St. Longinus

March 15

St. Longinus was the centurion who, standing by Pilate’s direction with other soldiers beneath the cross of our Lord, pierced His side with a lance, and seeing the portents which followed, the darkening of the sky and the earthquake, believed in Christ.  “Surely, this was the Son of God.”  Legend says that his eyesight had been failing. When he pierced the side of Jesus, some of the blood touched his eye and restored his sight.  He gave up soldiering and, after being instructed by the apostles, converted and led a monastic life in Caesarea of Cappadocia.  He was arrested by the governor of the region, tortured, tried, and beheaded. He is named Longinus after the Greek word for “lance.”  His feast is kept on March 15.