St. Lawrence was a Roman Catholic deacon and martyr.
Deacon couples serving Los Angeles are invited to come together at the cathedral at 5 p.m. Aug. 10, for the annual archdiocesan celebration of the feast day of St. Lawrence, a third century deacon and martyr. The Mass honors the local deaconate community.
St. Lawrence was a Roman Catholic deacon and martyr who served Pope Sixtus II in the third century, during a time of growing hostility towards early Christians in pagan Rome.
In the face of persecution, St. Lawrence emerged as a shining example of faith and selflessness. He courageously distributed the church’s wealth to the city’s poor, believing in the words of Jesus that they were blessed and loved. When the emperor demanded the church’s gold and silver, Lawrence presented him with the true treasures of the church — the poor themselves. This act of defiance led to his brutal martyrdom, as he was burned alive on a griddle. His unwavering faith and sacrificial love inspired massive conversions to Christianity.
Today, St. Lawrence serves as a remarkable role model for families, teaching them the importance of compassion, selflessness, and standing up for what is right, even in the face of adversity. His story encourages families to recognize the value of every individual, especially the vulnerable and marginalized, and to live out their faith in daily acts of love and service. St. Lawrence’s life and death remind us that our actions, no matter how small, can have a profound impact on others and contribute to the spread of God’s love in the world.
