Lawrence, St

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Lawrence, St (d.258), Roman martyr and deacon of Rome. According to tradition, Lawrence was ordered by the prefect of Rome to deliver up the treasure of the Church; when in response to this order he presented the poor people of Rome to the prefect, he was roasted to death on a gridiron (see also Laurence). His traditional emblem is a gridiron, and his feast day is 10 August.

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