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 tators were  converted  to  the  Faith. Still more  enraged thereat,  the  judge  ordered  the  holy  bishop to be  thrown  into  prison  and  kept  there  in  chains till he  died  of  starvation. But God  delivered  him, as He  had  once  delivered  St. Peter. One night an angel  appeared  to  him  and  said:  "Erasmus, follow  me!  Thou  shalt  convert  a  great  many." Thus far  he  had  led  numbers  to  the  Faith  by suffering,  now  he  was  to  convert  multitudes  as  a missionary.

Delivered from  prison  by  the  power  of  God,  he went  forth  into  many  lands  and  preached  the Faith. Mighty in  word  and  deed,  he  wrought many miracles  and  converted  great  numbers  of heathens. At length  he  came  to  Italy,  where Emperor Maximin  persecuted  the  Christians  as fiercely  as  did  Diocletian  in  the  East. As soon as Maximin  heard  of  Erasmus  and  the conversions effected  by  his  preaching  and  miracles, he  ordered  the  slaughter  of  three  hundred of the  converts. Erasmus himself  was  most cruelly tortured,  but  to  no  purpose. He remained firm. Then cast  into  prison,  he  was  again  liberated by  an  angel.

At last  the  hour  of  deliverance  came  to  this valiant and  apostolic  confessor  and  martyr  of Christ. He heard  a  heavenly  voice,  saying: "Erasmus, come  now  to  the  heavenly  city  and  rest in  the  place  which  God  has  prepared  for  thee  with