Roman Station Church: [XIX], San Lorenzo fuori le mura, 4K Rome

Welcome back to Crux Stationalis. Today we head yet again to the papal basilica of San Lorenzo Fuori dei Mura. Don't forget to subscribe to the channel and like this video. That way together we can continue exploring the Roman station church itinerary. We encounter the martyr Saint Lawrence so often during this season of Lent, patron of Rome only after Saints Peter and Paul. Thus today I give you the account of the martyrdom of Saint Lawrence. Saint Lawrence was chief of the seven Roman deacons of Pope Sixtus II who had been his mentor in Spain and taken him to Rome and ordained him as a deacon there after he had been called to the holy office. In the year 258 Emperor Valerian increased his persecutions of the Christians. One day when Pope Sixtus II was in the catacombs of San Calisto celebrating mass accompanied by some members of his clergy he was arrested. Along with him the other six Roman deacons were arrested. As the soldiers took the pontiff to be put to death Lawrence followed him in anguish crying out, where are you going my father without your son? Where are you going holy pontiff without your deacon? Isn't it the custom to offer the sacrifice with an assistant? Let me prove I am worthy of the choice you made when you entrusted me with the The Pope replied, I am not leaving you my son. They are lenient on old men not the youth. A greater combat is reserved for you. You will follow me in three days. The prefect of Rome Cornelius Secularis aimed at ruining the Christians by prohibiting their assemblies, putting their chief men to death, and confiscating their property. Saint Lawrence asked for a short delay so he could gather these riches for the prefect and true to the promise of Pope Sixtus returned three days after the pontiff's death to hand them over. However heeding Pope Sixtus II's final words Lawrence used his three days to distribute the material wealth of the church to the poor before the Roman authorities could lay their hands on it. When the archdeacon returned instead of bringing vessels of gold and silver he brought the poor of the city saying behold these choice pearls, these sparkling gems that adorn the temple, these sacred virgins, and these widows who refuse second marriage. Behold then all our riches. In response to this boldness Cornelius ordered the scourging and torture of Saint Lawrence upon the rack. Lawrence was taken down from the rack about midday. In his prison however he took no rest but wounded and bleeding as he was he baptized the converts one to Christ by the sight of his courageous suffering. He confirmed their faith and fired their souls with the martyr's intrepidity. When the evening hour summoned Rome to its pleasures the prefect recalled the executioners to their work. For a few hours rest had sufficiently restored their energy to enable them to satisfy his cruelty. Lawrence was commanded sacrifice to the gods or else the whole night long shall be witness of your torments. He replied my night has no darkness and all things are full of light to me. They struck him on the mouth with a stone but he smiled and said I give thee thanks O Christ. Then a gridiron with three bars was brought in and the saint was stripped of his garments and extended upon it while burning coals were placed beneath it. As they were holding him down with an iron fork Lawrence said I offer myself as a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweetness. The executioners continually stirred up the fire and brought fresh coals while they still held him down with their forks. Then the saint said learn unhappy man how great is the power of my God for your burning coals give me refreshment but they will be your eternal punishment. I call thee O Lord to witness when I was accused I did not deny thee when I was questioned I confess thee O Christ on the red hot coals I gave thee thanks and with his countenance radiant with heavenly beauty he continued yea I give thee thanks O Lord Jesus Christ for that thou hast deigned to strengthen me. He then raised his eyes to his judge and said see this side is well roasted turn me on the other side and eat. Then continuing his canticle of praise to God he said I give thee thanks O Lord that I have merited to enter into thy dwelling place. As he was on the point of death he remembered the church the thought of the eternal Rome gave him fresh strength and he breathed forth this ecstatic prayer O Christ only God O splendor O power of the father O maker of heaven and earth and builder of the city's walls thou hast placed Rome's scepter high over all thou hast willed to subject the world to it in order to unite under one law the nations which differ in manners customs language genius and sacrifice behold the whole human race has submitted to its empire and all discord and dissensions disappear in its unity remember thy purpose thou didst will to bind the immense universe together into one Christian kingdom O Christ for the sake of thy Romans make this city Christian for to it thou gavest the charge of leading all the rest to sacred unity all its members in every place are united a very type of thy kingdom the conquered universe has bowed before it O may its royal head bow in turn send thy Gabriel and bid him heal the blindness of the sons of Eulus that they may know the true God I see a prince who is to come an emperor who is a servant of God he will not suffer Rome to remain a slave he will close the temples and fasten them with bolts forever thus he prayed and with these last words he breathed forth his soul some noble Romans who had been conquered to Christ by the martyr's admirable boldness removed his body the love of the most high God had suddenly filled their hearts and dispelled their former heirs from that day the worship of the infamous gods grew cold few people went now to the temples but hastened to the altars of Christ thus Lawrence going unarmed to the battle had wounded the enemy with his own sword we hear these stories of martyrdom from the early centuries of the church or the heroic testimony of our brothers and sisters in the faith even today and we may wonder if our love for Christ burns so fervently if we were put to the test would we succeed would we gain this crown of glory but if you've listened closely to the story of Saint Lawrence you can hear a few things first his filial piety as a son of the church and then his desire to live his vocation to the full in service and sacrifice as a deacon and then his ability to see the church for who she is resplendent in her members those who make up the body of Christ and so by this story we should be encouraged and determined to examine our daily life realizing that heroism in the faith doesn't come from grand gestures rather it comes from thank you for joining us today on our roman station itinerary i'll see you tomorrow