San Lorenzo, Saint of the day for 10 August

(c.225 - 10 August 258)

The history of San Lorenzo
The Church's esteem for Lawrence is seen in the fact that today's celebration is a holiday. We know very little about his life. He is one of those whose martyrdom left a deep and lasting impression on the early Church. The celebration of his holiday spread quickly.

He was a Roman deacon under Pope San Sisto II. Four days after the death of this pope, Lawrence and four clerics suffered martyrdom, probably during the persecution of the Emperor Valerian.

The legendary details of Lawrence's death were known to Damasus, Prudentius, Ambrose and Augustine. The church built on his tomb became one of the seven main churches in Rome and a favorite place for Roman pilgrimages.

A famous legend has survived from the earliest times. As a deacon in Rome, Lawrence was charged with responsibility for the material goods of the Church and with the distribution of alms to the poor. When Lawrence learned that he would be arrested as the pope, he sought out the poor, widows and orphans of Rome and gave them all the money he had available, even selling the sacred vessels of the altar to increase the sum. When the prefect of Rome learned of this, he imagined that Christians must have a considerable treasure. He sent for Lawrence and said, “You Christians say we are cruel to you, but that's not what I have in mind. I have been told that your priests offer in gold, that the sacred blood is received in silver cups, that you have golden candlesticks during the evening services. Now, your doctrine says you must give back to Caesar what is his. Bring these treasures - the emperor needs them to maintain his strength. God does not make money count: he has brought nothing into the world with him, only words. So give me the money and be rich in words ”.

Lawrence replied that the Church was indeed rich. “I'll show you a valuable part. But give me time to put everything in order and take an inventory. ”After three days he gathered a large number of the blind, the lame, the maimed, the lepers, the orphans and the widowers and put them in line. When the prefect arrived, Lawrence simply said, "These are the treasure of the Church."

The prefect was so angry that he told Lawrence that he really had his wish to die, but it would be inches. He had a large grill prepared with coals under it, and on it he placed Lawrence's body. After the martyr had suffered for a long time, the legend concludes, he made his famous cheerful note: “It is well done. Turn me on! "

Reflection
Once again we have a saint about whom almost nothing is known, but who has received extraordinary honor in the Church since the XNUMXth century. Almost nothing, but the greatest fact of his life is certain: he died for Christ. We who are hungry for details about the lives of the saints are again reminded that their holiness was after all a total response to Christ, perfectly expressed by a death like this.