St. Florian lived in the 3rd century, and was commander of the imperial army in the Roman province of Noricum. The Roman regime sought to get rid of Christianity, and sent soldiers to persecute Christians. One soldier ordered Florian to offer sacrifice to the pagan Roman gods. Naturally, he refused, and cheerfully accepted the beatings of the soldiers, who used clubs, spikes and fire to torture him. He was executed by drowning in the Ems River* with a stone tied around his neck.
A pious woman buried him, but his remains were later moved to St. Florian’s Abbey, near Linz. Linz is a major city of Austria.
Many cures were attributed to his intercession. He is especially invoked against dangers from fire and water, and is patron saint of fire-fighters.
*Ems river, Northern Germany