Feast Day: August 10th
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Prayers
For Saint Lawrence:
Troparion in the Fourth Tone: Victorious Martyr of Christ our God, by the Sign of the Cross you gave sight to the blind; you distributed the riches of the Church to the poor; you were tried by fire and no evil was found in you. As you endured the burning, may your Prayers extinguish the flames of our many sins, Blessed Archdeacon Laurence!
Kontakion in the Second Tone: Aflame in thy heart, O Lawrence, with the fire Divine, thou burntest away the fire of passions utterly, O firm staff of athletes, O thou God-bearing Martyr; and thou in truth while contesting didst cry with faith: Nothing shall separate me from the love of Christ.
When Archdeacon Laurence visited Saint Sixtus in prison, he cried out with tears, “Where are you going, Father, without your son? Where do you hasten without your Archdeacon? Never have you offered the Bloodless Sacrifice without me. Take me with you, so that I may join you in shedding our blood for Christ!”
Saint Sixtus replied, “I am not forsaking you, my son. I am old and I accept the lesser battle, but greater suffering awaits you. You must achieve the greater victory and triumph over your tormentors. Three days after my death, you shall follow after me.”
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Saint Laurence cried out, “Father, I have fulfilled your command, and have distributed the treasures of the Church which you entrusted to me.”
Afterward, the soldiers brought Saint Laurence to the Emperor, informing him that they had heard the Archdeacon mention something about the Church’s hidden treasures. The Emperor ordered him to reveal where the treasures were, and the Archdeacon asked for three days in order to collect them. Then Saint Laurence gathered all the poor and the needy, and brought them to the Prefect, saying, “Behold the treasures of the Church.”
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As the Martyr endured these torments, a soldier named Romanus cried, “Laurence, I see a radiant youth standing by you, and wiping your wounds. Entreat Christ, Who has sent His Angel to you, not to abandon me.”
Before anyone could question him, Romanus shouted, “I am a Christian.”
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The next day, Saint Laurence was placed on a rack, scourged with whips with sharp iron points attached to them, and then was stretched out naked on a red-hot iron gridiron with burning coals underneath it. The Holy Martyr glanced at the ruler and said, “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 he Glorified God, saying, “I thank You, Lord Jesus Christ, that You have found me worthy to enter Your gates.”
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Saint Hippolytos and the other Christians suffered Martyrdom three days after the death of Saint Laurence, on August 13th.
Icons of Saint Lawrence
