Catanduanes Forum

St. Lawrence the Martyr is the venerated patron saint of my beloved home-town, Baras. He is also the 2nd patron saint of Pandan town. As a tribute to my Patron Saint I'm posting here some details of his martyrdom.

Happy Fiesta to the good people of Baras!

St. Lawrence is a deacon of the Catholic church. It is believed he was born in the year 225 in Huesca (Roman Osca) in Hispania Terraconensis. He received religious instruction under the Archdeacon Sixtus in Rome. When his teacher Sixtus became the Bishop of Rome under Pope Sixtus II he was ordained Deacon of the Church and was made in charge of the Churh's goods. He was also made to discharge with taking care of the poor.

During the Church persecution of the year 258 under the Roman Emperor Valerian, many priests and bishops were put to death. One of the victims of this early religious atrocities is Pope Sixtus II himself who later became a saint.

Early recorded accounts had it that on August 6, 258 Lawrence met up with the Pope on his way to his execution with Lawrence lamenting to the pope "Where are you going, my dear father, without your son? Where are you hurrying off to, holy priest, without your deacon? Before you never mounted the altar of sacrifice without your servant, and now you wish to do it without me?" of which the Pope's answer became a prophecy "after three days you will follow me".

Four days later on August 10, 258 Lawrence was roasted alive! Records also has it that Lawrence while roasting on a gridiron he uttered his famous line... "I am already roasted on one side and, if you wouldst have me well cooked, it is time to turn me on the other."

Lawrence, being in charge of the Church's wealth, was believed to have been entrusted of the Holy Grail which Christ used during the last supper. Historians wrote that Lawrence has sent the grail to his parents who in turn gave it to monks in a monastery.

Having foreseen his impending death, Lawrence has distributed the wealth of the church to the poor. On August 10, 258 he was arrested and was made to surrender the church's wealth to Emperor Valerian. It was said that Lawrence gathered and presented the poor and boldly said "More than any riches on earth, here are the true wealth of the church!" Thus he was grilled alive.

Wikipidia notes: The Divine Office accords this special prayer to him on his feast day (from the translation in "Christian Prayer"):

"Father, you called Saint Lawrence to serve you by love and crowned his life with glorious martyrdom. Help us to be like him in loving you and doing your work. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.