Many families of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus became closely allied with St. Martha’s Church during the mid-1900s. Because of that that, Monsignor Elslander and his altar boys routinely blessed circus trains each year before going on tour.  John Ringling North, pictured at right, was the president of the circus until he sold it in 1967.

Photo courtesy of Sarasota History Center

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