"On May 4, the Church marks the feast day of St. Florian, a third-century Christian martyr. Florian was a high-ranking officer in the army of the Roman Empire. One of his particular duties was to oversee the fire brigade of the city where he was stationed.
"Ancient Roman cities were crowded and dense with residential buildings of several stories. While the center of the city might have those famous marble facades, most of the buildings in Roman cities were wood or brick. Fire was a daily occurrence in such large cities and was the source of much suffering and death. . . . Florian was admired for his effective leadership over the brigades and was celebrated for the lives he saved.
"Unfortunately, his deeds and reputation did not save Florian when the Emperor Diocletian decided to embark on the most ferocious persecutions of Christians in the history of that violent empire. . . ."
In a recent commentary, Bishop Richard G. Henning, the bishop of the Diocese of Providence
(RI), reflected, with gratitude, on the ministry provided by firefighters (including his father, uncle, and great-grandfather) and on the need to keep them in our prayers.
To access Bishop Henning's complete essay, please visit:
The State of Hope: The Fire of Love (2 MAY 24)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment