Official feasts used to be an important part of the human community. People would gather together to remember something sacred, express their faith and hope for the future, and / or just be together formally, recognizing each other as being part of a shared community. Few things express a desire for shared companionship and social intimacy more than dining together. Sadly, the gathering together for feasting is increasingly a relic of the past – at least here in the West.
It need not be so! Today we will remember the ancient feasts.
The Feast of St. Erasmus of Formia
This is a Christian religious celebration of Erasmus of Formia, perhaps better known today as St. Elmo, a legendary 3rd and early 4th century remembered today as a patron saint of sailors and abdominal pain. His legend includes suffering torture on multiple occasions, at the hands of Roman emperors Diocletian and Maximian, followed by miraculous survival and escape, and all the while he continued leading others to Christ. Among the most popular legends regarding how he was finally martyred is that he was disemboweled.
The Acts of Saint Elmo were partly compiled from legends that confuse him with a Syrian bishop Erasmus of Antioch. Jacobus de Voragine in the Golden Legend credited him as a bishop at Formia over all the Italian Campania, as a hermit on Mount Lebanon, and a martyr in the Diocletianic Persecution. There appears to be no historical basis for his passion.
Account of life and martyrdom
Erasmus was Bishop of Formia, Italy. During the persecution against Christians under the emperors Diocletian (284–305) and Maximian Hercules (286–305), he left his diocese and went to Mount Libanus, where he hid for seven years. Around that time, an angel was purported to have appeared to him, and counseled him to return to his city.
On the way, he encountered some soldiers who questioned him. Erasmus admitted that he was a Christian and they brought him to trial at Antioch before the emperor Diocletian. After suffering terrible tortures, he was bound with chains and thrown into prison, but an angel appeared and helped him escape.
He passed through Lycia, where he raised up the son of an illustrious citizen. This resulted in a number of baptisms, which drew the attention of the Western Roman EmperorMaximian who, according to Voragine, was “much worse than was Diocletian.” Maximian ordered his arrest and Erasmus continued to confess his faith. Angered, Maximian had Erasmus enclosed in a barrel full of protruding spikes and rolled down a hill. His survival is claimed to be the result of the intervention of an angel.
A number of unreliable legends fill Erasmus’ story. Though he was thrown into prison with the intention of letting him die of starvation, Erasmus managed to escape. He was recaptured and tortured in the Roman province of Illyricum, after preaching and converting numerous pagans to Christianity. According to the traditional account, he was disemboweled; his abdomen slit open and his intestines wound around a windlass. This version may have developed from interpreting an icon that showed him with a windlass, signifying his patronage of sailors.
Veneration and patronage
A 15th-century fresco painting held to be the torturing and dismemberment of Erasmus, in the Maria Church in Båstad left
Erasmus may have become the patron saint of sailors because he is said to have continued preaching even after a thunderbolt struck the ground beside him. This prompted sailors, who were in danger from sudden storms and lightning, to claim his prayers. The electrical discharges at the mastheads of ships were read as a sign of his protection and came to be called “Saint Elmo’s Fire“.
Pope Gregory the Great recorded in the 6th century that the relics of Erasmus were preserved in the cathedral of Formia. When the old Formiae was razed by the Saracens in 842, the cult of Erasmus was moved to Gaeta. He is currently the patron of Gaeta, Santeramo in Colle and Formia.
In Malta, on the tip of the Xiberras Peninsula, where the city of Valletta – the capital city of Malta – is built upon, stands a star-shaped fort named for St. Elmo. The fort replaced a medieval chapel dedicated to Erasmus for this protection of sailors who went forth from the Grand Harbour of Malta and Marsamxett, on the North side of the fort. During the Great Siege of Malta, the Ottoman forces, led by Mustafa Pasha and Piali Pasha, as well as Dragut (Turgut) who died just before the fort fell, besieged the fort believing it would succumb to artillery and assault in a matter of days, for it was hastily built and the garrison was heavily outnumbered and exhausted, however, the garrison held 25 days until June 23rd 1565. One of the fiercest displays of defense, wherein the garrison sallied out in force to destroy an enemy bridge, fell on the feast of St Elmo.
The skull of St. Erasmus, venerated as a relic, is purported to be in St. Peter’s Church in Munich, Germany and some parts of his body are around in Europe.
Besides his patronage of mariners, Erasmus is invoked against colic in children, abdominal pain, intestinal ailments and diseases, cramps and the pain of women in labour, as well as cattle pests.
You may have heard of “St. Elmo’s Fire” and wonder if it is named for this saint. The answer is yes. It relates to St. Elmo’s role as a patron saint of sailors:
Armed with that information, you now know that the speech given by Robe Lowe’s character in the film St. Elmo’s Fire, explaining that both the phenomena and St. Elmo himself are made up, is entire false. His character probably knew that, too. That knowledge shifts how you view the scene, in my opinion.
On the other hand, the John Parr main title song of that movie is top tier.
What is something to eat when celebrating the feast of St. Erasmus of Formia?
St. Elmo is actually strongly associated with a particular food, though it’s a bit unusual. I don’t know that you can build an entire feast on just this item, but I think it would definitely make a good side and perhaps also a good teaching tool.
In a mixing bowl, start by adding 1 cup of ketchup.
Gradually stir in 2 tablespoons of prepared horseradish. Adjust the horseradish to your preferred level of spiciness.
2. Add Flavorful Ingredients:
Squeeze in 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice for a zesty kick.
Incorporate 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce to enhance the depth of flavor.
For that signature St. Elmo’s heat, add 1/2 teaspoon of hot sauce. To fit your tolerance for spice, adjust the amount.
Sprinkle in 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper for a peppery punch.
Add 1/4 teaspoon of celery salt for a subtle, savory note.
Lastly, include 1/4 teaspoon of paprika for a touch of smokiness.
3. Mix Thoroughly:
Use a whisk to blend all the ingredients until the sauce combines well and has a uniform texture.
4. Refrigerate And Serve:
Transfer the St. Elmo’s Cocktail Sauce to an airtight container.
To enable the flavors to mingle, refrigerate for at least half an hour before serving.
Serve chilled as a dipping sauce alongside your favorite seafood dishes.
5. Enjoy!
Dip your shrimp, oysters, or crab into this delectable sauce and savor the bold and spicy flavors of St. Elmo’s in the comfort of your home.
I did some digging and the apparent origin of this sauce stems from it being a popular item on a menu at an early 20th century Indianapolis surf and turf restaurant. The restaurant was called “St. Elmo’s Steak House.” Given that St. Elmo is a patron saint of sailors, though, a sauce for dipping seafood seems like it might be appropriate. If you have macabre sensibilities (these feasts often do have them) then you could also draw comparisons between the look of the sauce and the saint’s gruesome death.
What is a prayer to say on the Feast Day of St. Erasmus of Formia?
O God, Grant us through the intercession of Thy dauntless bishop and martyr Erasmus, who so valiantly confessed the Faith, that we may learn the doctrine of this faith, practice its precepts, and thereby be made worthy to attain its promises. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
When is the Feast Day of St. Erasmus of Formia celebrated?
This feast day is celebrated annually on 2 June.
I hope that everyone who celebrates has a wonderful day!
