John's Janiculum Jaunt: All Saints

Today is the Solemn Feast of All the Saints. To celebrate I made a pilgrimage with another priest to the Basilica of St. Lawrence Outside the Wall, where Rome's most beloved saint awaits the Blessed Resurrection from the Dead. St. Lawrence, for those unfamiliar with him, was a Deacon of the Diocese of Rome at the time of the persecutions of the Emperor Valerian. He was one of the 7 deacons of the Diocese of Rome and in charge of the Treasury during the Pontificate of Sixtus II who was Martyred just days before Lawrence. Lawrence was summoned before the Prefect of Rome who demanded he had over the entire treasury of the Diocese. Lawrence response was that the treasury was so great he would need three days to collect it all. The Prefect granted him three days to bring all of it to him. During the Three days Lawrence liquidated the entire treasury and gave the money to the poor. On the appointed 3rd day he appeared once more before the Prefect with a large crowd of people. When the Prefect of Rome demanded the treasury Lawrence said, "Behold the true treasure of the Church of Rome", and behind him stood the blind, the lame, the deaf, the cripple, the orphan, the widow and the wretched poor of the City. He was said to then utter, "You can see the Church is far richer than any Emperor". The Prefect ordered him to be burned alive on a gridiron, while roasting he was said heard to say, "Turn me over I am done on this side". He died in the year 258 and was instantly acclaimed a Saint. His cult was so immensely popular that it had spread to the whole world by the beginning of the 4th Century. His Feast Day is universally celebrated throughout the World in the Church Calendar on August 10. He is patron of cooks.

The Church of St. Lawrence Outside contains the tomb of his body, his burned head is kept at the Vatican and venerated on his feast day. There are many Churches dedicated to his name, in Italian, San Lorenzo. He is the Patron of the City of Rome.

The Church was packed with people, lots of priests and 5 bishops celebrating a Mass in a flower covered Church. Near him a cemetery grew because people wanted to be buried near him and there was a candlelight procession after the Mass to the Cemetery anticipating All Souls tomorrow.

The tomb is a traditional early Church tomb, you can crawl under the Altar in front of the tomb and there is a little opening for you to touch a cloth to the Relics or bless yourself.

Having trouble loading pictures tonight so I will try tomorrow. Ok I got the pictures up but had a bear of a time since I am not sure where they were loaded to on the hard drive.