Expeditus

Expeditus also known as Saint Expeditus and Expedite was a Catholic saint and martyr who lived between the 3rd and 4th centuries, being commander of the XII Fulminata Legion of the Roman army, under the government of Emperor Diocletian.

His Latin name means "Promptness" or "Swiftness," which is why he is considered a great and prompt intercessor for causes requiring rapid resolution. 

He was removed from the Catholic Calendar of Saints but continues to be venerated by the common people.

His name

Expeditus is an adjective (derived from the Latin expeditus) that refers to being free from all encumbrances and ready to act. But the name Saint Expeditus also has military connotations. In ancient Rome, it was said that when soldiers marched only with their weapons and without their load, they did so expediti or in expeditionem. Conversely, when they marched with their equipment, which included a sleeping bag, eating utensils, personal belongings, digging tools, tools, and provisions, they did so impediti. The term expediti was also used to refer to the legion's formation that allowed them to operate as light infantry and move quickly. 

It is believed that this is where Saint Expeditus's name comes from, or that he began his military career in a unit that operated according to these parameters, and that he may have gotten his name from it.
Patron saint
Due to his name, popular devotion considers him:

 The patron saint of urgent causes
 Lawyer of impossible causes (a title he shares with Saint Rita of Cascia and Saint Jude Thaddeus)
 Protector of the military, students, young people, and travelers
 Patron saint of overly protracted legal cases

 Veneration 
His feast of April 19 is widely celebrated. Expedite is venerated in Europe and strongly in Latin America. Brazil has ceremonies in São Paulo and crowds attending ceremonies to mark his April 19 feast day can reach in the hundreds of thousands. St Expedite is also venerated by Orthodox Christians being a pre-schism saint.
Iconography
Images of Saint Expeditus depict him in Roman legionary garb, dressed in a short tunic and a cloak thrown back over his shoulders (in the Roman military style), and in a martial stance. In one hand, he holds a palm frond, symbolizing victory, triumph, peace, and eternal life originating in the ancient Near East and the Mediterranean. 

The palm frond was sacred in Mesopotamian religions, and in ancient Egypt, it represented immortality. In the other, he holds a cross bearing the word hodie ('today' in Latin, in reference to the well-known legend). With his left foot, he steps on a raven that cries 'cras' ('tomorrow' in Latin).

Patronage
At first, he was invoked for urgent causes. In 1781 Pope Pius VI proclaimed him protector of merchants and seafarers."Saint Expeditus", Daily Compass, April 19, 2021 There was a tradition that Expeditus could be called upon to help settle overly long legal cases. Expeditus is the patron saint of Acireale, Sicily.Thurston, Herbert. "Flotsam and Jetsam", The Month, vol. Volume 108, Simpkin, Marshall, and Company, December 1905, p. 546
 References 

 Other websites 

 San Expeditus Site
 San Expeditus Web

Category:303 deaths
Category:Early Christian saints