Turn me over, I'm done on this side!

Today's Holy Saint is Saint Lawrence. We probably would have called him Larry. This great Saint, I believe, would have been so fun and wonderful to hang out with! He was an all-around good guy, who loved to speak up when he noticed things going wrong. He was not afraid. And oh so loyal. Although he probably should have been a little afraid, because he lived in the time of Emperor Valerian. A cruel and twisted man, who hated Christians. Another pawn of the evil one. It was scary and risky to be known as a priest or Bishop and for that fact, even a Pope. As Valerian had Pope Sixtus II, captured, taken into custody while celebrating liturgy and put to death immediately. After the Pope's death, the emperor demanded that all riches of the Church be handed over to the Roman prefect. St Lawrence asked for three days to gather the wealth. He worked swiftly and distributed the Church property to the poor, preventing it to be seized. When his three days were over, he was commanded to deliver the treasures to the emperor, where he then presented the cities most poor, crippled, blind and suffering. Declaring that these were the "the true treasures of the Church". He then was seized and placed on a gridiron, to be burned alive to death. While being burned in the mounting flames, he cried out, " turn me over! I'm done on this side! ". Because of this final joke, St Lawrence is recognized as the Patron Saint of comedians and cooks. 

     Emperor Constantine is said to have had a small oratory erected in honor of Lawrence. Pope Damasus, rebuilt the Church and it is now called, " Basilica di San Lorenzo fuori le Mura", (Church of St Lawrence outside the walls). The gridiron of the martyrdom was placed by Pope Paschal II,  in the minor Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina.

     So next time you're grilling those steaks, think of our Saint Lawrence and tell him that you love him and thank him for upholding the belief in God. The God he was willing to take so much heat for.....

     St Lawrence! Beloved friend, pray for us!