World: A Historil Perspective. The 19th-century Brish subversive scholar was beatified 2010, spe speculatn that he may well have been gay. Consired the ma patron sat of gays by many, Sebastian was martyred Rome the year 288 on the orrs of Emperor Dcletian.

WHO IS THE PATRON SAT OF GAY PEOPLE?

While no tal actually exist providg rmatn about Sebastian's love life or sexual orientatn, the fact so much Renaissance art picts him homoerotic pos monstrat a strong nnectn to LGBT people. Y, the Good Kg Wencls, a sat and a de, also was likely gay. The wrgs ma reference to such classil gay figur as Adonis and Ganyme.

GAY SATS (AND BI-POSIVE ON)

They jo the pany of Sebastian, patron sat of homosexualy, Pl the Apostle, who may have stggled wh homosexual sir, and John the Evangelist, who was possibly the “Beloved Disciple” of J — who are also venerated by queer Christians for a variety of reasons. This All Sats’ Day — and honor of All Souls’ Day — here’s a look at the ia that there are sats and martyrs of Christiany who were eher genr non-nformg, or who exhibed strong same-sex bonds or attractns — or who simply stggled wh what may have been homosexual sire. And when to queer-revered sats such as Sebastian, ’s important to unrstand that when we say he is regard as the patron sat of homosexualy, ’s not bee of anythg he did while alive, but merely bee of his longstandg populary wh gay men.