St Lawrence of Rome

Lawrence was archdeacon of the church of Rome under Pope Sixtus II, entrusted with the church's treasury and its care of the poor. In August 258 the emperor Valerian ordered the immediate execution of bishops, priests, and deacons; Sixtus was seized while celebrating the liturgy in the catacombs. The ancient account tells that as the pope was led away, Lawrence grieved to be left behind, and Sixtus prophesied that he would follow in three days. Commanded by the prefect to surrender the treasures of the Church, Lawrence distributed everything to the needy, then gathered the poor, the blind, and the lame and presented them: 'These are the treasures of the Church.' For this he was put to death, according to the universal tradition roasted alive on a gridiron, where he is said to have kept his good humor to the end. His martyrdom moved Rome deeply; he became one of the city's most venerated patrons.