S LAWRENCE (225-258) - 10th Aug

 As deacon in Rome, Lawrence was charged with the responsibility for the material goods of the Church, and the distribution of alms to the poor. 

    When Lawrence knew he would be arrested like the Pope, he sought out the poor, widows and orphans of Rome and gave them all the money he had on hand, selling even the sacred 

    vessels to increase the sum. When the prefect of Rome heard of this, he imagined that the Christians must have considerable treasure. He sent for Lawrence and he replied that 

    the Church was indeed rich. “I will show you a valuable part. But give me time to set everything in order and make an inventory.” 

    After three days he gathered a great number of blind, lame, maimed, leprous, orphaned and widowed persons and put them in rows. 

    When the prefect arrived, Lawrence simply said, “These are the treasure of the Church.” He was a Roman deacon under Pope St. Sixtus II. Four days after this Pope was put to death, 

    Lawrence and four clerics suffered martyrdom, during the persecution of the Emperor Valerian.




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