ST LAWRENCE (LAURENTIUS, LORENZO), according to Pope Leo the Great, whose account is that given also in the Roman Breviary, was a deacon, who in a time of persecution had been called on by the magistrate to give up the treasures committed to his keeping, and who there-upon had produced the church's poor, who were his special charge. Next, for his firmness in refusing to renounce Christ, he was subjected to scourging and laceration, and finally roasted to death on a gridiron. The later accounts of the martyrologists are much more circumstantial. According to these, Lawrence was a native of Huesca in Spain, but at a very early age had gone to Rome, where for his meekness and blamelessness he was chosen arch-deacon by Pope Sixtus II., and intrusted with the treasures of the church, consisting of vestments, plate, and a little money. Sixtus, having (in the reign of Valerian) been denounced as a Christian, was imprisoned and sentenced to death, whereupon Lawrence addressed to him the words which now form one of the antiphons in the office for St Lawrence's day (August 10): "Whither goest thou, O my father ! without thy son and servant 1" To this the pope replied with a prophecy that in three days Lawrence the Levite should follow Sixtus the priest. At the same time Lawrence was directed to distribute the church treasures among the poor, and so prevent them from falling into the hands of the persecutor. When under the cruel punishment to which he was at last condemned for his steadfastness, he is said to have triumphed over the tyrant by the famous ironical speech—"Assatus est; jam versa et manduca." The fact of the martyrdom of St Lawrence seems to be well established, the most probable date being August 10, 258. The earliest extant mention of the event occurs in the writings of St Ambrose. Lawrence and his martyr-dom have been favourite subjects for artistic treatment. Nuremberg, Genoa, and the Escorial are under his patron-age.