|
Lawrence
was born in Spain in the third century. He became the treasurer
for the Church in Rome and Keeper of the Sacred Books. Pope
St. Sixtus fearing that his execution was drawing near, instructed
Lawrence to collect the Church's treasures and cash them in
to distribute to the poor and needy. Officials of the pagan
Emperor caught wind of this scheme and gave Lawrence three days
to surrender the treasures. After three days, he returned with
thousands of the wretched of Rome and said that they were the
treasures of the Church. He was flogged, branded and clubbed;
then they stretched him on a rack and ripped his flesh with
hooks; and then stripped him, tied him to a gridiron, and roasted
him alive. His burning flesh exuded a sweet odor to believers,
but was putrid to the pagans. Lawrence maintained a beatific
smile throughout the ordeal, which alone led many to conversion.
He told his executioners, "Turn me over, I'm done on this
side.” The grid on which he was grilled is on display
at his titular basilica, St. Lawrence-Outside-the-Walls, and
in Spain, there's a church that houses a jar of his melted fat.
He is also the patron of students, schoolboys, librarians, armorers,
brewers, restaurateurs, cutlets, confectioners, glaziers, washer
women, the poor, Ceylon, Sri Lanka and football (because his
symbol is a grid); and he's invoked against fire and lumbago.
His feast day is August 10. |
To
order
click on one of
the links below
|
 |
|
St.
Lawrence
Patron St. of
Chefs |
|
