St. Lawrence the Deacon - 00STLD01

Feast Day/Commemorated: August 10

Imprisonment and the Prophecy of Saint Sixtus

The holy Martyrs Archdeacon Laurence, Pope Sixtus, Deacons Felicissimus and Agapitus, and the soldier Romanus, all citizens of Rome, suffered martyrdom in 258 AD during the reign of Emperor Valerian. Saint Sixtus, originally a philosopher from Athens, became a devout Christian and rose through the ranks of the clergy to become the Bishop of Rome. Like his martyred predecessor, Saint Stephen, Sixtus was soon arrested and imprisoned alongside his deacons, Felicissimus and Agapitus. When Archdeacon Laurence visited Saint Sixtus in prison, he tearfully pleaded to join his spiritual father in martyrdom. Saint Sixtus, however, prophesied a greater suffering for Laurence, telling him, "Three days after my death, you shall follow after me." He then entrusted Laurence with the Church's treasures and sacred vessels, commanding him to distribute them to the poor.

The Church's True Treasures and Sixtus's Martyrdom

Obeying Saint Sixtus's command, Archdeacon Laurence diligently distributed the Church's wealth among the needy, including clergy and impoverished Christians in hiding. Upon hearing that Saint Sixtus was on trial, Laurence went to bear witness. Observing the martyrs' steadfast refusal to sacrifice to idols, Emperor Valerian ordered them to the temple of Mars for execution if they did not comply. There, Saint Sixtus prayed, causing an earthquake that shattered the statue of Mars and partially collapsed the temple. Laurence then publicly declared, "Father, I have fulfilled your command, and have distributed the treasures of the Church which you entrusted to me." Hearing of treasure, soldiers immediately guarded Laurence, while Saint Sixtus and the other martyrs were beheaded on August 6, 258.

Laurence's Stand and the Conversion of Hippolytos and Romanus

Brought before the Emperor, Saint Laurence was interrogated about the Church's hidden treasures. He requested three days to collect them, then gathered the poor and needy, presenting them to the Prefect as the "treasures of the Church." Enraged, the ruler ordered Hippolytos, the prison warden, to cast Laurence into the dungeon. There, Saint Laurence miraculously restored sight to a blind prisoner named Lucillus, astonishing Hippolytos. Laurence then revealed that true wealth and everlasting life could be found by believing in Christ and being baptized. Convinced, Hippolytos brought Laurence to his home, where the Archdeacon instructed and baptized Hippolytos and his entire household of nineteen. Soon after, as Laurence endured brutal tortures for refusing to sacrifice to idols, a soldier named Romanus witnessed a radiant youth wiping Laurence's wounds and cried out for baptism.

The Martyrdom of Romanus and the Gridiron of Laurence

Immediately after his baptism by Saint Laurence, the soldier Romanus was seized and brought before the Emperor. Before any questioning, he boldly proclaimed, "I am a Christian." Emperor Valerian swiftly ordered Romanus to be taken outside the city and beheaded on August 9. The following day, Saint Laurence faced his final, agonizing torment. He was placed on a rack, scourged with whips fitted with sharp iron points, and then stretched naked onto a red-hot iron gridiron over burning coals. Despite the horrific suffering, the holy martyr courageously declared to the ruler, "You have already roasted one side of my body, now turn me over to the other side so you may taste what you have roasted." Then, glorifying God, he uttered his last words: "I thank You, Lord Jesus Christ, that You have found me worthy to enter Your gates."

Repose and Enduring Veneration

Saint Laurence received the unfading crown of martyrdom on August 10, 258. That very night, Saint Hippolytos, along with the priest Justin, reverently took Laurence's body, wrapped it in a shroud with spices, and brought it to the home of a pious widow named Kyriake. Later, numerous Christians solemnly escorted the saint's body to a cave on the widow's property. After an all-night vigil of prayer, they honorably buried the martyr. Father Justin then served the Divine Liturgy, and all present partook of the Holy Mysteries. Saint Hippolytos and the other newly converted Christians who had witnessed these events also suffered martyrdom three days after Saint Laurence, on August 13. A significant portion of Saint Laurence's holy relics are preserved in the Church of Saint Laurence "outside the walls" in Rome, with other parts venerated in the Monasteries of Saint Panteleimon on Mount Athos and at Kykkos, Cyprus, testifying to his enduring legacy as a courageous defender of the faith and a powerful intercessor.

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