Erasmus of Antioch
Erasmus , Elmo or Ermo , (* around 240 in Antioch , † 303 in Formia ) was a bishop and martyr . He is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church . His feast day in the general calendar of the Catholic Church used to be June 2nd.
Legendary tradition
There is hardly any authentic evidence of the life of St. Erasmus. He came from Antioch , where he also worked as bishop, but he had to leave his diocese during the persecution of Christians under Diocletian . According to tradition, he retired to a mountain in Lebanon , where he was miraculously nourished by a raven for seven years. Upon the appearance of an angel , Erasmus returned to his diocese, where he was soon taken prisoner. He is said to have suffered various forms of torture , such as bowel movements . By divine assistance, however, he is said to have been set free and to have come to Italy, where he worked as a pastor in the area of Formia . There he is said to have died of old age after seven years.
Adoration
In the 9th century his relics were transferred to Gaeta north of Naples, where he is the patron saint of the cathedral . The cultic veneration of St. Erasmus can be traced back to the 6th century. Since around 1300 he has been counted among the 14 helpers in need. He is invoked as the patron saint against the risk of fire because fire on board was very much feared on the wooden ships. When the sailors saw their sails glowing like a fire - electrical charges discharged from ship's masts during heavy thunderstorms - they believed they were through St. Erasmus protected and saw it as a good omen, which is why this phenomenon is called Elmsfeuer .
St. Erasmus is also the patron saint of seafarers, turners , weavers and rope makers , the helper with cramps, colic , abdominal complaints and stomach diseases; he is called upon in the case of births and diseases of domestic animals.
iconography
There are many representations of St. Erasmus. Some show him with the episcopal insignia of staff and miter , others depict his martyrdom or show him only with his attribute , a winch, with the intestines wound up.
See also
literature
- Friedrich Wilhelm Bautz : Erasmus. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 1, Bautz, Hamm 1975. 2nd, unchanged edition Hamm 1990, ISBN 3-88309-013-1 , Sp. 1524.
Web links
- Entry on Erasmus on the website of the Franciscan Monastery of Vierzehnheiligen
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Erasmus of Antioch |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Elmo, Ermo |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Bishop and martyr of the Catholic Church |
| DATE OF BIRTH | at 240 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Antioch |
| DATE OF DEATH | 303 |
| Place of death | Formia |