Saint Lawrence

Lawrence was one of the seven deacons of the Church of Rome under Pope Sixtus II; Spanish tradition says he was born in Huesca. As archdeacon he was in charge of the Church's goods and of caring for the poor, widows and orphans of the city.

When the Emperor Valerian ordered the execution of the clergy in August 258, Sixtus was killed on August 6. According to the account handed down by Saint Ambrose and others, the authorities demanded that Lawrence hand over the Church's riches. He asked for a few days, distributed everything he could to the poor, and then presented the poor, the sick and the crippled, saying that these were the treasures of the Church. He was martyred on August 10, 258. Ancient tradition says he was roasted on a gridiron and, with remarkable serenity, told his executioners that he was done on one side and could be turned over. The Basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura stands over his tomb.

The Perseid meteor shower, which peaks around his feast, is known in Italy and Spain as the Tears of Saint Lawrence. In Huesca, Spain, the fiestas de San Lorenzo fill the city with dancers, music and the scent of basil, the saint's flower.

Philip II built the monastery of El Escorial, laid out in the shape of a gridiron, in his honor.