St. Lawrence

St. Lawrence was one of the seven deacons of the Church of Rome and died a martyr there on 10 August 258, during the persecution under the Emperor Valerian. As a deacon he was entrusted with the care of the Church's goods and its ministry to the poor. When Pope St. Sixtus II was seized and put to death, Lawrence knew his own martyrdom was near.

According to ancient tradition, the Roman prefect demanded that Lawrence surrender the treasures of the Church; given a few days, he gathered the poor, the sick, and the outcast whom the Church supported and presented them to the prefect, declaring, 'These are the treasures of the Church.' For this he was condemned to a cruel death, traditionally said to be roasting on a gridiron, during which he is remembered for his serene courage and even his wit. One of the most honored martyrs of Rome, he is the patron of deacons and cooks.