St Florian in Arad, Romania

myminifactory

Saint Florian, a Christian saint who lived until about 304 AD, is revered as the patron saint of Linz, Austria; chimney sweeps; soapmakers, and firefighters. His feast day is celebrated on May 4th. Additionally, St. Florian is the joint patron of Upper Austria with Saint Leopold. Florian was born approximately 250 AD in the ancient Roman city of Aelium Cetium, which now exists as Sankt Pölten, Austria. He joined the Roman army and advanced through its ranks, eventually becoming commander of the imperial army in the Roman province of Noricum. In his role, Florian also oversaw firefighting brigades. During the Diocletianic Persecution of Christians, reports reached Rome that Florian was not enforcing the proscriptions against Christians in his territory. Aquilinus was sent to investigate these claims. When Aquilinus ordered Florian to make a sacrifice to the Roman gods, as per Roman custom, he refused. As a result, Florian was sentenced to be burned at the stake. As he stood on the funeral pyre, Florian allegedly challenged the Roman soldiers to light the fire, saying "If you do, I will climb to heaven on the flames." Fearing his words, instead of burning him, they executed him by drowning in the Enns River with a millstone tied around his neck. His body was later retrieved by Christians and buried at an Augustinian monastery near Lorch. Later, a woman named Valeria had a vision where she saw Florian; he declared his intention to be buried in a more suitable location. This object is part of the "Scan The World" initiative. Scan The World is a non-profit project introduced by MyMiniFactory, which aims to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from around the globe for public access at no cost. Scan The World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items nearby and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how to participate.