St. Lawrence

Tomorrow, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Lawrence, a popular choice for “favorite saint” amongst Catholics. Lawrence was a deacon of the early Church, serving in Rome in the 3rd Century. He was known for his tremendous love for the poor. When the emperor Valerian accused the Church of hoarding tremendous wealth and ordered it to be surrendered to the empire, Lawrence gathered the city’s poor into one location. When the emperor himself arrived to collect the treasure, Lawrence presented the poor and destitute to him, saying, “Behold the wealth of the Church!” Lawrence was subsequently arrested and sentenced to be executed by being grilled alive. He is perhaps most famous for his final words during his execution. While lying on the grill, Lawrence joked with his executioners, telling them: “You can turn me over now; I am done on this side!”