Saint Lawrence
He was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome under Pope Sixtus II and was martyred in 258 during the persecution of the Christians ordered by the Roman emperor Valerian.St. Lawrence is the patron of deacons, chefs and firefighters. Around the time of his feast day, which is celebrated on August 10, the night sky is lit with bright lights. The phenomenon is related to the passing of a meteorite swarm left by a comet. For folk tradition these lights are “falling stars”, tears St. Lawrence shed during his martyrdom.
The Martyr of the Least
The testimony of this holy martyr, born in Spain in the first half of the 3rd century, is marked by piety and charity. Immediately after his election, Pope Sixtus II entrusted him with the care of the archdiocese. As the deacon responsible for charitable activities in the diocese of Rome, Saint Lawrence administered goods and catered to the needs of orphans, widows, and the poor generally.
Guardian of the "Church Treasures"
His journey was shaken in youth by the drama of persecution. In AD 258, Emperor Valerian issued an edict: all bishops, priests and deacons must be put to death. Saint Lawrence, other deacons, and Pope Sixtus II were apprehended. The Pope was killed on 6 August. At first, the emperor offered to spare Lawrence’s life, in exchange for his handing over of “the treasures of the Church.” Lawrence is said to have presented the emperor with the sick, the needy, and the marginalized. These, he said, are the treasures of the Church. Four days later, on August 10, Saint Lawrence would be martyred.
From martyrdom to glory
Saint Lawrence’s martyrdom is a supreme testament to love. Saint Leo the Great, in a homily, commented on the condemnation of St. Lawrence, “The flames could not overcome the charity of Christ; and the fire burning him without was weaker than the one he had burning within him.” St. Leo adds, “The Lord has desired to exalt his glorious name in the world so much that from the East to the West, in the lively flaring of the light radiated by the greatest deacons, the same glory that came to Jerusalem from Stephen has also touched Rome thanks to Lawrence.”