He is often confused with another Erasmus, the bishop of Antioch. Our Erasmus lived in Syria and during the great persecution under the emperor Diocletian fled to the mountains. He was hiding there for 7 years. As the prophet Elijah, crows carried food to him. Then Erasmus had a vision. An angel appeared to him and said that his solitude had come to an end, that he was waiting for his hardships.
It is a test, but it will glorify the Lord.
Descending from the mountain, Erasmus met a detachment of soldiers. They questioned him, and Erasmus confessed that he was a Christian. Under escort, the saint was taken to Antioch, where Diocletian was at that time. At the trial, Erasmus was accused of terrible acts and ordered to renounce his faith. He refused. Then he was tortured, piercing his stomach with a rod. But this torture did not cause him any inconvenience. The enraged emperor ordered Erasmus to be chained and thrown into prison. The angel again appeared to the saint, freed him from his shackles and brought him out of prison.
Passing through Lycia, Erasmus resurrected the son of a famous citizen. Seeing such a miracle, the people began to receive water baptism and proclaim Christ as their Savior. This was learned by Diocletian’s co-regent, Maximian, and ordered the saint to be brought to the pagan temple in order to make him offer sacrifices. But the idols crumbled to dust, and their temples blazed with fire. Then Caesar ordered to put Erasmus in a barrel, which was studded with thorns and roll off the hill. Horror seized the pagans when a healthy and alive Erasmus came out of the barrel. All these tortures caused people to be baptized en masse. The effect of the persecution was the exact opposite.
It occurred to the torturers to smear Erasmus with tar and set fire to him, but even this did not cause him any harm. The angel closed the eyes of the torturers, Erasmus managed to escape, and he arrived in Italian Formia, where he preached and baptized many people. But then they grabbed him, and they cut his abdomen, wrapping his entrails on a rod. Erasmus died thanking God.
Memorial Day
May 17
The Holy Land Charitable Foundation
Lives of Saints
