SAINT FLORIAN, Patron Saint of Firefighters

St. Florian was a third century Roman officer who was stationed in modern Austria, military administrator of the town of Noricum, and a closet Christian. Legend states that he stopped a town from burning by throwing a single bucket of water on the blaze and that act has associated him with firefighters and those who protect us from fire, including chimney sweeps. He was ordered to execute a group of Christians during the persecutions of Diocletian; he refused and professed his own faith. Legends states he was scourged, flayed alive, a stone tied to his neck, and dumped into a river. His body was later retrieved by Christians and buried at an Augustinian monastery near Lorch, relics were sent to Rome in 1138, parts of which were given to King Casimir of Poland and the Bishop of Cracow by Pope Lucius III, which lead to Florian's patronage of Poland and northern Austria.

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