August 11 is the feast of St. Lawrence, Martyr. St. Lawrence is a well-loved Saint in Rome and Highly venerated. He is one of the Patron Saints of the City of Rome. He was the deacon of Pope St. Sixtus II. Lawrence received religious instruction from Sixtus when hte latter was an Archdeacon. When Sixtus was elected Pope he made Lawrence a deacon and entrusted with the goods and treasures of the Church. It was said that during the persecutions inaugurated by Emperor Valerian in 258, the emperor gave Lawrence three days to gather the goods of the Church and surrender them to the emperor. Forthwith the deacon gather the goods and distributed them to the poor of the Church. When the day of reckoning came the emperor asked for the treasures. Thence, Lawrence called the poor, the maimed and the feeble, and He courageously told the emperor that these are the treasures of the Church. St. Lawrence died a martyrs death. He was roasted in gridiron. When roasted the story was told that the dying Lawrence told the tormentors to turn him so that the other side of his body would also be roasted. Thus his image is depicted as carrying the gridiron.
St. Lawrence Pray for us. Amen.
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