Who is ST elmo?

Question

Besides the little furry red dude teaching kids their ABC's. I've heard of St elmo's green fire and have no idea who he is.

*starts singing ruber duckie*

Answer 1

Patron saint of sailors.

St. Elmo's fire is a phenomenon at sea where luminescent, bright light appeared on ship masts. There's more info on wikipedia.

And you've got to put down the ducky if you want to play the saxophone.

Answer 2

He is the patron saint of sailors, among other things like birthing pains. His history/story is as follows, taken from Patron Saints Index, available online.

ERAMUS Also known as Elmo; Saint Elmo.
Memorial day is 2 June.
Profile: Bishop of Formiae, Campagna, Italy. Fled to Mount Lebanon in the persecutions of emperor Diocletian; was fed by a raven so he could stay in hiding. Discovered, he was imprisoned; an angel rescued him. Recaptured, he was martyred. One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Namesake for the static electric discharge called Saint Elmo's Fire.

Died : disemboweled c.303 at Formiae, Italy

Patronage: abdominal pains, ammunition workers, appendicitis, birth pains, boatmen, childbirth, childhood intestinal disease, colic, danger at sea, explosives workers, intestinal disorders, mariners, navigators, ordnance workers, sailors, seasickness, stomach diseases, storms, watermen, women in labour.

Prayers: Novena in honor of Saint Erasmus

Representation: windlass

FROM WIKIPEDIA:
Physically, St. Elmo's fire is a bright blue-white glow, appearing like fire in some circumstances, often in double or triple jets, from tall, sharply pointed structures such as masts, spires and chimneys, and on aircraft wings.

It is named such because the phenomenon commonly occurs at the mastheads of ships during thunderstorms at sea, and St. Elmo is the patron saint of sailors. Benjamin Franklin correctly observed in 1749 that it is electric in nature. It is said that St. Elmo's fire can also appear from the tips of cattle horns during a thunderstorm, or sharp objects in the middle of a tornado, but is not the same phenomenon as ball lightning, although they are possibly related. In ancient Greece, the appearance of a single one was called Helena and two were called Castor and Polydeuces.

Hope this helps...

Answer 3

Saints celebrating feast days today include Saint Erasmus or Saint Elmo (patron saint with authority over abdominal pains, ammunition workers, appendicitis, birth pains, boatmen, childbirth, childhood intestinal disease, colic, danger at sea, explosives workers, intestinal disorders, mariners, navigators, ordnance workers, sailors, seasickness, stomach diseases, storms, watermen, and women in labor), Saint Marcellinus and Saint Peter, Saint Pothinus and Companions, Saint Eugenius I, Saint Stephen of Sweden, Saint Nicholas the Pilgrim, and Saint Blandina.

***

Bishop of Formiae, Campagna, Italy. Fled to Mount Lebanon in the persecutions of emperor Diocletian; was fed by a raven so he could stay in hiding. Discovered, he was imprisoned; an angel rescued him. Recaptured, he was martyred. One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Namesake for the static electric discharge called Saint Elmo's Fire.

Died: disemboweled c.303 at Formiae, Italy

Patronage: abdominal pains, ammunition workers, appendicitis, birth pains, boatmen, childbirth, childhood intestinal disease, colic, danger at sea, explosives workers, intestinal disorders, mariners, navigators, ordnance workers, sailors, seasickness, stomach diseases, storms, watermen, women in labour

Answer 4

The fire is a visible static charge that formed on the masts of ships. Very cool stuff.

Answer 5

i was thinking he was the saint of sailors