Saint Florian Protect the Firefighter

In the Third century A.D., Florian was an officer in Roman army stationed in modern Austria. He was the military administrator of the town of Noricum, and a closet Christian. Florian was said to have stopped a town from burning by 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 Florian was ordered to execute a group of Christians during the persecutions of Diocletian, he refused, and professed his own faith. In the twelfth century, Florian was made a Saint by Pope Lucius III, and later a person was reported to have been saved from fire by praying to St. Florian. Since then St. Florian has generally been regarded as the patron Saint of the fire service.

Return to Smoke Eater's Home