Saint Florian - May 4
Saint Florian of Lorch
Memorial
4 May
Profile
Third century officer in Roman army stationed in modern Austria. Military administrator of the town of Noricum, and a closet Christian. Said to have stopped a town from burning by praying and throwing a single bucket of water on the blaze, and thus his association with firefighters and those who protect us from fire, including chimney sweeps. When ordered to execute a group of Christians during the persecutions of Diocletian, he refused, and professed his own faith. Martyr.
Died
scourged, flayed alive, a stone tied to his neck, and dumped into a river c.304 body later retrieved by Christians and buried at an Augustinian monastery near Lorch relics translated to Rome in 1138 part of the relics given to King Casimir of Poland and the bishop of Cracow by Pope Lucius III, which led to Florian’s patronage of Poland and Upper Austria Canonized Pre-Congregation Patronage against battle against drowning against fire against flood …More