St. Florian

Berkeley, Monday, April 26, 2026

Feast: May 4.

Day 1: Saint Florian was twice scourged half-flayed alive and then thrown into the Enns River with a stone round his neck. [1] I assume the confession was to be a Christian?

I will learn more in the following days. I see a reference from his times, 304. But I do not know yet if Saint Florian was born in 304 or passed away on that year.

Day 2: Saint Florian “was drowned in Noricum during the persecution to” Catholics “under Diocletian.” “He became the patron of Upper Austria, widely invoked as a protector from the danger of fires.” [2]

I am searching a few things in google, which might be helpful to find more information about him and about the drawing place as time allows. His name is Saint Florian of Lorch.

Day 3. April 27 1:47 am. I didn’t write dates above. But the last two are almost continues. In the rush is hard to find information, and despite I did it a few times, two or three, I do hate just to dump information. Few facts, in reference 3, where I found a good blog post. St. Florian died on May 4 304. I will add later his born date. The episode described on day 1, might have happened from a bridge above the Enns River at Lorch. Lorch is also Lauriacum in Roman times, and it is on the Lime Road or Danubian Limes. I think the road is a Unesco World Heritage. That is a fact. I might learn something else. Saint Florian, with all your courage, please pray me.

Day 4. April 29 1:13 am. [5] The Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic has a novena to Saint Florian. He is also one of the Patron Saint of Poland. He is a patron saint of topics related with water and fire, particularly protection against those. So he is a patron saint of firefighters, floods, crop failure, protection against drought, but also of things one can do with fire and water, so he is a patron saint of potters blacksmiths, chimney sweeps, brewers, coopers, construction workers, miners. This is according to [5]. But it seems one can add to that category.

Saint Florian guide me on my academic work with water.

Day 5. April 30 0:01 am. I did listen to a podcast this morning. It was a good story for kids, about Saint Florian. With all this traveling I am not recalling it that well. I think it explained that fire started in the city, which was spreading quickly, St. Florian and others worked hard on battling the fire. But after almost all resources to extinguish the fire were gone, with a bit of water he felt on his knees to the ground and asked to the Lord’s help. I do believe something happened, though we was ridiculized in that intent. That is what I recall. I would need to find the podcast and add it to [8].

I am searching some sources, the names are a bit strange. But [5] says that he was born in Cetia, today St. Pollten near present Viena, Austria. In the 3rd center, it was part of Noricum, a territory annexed by the Roman Empire.

Day 6 May 1. 6 am. I should be asleep by this time already. There is an Augustinian monastery, the St. Florian monastery, I believe nearby by where his body was throw into the Elm River.

Guide me Lord in this life.

Day 7 May 2. 2.16 am. The Czechs and the Polish worship to the Lord at the same church in San Francisco. So it is understandable that I continue reading, some handout from the Czech Firefighters. Diocletian was the ruler at Rome. He was a persecutor of Christians. [5] It is easy to find someone guilty as well. When one refer to the persecutor to Christians should only see to the emperor or to a group of society as a whole. A society could influence the emperor as well. The Lord needs to guide us to find the true.

Day 8 May 3. 1.40 am Wonder why Saint Florian was killed. The Czech Firefighters in [8] said because of the defense of the faith. I ran late. Saint Florian stated: “Serving in the army, I worshipped God secretly. I will be obedient in military matters, but as a Christian I will not be forced to deny Christ and worship dead idols”. [8]

Day 9 May 4. 2.20 am Happy feast Saint Florian. Thanks for your generosity.

References

[1] Thurston, Herbert S.J. and Donald Attwater. 1963 Butler’s Lives of the Saint. Complete Edition. Edited, revised and supplemented by Herbert Thurston, S.J. and Donald Attwater. PJ Kenedy & Sons. New York

[2] McClure, Peter. “Florian.” Dictionary of American Family Names. Eds. Hanks, Patrick, and Simon Lenarcic. : Oxford University Press, , 2022. Oxford Reference. Date Accessed 28 Apr. 2026 <https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780190245115.001.0001/acref-9780190245115-e-24583>.

[3] https://donauinseln.blogspot.com/2012/11/geography-of-saint-florian.html

[4] http://florian.hegewisch.net/patron.html

[5] https://hzscr.gov.cz/soubor/sv-florian-hzskv-en-pdf.aspx

[6] https://swflorian.net/en/saint-florian/

[7] https://josephu.blogspot.com/2016/05/st-florian.html

[8] https://open.spotify.com/episode/7pWQcWRn5a6TwXIisgDfrZ?si=049bc48e31ba47a0

[9] https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02121b.htm