St. Elmo

Elmo is also known as St. Erasmus. The year of his birth is uncertain. He was bishop of Formia in Italy during Diocletian’s persecution and fled for time to Mount Lebanon, where he lived as a hermit. The emperor’s officials found him and tortured him, but according to a legend an angel rescued him from prison. He then left for Illyricum, but was eventually martyred. St. Elmo is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Neapolitan sailors took the blue light that sometimes appears the riggings of ships in storms as a sign of St. Elmo’s protection and this natural phenomenon came to be called St. Elmo’s fire. St. Elmo’s feast day is June 2.