March 18: X-Man or Saint? Fridian, the Irishman who stopped an Italian river!

Fridian (aka Erigdian or Frigdian or Fridianus) was Irish, like Patrick (see grantingcert.com for March 17, 2018). Fridian lived in the 500s and very little is known about him except that he was a forerunner of my favorite-X-Man (who happens to be a woman) of all time: Storm!

Storm is amazing! She possesses the power to psionically control the weather! (Actually, I had to look up the word, “psionic”–it refers to the practical application of paranormal or psychic powers. Makes sense. It’s not like she would be controlling weather by beating butterfly wings in China or seeding clouds.) And, in the most well-known of the X-Men movies, Storm is portrayed by the amazing Halle Berry. Plus I’ve always loved stories involving calling down lightning from heaven, etc., etc. (I like Elijah for that reason.)

Anyhow, here’s the one story that Fridian is best known for by the handful of people still aware of his existence: A river in the Tuscan valley of Italy that was then called the Auser and now the Serchio) was about to flood the city of Lucca. Fridian “miraculously checked” that river in its course! The people of Lucca were saved, Fridian credited, and he’s a saint!

Cool!