St. Lawrence the Martyr

St. Lawrence the Martyr

August 10, Patron of the Poor and Cooks

In 257, when St. Sixtus became Pope, he ordained St. Lawrence a deacon, though very young he became one of seven deacons who served in the Church of Rome. These deacons were in charge of giving help to the poor and the needy Persecution broke out and twelve months later Pope St. Sixtus was arrested. As he was lead off to be executed St. Lawrence followed him in tears. Sixus ordered him to distribute the treasures of the Church among the poor. St. Lawrence did as he was commanded, selling even the sacred vessels to increase the sum he received.

The Perfect of Rome commanded St. Lawrence to surrender the treasures of the Church. Instead of gold and silver St. Lawrence presented the poor to the Perfect of Rome as the riches of the Church.In great anger, the Perfect condemned Lawrence to a slow, cruel death. The saint was tied to the top of an iron grill placed over a slow fire that roasted his flesh little by little. As St. Lawrence was burning his love for God kept him from feeling any pain. To his last breath the holy deacon prayed for the conversion of the city of Rome, that the Faith of Christ might be spread throughout the world. God gave him so much strength that it is said that Lawrence asked to be turned over. That he was done on one side and wished to be cooked all over. Several senators, who witnessed his execution were converted to Christianity and gave Lawrence a decent burial. He was declared a Martyr in the year 258.