Saint of the Week: Saint Erasmus
aka Saint Elmo, yes, he of the fire. But I bet what you didn’t know is that Saint Elmo/Erasmus is the Patron Saint of Ammunition/Ordnance/explosive workers (and more)! Next time someone dynamites through rocks, uses a jackhammer, or tears down a building, offer up a little prayer to Saint Erasmus, who is also the patron saint of abdominal pains (presumably, which occur when an explosion goes wrong.) Actually, that’s because “at one time he had hot iron hooks stuck into his intestines by persecutors under Emperor Diocletian. These wounds he miraculously endured.” Ouch! How do persecutors think these things up?
St. E gets hooked.
Our S of the W is a busy fella with lots of nicknames:
Patronage
abdominal pains, ammunition workers, appendicitis, birth pains, boatmen, childbirth, childhood intestinal disease, colic, danger at sea, explosives workers, Gaeta, Italy, intestinal disorders, mariners, navigators, ordnance workers, sailors, seasickness, stomach diseases, storms, watermen, women in labour.
(No, I don’t see erasers in the list.)
Also known as Elmo; Eramo; Erarmo; Ermo; Herasmus; Rasimus; Rasmus; Telmo .
Bishop of Formiae, Campagna, Italy. Fled to Mount Lebanon in the persecutions of emperor Diocletian; was fed by a raven so he could stay in hiding. Discovered, he was imprisoned; an angel rescued him. Recaptured, he was martyred. One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Namesake for the static electric discharge called Saint Elmo’s Fire. Disemboweled c.303 at Formiae, Italy
Who are the Fourteen Holy Helpers and can I buy some at my local supermarket?
