the Florian
the Florian
This evocative stole is named for St. Florian, the patron saint of firefighters. St. Florian was a commander in the Roman army around 250 AD. He created a firefighting brigade with some of the soldiers he led. News reached Rome, however, that Florian was not persecuting the local Christians according to his orders. Under threat of death, he was ordered to make sacrifices to the Roman gods. When he refused, he was sentenced to burn at the stake.
While standing on the pyre, Florian is recorded to have said to the Roman executioners: “If you wish to know that I am not afraid of your torture, light the fire, and in the name of the Lord I will climb into it.” The soldiers were too afraid to light the fire beneath Florian, and he was ultimately martyred by drowning.
This stole evokes the courage, the inner peace, the fiery power, the mysterious breath-wind that were all part of the life and story of St. Florian. It is a beautiful stole for ordinations and Pentecost. The Florian is made with Deep Red Dupioni Silk with a hand appliqued design worked in shades of True Red, Rose Gold, Pale Gold, and True Gold dupioni silks.
Customization Options
Stole Cut Style
The Tailored Stole Signature Cut (recommended)
The Classic Cut
The Tailored Stole Signature Cut was created by Andrea Farley after interviews with priests. A common complaint was the stole either cutting into the back of the neck or creeping up the neck. Some priests also noted the challenge of stoles shifting side-to-side. The Tailored Stole Signature Cut is an attempt to address these challenges. The top portion of the neck cut has been narrowed to allow it to lay flat on the wearer's upper back without cutting into or creeping up the neck. It also reduces the chance of side-to-side shifting as it fits snugly around the shoulders rather than perching on the top of the shoulders. This cut looks good on men and women alike, and both men and women have reported it feeling more comfortable and secure.
The Classic Cut is a wider, more traditional stole cut. It has a curved neck cut that "stands up" against the back of the neck -- a good choice if there is a desire for embellishment (such as a cross embroidery) on that portion of the stole. The Classic Cut also looks better as a Transitional Diaconate stole, with the consistent width along the upper portion of the stole.
Stole Length
This stole is made to order to your custom length.
The easiest way to find you preferred stole length is to try some on and measure an existing stole that you love the length of. The way to measure it is from the neck seam down one stole length.
If that option is not feasible, a tape measure and a friend work just fine. Be sure to stand tall and hold the tape measure to the back base of your neck. Have your friend find your measurement at the point you want your stole to end.
Lining Fabric Color Choice
The Lining Fabric refers to the fabric on the reverse side of the stole. Each stole comes with a number of suggested color choices for the lining fabric, but requests for different colors can be made.
Lining Fabric Color Recommendations for the Florian include:
Soft Silver Kona Cotton
Pewter Kona Cotton (as pictured)