St. Elmo (Erasmus)
St. Erasmus of Formia (d. 303 AD), also known as St. Elmo, was an Italian bishop during the reign of Roman Emperors Diocletian and Maximian Hercules. During their persecution against Christians, St. Elmo left his diocese and fled to Mount Lebanon where he lived for seven years. An angel advised him to return to his diocese in order to vanquish his enemies. As he traveled he was questioned by soldiers and declared himself a Christian. He was brought to trial before Diocletian himself, and Elmo confessed his faith in Christ and denounced the emperor for his impiety. He was tortured and thrown into prison, but an angel freed him so that he would continue on his way to Italy and save many souls.
Two more times he would endure the cycle of performing miracles,
baptizing thousands of people, getting arrested and mercilessly tortured, and
being miraculously freed before arriving back in his own diocese.
During his travels he suffered a myriad of horrible tortures,
but according to the oldest tradition he died at peace in Formia,
though later accounts have him being martyred there by disembowelment.
St. Elmo is the patron of mariners and sailors, abdominal pain,
intestinal cramps, and women in labor.
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