In today’s lives of the saints and martyrs, a martyr with a sense of humor

Winchester, VA – Saint Lawrence was born in 225 in Spain and was ordained a deacon by his friend, Pope St. Sixtus II in 257. Despite his youth, he was appointed first of the seven deacons of Rome. In his position, he had charge of the Church’s treasury and riches, and saw to the distribution of alms to the poor. When Emperor Valerian called for the executions of all bishops, priests, and deacons, Lawrence was charged with the task of collecting all of their wealth to give to the government. He asked for 3 days to gather it all together, and in those 3 days gave as much of it away to the poor as he could. When called to present the Church’s wealth, he brought forward the indigent, the crippled, the blind, and the suffering, and said those were the Church’s true treasures. He was ordered put to death and a gridiron was set over hot coals. According to tradition, at one point, he cheerfully declared, “Turn me over! I’m done on this side!” and just before he died, “It’s cooked enough now.” Praying for the conversion of Rome and the spread of the Church throughout the world, Lawrence gave up his spirit. St. Lawrence, pray for us.