Damasus chronicled the victory of Laurence's faith, in his majestic monumental inscriptions, which have such a ring of the days of triumph.1

Rome was lavish in her demonstrations of honour towards the champion who had prayed for her deliverance, upon his red-hot gridiron. She inserted his name in the Canon of the Mass, and moreover celebrated the anniversary of his birth to heaven with as much solemnity as those of the glorious Apostles her founders, and with the same privileges of a Vigil and an Octave. She has been dyed with the blood of many other witnesses of Christ, yet, as though Laurence had a special claim upon her gratitude, every spot connected with him has been honoured with a Church. Amongst all these sanctuaries dedicated to him, the one which contains the martyr's body ranks next after the churches of St. John Lateran, St. Mary's on the Esquiline, St. Peter's on the Vatican, and St. Paul's on the Ostian Way. St. Laurence outside the Walls completes the number of the five great basilicas, that form the appanage and exclusive possession of the Roman Pontiff. They represent the patriarchates of Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, and Jerusalem, which divide the world between them, and express the universal and immediate jurisdiction of the Bishops of Rome over all the churches. Thus through Laurence the eternal City is completed, and is shown to be the centre of the world and the source of every grace.

Just as Peter and Paul are the riches, not of Rome alone, but of the whole world, so Laurence is called the honour of the world, for he, as it were, personified the courage of martyrdom. At the beginning of this month, we saw Stephen himself

1 DE ROSSI, Inscript. ii. 82.

come to blend his dignity of Protomartyr with the glory of Sixtus II.'s deacon, by sharing his tomb. In Laurence, it seemed that both the struggle and the victory of martyrdom reached their highest point; persecution, it is true, was renewed during the next half century, and made many victims, yet his triumph was considered as the death-blow to paganism.

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"The devil," says Prudentius, "struggled fiercely "with God's witness, but he was himself wounded "and prostrated for ever. The death of Christ's martyr gave the death-blow to the worship of idols, "and from that day Vesta was powerless to prevent "her temple from being deserted. All these Roman "citizens, brought up in the superstitions taught by "Numa, hasten, O Christ, to thy courts, singing "hymns to thy martyr. Illustrious senators, flamens "and priests of Lupercus, venerate the tombs of "Apostles and Saints. We see patricians and matrons of the noblest families vowing to God the "children in whom their hopes are centered. The "Pontiff of the idols, whose brow but yesterday was "bound with sacred fillet, now signs himself with "the cross, and the Vestal Virgin Claudia visits thy sanctuary, O Laurence."1

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It need not surprise us, that this day's solemnity carries its triumphant joy from the city of the seven hills to the entire universe. "As it is impossible "for Rome to be concealed," says St. Augustine, "so it is equally impossible to hide Laurence's "crown." Everywhere, in both East and West, churches were built in his honour; and in return, as the Bishop of Hippo testifies, "the favours he con"ferred were innumerable, and prove the greatness "of his power with God; who has ever prayed to "him and has not been graciously heard?"?

1 PRUDENT.

2 AUG. Serm. 303 and 302.

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Let us then conclude with St. Maximus of Turin that, "in the devotion wherewith the triumph of St. "Laurence is being celebrated throughout the entire world, we must recognise that it is both holy and "pleasing to God to honour, with all the fervour of "our souls, the birth to heaven of the martyr, who "by his radiant flames has spread the glory of his "victory over the whole Church. Because of the "spotless purity of soul which made him a true Levite, and because of that fulness of faith which "earned him the martyr's palm, it is fitting that "we should honour him almost equally with the Apostles."1

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FIRST VESPERS.

Laurence has entered the lists as a martyr, and has confessed the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Such is the Antiphon wherewith the Church opens the first Vespers of the feast; and in fact, by this hour he has already entered the arena; with noble irony he has challenged the authorities, and has even shed his blood.

On the very day of the martyrdom of Sixtus II., Cornelius Secularis, prefect of Rome, summoned Laurence before his tribunal, but granted him the delay necessary for gathering together the riches required by the imperial treasury. Valerian did not include the obscure members of the Church in his edicts of persecution; he aimed at ruining the Christians by prohibiting their assemblies, putting their chief men to death, and confiscating their property. This accounts for the fact that, on the 6th August, the faithful assembled in the cemetery of Pretextatus were dispersed, the Pontiff executed, and the chief deacon arrested and ordered to deliver

1 MAXIM, TAURIN. Homil. 75 and 74. 2 Elenchus, PHILOCAL.

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up the treasures which the government knew to be in his keeping. "Acknowledge my just and peace"able claims," said the prefect. "It is said that at "your orgies, your priests are accustomed, according "to the laws of your worship, to make libations in cups of gold; that silver vessels smoke with the blood of the victims, and that the torches that give "light to your nocturnal mysteries are fixed in "golden candlesticks. And then you have such love and care for the brotherhood: report says you "sell your lands in order to devote to their service thousands of sesterces; so that while the son is "disinherited by his holy parents and groans in poverty, his patrimony is piously hidden away in "the secrecy of your temples. Bring forth these "immense treasures, the shameful spoils you have won by deceiving the credulous; the public good "demands them; render to Cæsar the things that "are Cæsar's, that he may have wherewith to fill his treasury and pay his armies."

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Laurence, untroubled by these words and as if quite willing to obey, gently answered: "I confess you speak the truth; our Church is indeed wealthy; "no one in the world, not even Augustus himself, "possesses such riches. I will disclose them all to "you, and I will show you the treasures of Christ. All I ask for is a short delay, which will enable "me the better to perform what I have promised. "For I must make an inventory of all, count them "up, and value each article.”

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The prefect's heart swelled with joy and gloating over the gold he hoped soon to possess, he granted him a delay of three days. Meanwhile Laurence hastened all over the town and assembled the legions of poor whom their Mother the Church supported ; lame and blind, cripple and beggars, he called them all. None knew them better than the Archdeacon.

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Next he counted them, wrote down their names, and arranged them in long lines. On the appointed day he returned to the judge and thus addressed him: "Come with me and admire the incomparable riches "of the sanctuary of our God." They went together to the spot where the crowds of poor were standing, clothed in rags and filling the air with their supplications. 'Why do you shudder?" said Laurence to the prefect, "do you call that a vile and contemptible "spectacle? If you seek after wealth, know that "the brightest gold is Christ, who is the light, and "the human race redeemed by him; for they are "the sons of the light, all these who are shielded by "their bodily weakness from the assault of pride "and evil passion; soon they will lay aside their "ulcers in the palace of eternal life, and will shine "in marvellous glory, clothed in purple and bearing golden crowns upon their heads. See here is the "gold which I promised you-gold of a kind that "fire cannot touch or thief steal from you. Think "not then that Christ is poor: behold these choice pearls, these sparkling gems that adorn the temple, "these sacred virgins I mean, and these widows who "refuse second marriage; they form the priceless "necklace of the Church, they deck her brow, they "are her bridal ornaments, and win for her Christ's "love. Behold then all our riches; take them: they will beautify the city of Romulus, they will "increase the Emperor's treasures, and enrich you "yourself."1

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From a letter of Pope St. Cornelius, written a few years after these events, we learn that the number of widows and poor persons that the Church of Rome supported, exceeded 1500.2 By thus exhibiting them before the magistrate, Laurence knew that

1 PRUDENT.

2 CORNELIUS ad Fabium Antioch.