St. Lawrence, Martyr (d. 258)
“He is one of the seven deacons of Rome. According to tradition, he was born at Huesca, Spain and suffered Martyrdom under the persecution of Emperor Valerian. St. Ambrose says that he was a deacon of Pope Sixtus II and was overwhelmed when the Pontiff was condemned to death in 258, but he was overjoyed when Sixtus predicted that Lawrence would follow him in three days. He sold some of the Church's possessions and gave them to the poor.
When the prefect of Rome heard of his action, he had Lawrence brought before him and demanded all the Church's treasures for the Emperor. Lawrence said he would need three days to collect them and then presented the blind, the crippled, the poor, the orphans, and other unfortunates to the prefect and told him they were the Church's treasures. Furious, the prefect prepared a red-hot griddle and bound Lawrence to it; Lawrence bore the agony with unbelievable equanimity and in the midst of his torment instructed the executioner to turn him over, as he was broiled enough on the one side. His death and example led to the conversion of Rome and signaled the end of paganism in the city.”
When the prefect of Rome heard of his action, he had Lawrence brought before him and demanded all the Church's treasures for the Emperor. Lawrence said he would need three days to collect them and then presented the blind, the crippled, the poor, the orphans, and other unfortunates to the prefect and told him they were the Church's treasures. Furious, the prefect prepared a red-hot griddle and bound Lawrence to it; Lawrence bore the agony with unbelievable equanimity and in the midst of his torment instructed the executioner to turn him over, as he was broiled enough on the one side. His death and example led to the conversion of Rome and signaled the end of paganism in the city.”
Comments