Saint Lawrence of Rome:

Feast day : 10 August

Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Lawrence of Rome, a young matryr who lived during the period 225-258. He was one of the seven deacons appointed under Pope Sixtus II and was in charge of the treasury of the early Church. He attained his glorious martyrdom during the persecution of Christians by Emperor Valerian in the year 258. When the Prefect ordered him to surrender all the treasures of the Church to the empire of Rome, he gathered all the poor of the city who were supported by the Church and presented them to him as the treasures of the Church. The Prefect was shocked and angry to see the poor and wretched treasures of the Church and sentenced Saint Lawrence to death for having mocked him. He was sentenced to a slow and painful death on the gridiron which he cheerfully endured, praying for the conversion of Rome till his last breath. He is the patron saint of cooks, comedians, librarians, tanners and the third patron of Rome.

Tradition:

Saint Lawrence served as a deacon and treasurer for the early Roman Church under Pope Sixtus II. There were seven deacons who were appointed by Pope Sixtus II and Lawrence was given charge of the administration of the treasury. This was a charge of great trust which he executed with great diligence. In the year 257, the Emperor Valerian began persecuting Christians and commanded all the bishops, priests and deacons to be put to death. Pope Sixtus II alongwith his six deacons were arrested and condemned to death. As he was being led away, Lawrence followed him weeping and asking “Father, where are you going without your son? Whither are you going, O holy priest, without your deacon?” Saint Lawrence was overcome with sorrow and wished that he too could die with the Holy Father and be a martyr for Christ. The Holy Father was moved by compassion on seeing his sorrow and comforted him saying “I do no leave you son; but a greater trial and a more glorious victory are reserved for you who are stout and in the vigor of youth. We are spared on account of our weakness and old age. You shall follow me in three days.” He also ordered him to distribute the treasures of the Church to the poor lest they fall into the hands of the undeserving. Pope Sixtus II and the six deacons were martyred on that day.

Saint Lawrence went away filled with joy that he too would soon have a glorious death and as instructed by his Holy Father, he immediately made arrangements to distribute the wealth of the Church among the poor widows, orphans and the sick who were supported by the Church. He sold all the gold and silver and precious metals that were in the Church and distributed them to the poor and needy.

Death:

The Church was known to possess rich treasures and the Prefect of Rome called for Lawrence to whose cares the treasures of the Church were committed. In their meeting, the Prefect ordered him to surrender all the treasures of the Church to the empire of Rome. Lawrence asked for three days time to gather all the riches and present them to the Prefect. He then went all over the city looking for all the poor who were supported by the Church. On the third day, he gathered a great number of them and presented them to the Prefect as the treasures of the Church.

The Prefect was shocked and angry to see the poor and wretched treasures of the Church and sentenced Saint Lawrence to death for having mocked him. He knew that Saint Lawrence desired to die as a martyr like the Pope and the other six deacons but he vowed to give him a slow and painful death saying “I know that you desire to die; but you shall not die immediately, as you imagine. I will protract your tortures, that your death may be the more bitter as it shall be slower. You shall die by inches.”

Then he ordered for a large gridiron to be made ready. When burning coals had heated it, Lawrence was stripped, bound by chains and laid on this flaming hot iron bed. His flesh was roasted slowly over the fire but his face appeared to believers to be surrounded with a beautiful extraordinary light and his body exhaled a sweet fragrance. He did not feel the pain and joked with his executioners saying cheerfully “Let my body be now turned; one side is broiled enough”. When the Prefect and non-believers insulted him, he continued praying with sighs and tears imploring God for the conversion of the city of Rome. When he finished praying he lifted his eyes to heaven and died. It is believed that his prayers began to be answered that very moment. Several of the Senators who were present at his death were so moved by his heroic martyrdom that they converted to Christianity. They took his body and buried it in the Veran field near the road to Tibur. Since that day, several miracles have been attributed to his powerful intercession, thereby increasing the faith of the people of Rome and contributing to the conversion of the city.

Devotion:

Emperor Constantine I is believed to have erected a small oratory in honour of Saint Lawrence. Pope Damasus I renovated the church, now the Basilica di San Lorenzo fuori le Mura, while the Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo in Panisperna was erected over the site of his martyrdom. The gridiron of the martyrdom was placed by Pope Paschal II in the Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina. Lawrence is especially honoured in the city of Rome, of which he is considered the third patron after St. Peter and St. Paul. The church built over his tomb, the Papal Minor Basilica di San Lorenzo fuori le Mura, became one of the seven principal churches of Rome and a favourite place of Roman pilgrimages. He is the patron saint of librarians, archivists, comedians, cooks and tanners as their patron.