During the early 4th century, Expeditus served as a Roman centurion in Armenia.
One day, while on duty, he met a Christian missionary who told him about the teachings of Jesus Christ. Expeditus was intrigued and decided to convert to Christianity, but the devil, in the form of a crow, appeared to him and told him to put off his conversion until the next day.
But Expeditus was not one to procrastinate. He stamped on the crow and killed it, declaring, “I’ll be a Christian today!” And with that, he publicly declared his faith and was subsequently martyred for it.
Years passed, and the story of Expeditus spread throughout the land. People began to call upon him for help in urgent matters, and he became known as the patron saint of those with pressing needs. He was also known as the saint of time, as he had chosen to act immediately and not delay.
As time passed, more and more people began to turn to Expeditus for help in all sorts of matters. He became the patron saint of dealers, sailors, students, and examinees, all of whom needed to make quick and important decisions.
But perhaps his most important patronage is as the patron saint of procrastinators. Many people put off important tasks, just like the devil had tried to do with Expeditus. They needed someone to help them overcome their tendency to delay and to urge them to take action today. And who better to turn to than the saint who had stamped on the devil’s bird and refused to put off his own important decision?
Expeditus’ feast day is April 19th and is widely celebrated, especially in Latin America where ceremonies in Sao Paulo can attract hundreds of thousands of people. He is typically depicted in artwork as a young Roman centurion squashing a crow beneath his foot and bearing a clock. The clock is a reminder of the importance of acting now, while the crow represents the devil, who would try to lead us astray and into procrastination.
So, next time you find yourself putting off an important task, remember the story of Saint Expeditus, and let it inspire you to take action today!
Saint Expeditus, pray for us.
🙏
Photo credit: Kartick dutta artist, Lightspring / Shutterstock.com