Holy Martyrs of Rome: Archdeacon Laurence, Pope Sixtus, the Deacons Felicissimus and Agapitus, and Romanus the Soldier (+258)
The holy Martyrs Archdeacon Laurence, Pope Sixtus, the deacons Felicissimus and Agapitus, and Romanus the soldier suffered in 258, in the reign of the Emperor Valerian (253–259). Pope Sixtus was appointed helmsman of the Church of Rome after the martyrdom of the holy Pope Stephen (+253–257, commemorated 2 August). Soon Sixtus too was seized and shut up in prison together with his two deacons, Felicissimus and Agapitus. When the archdeacon Laurence met the pope as he was being led to the dungeon, he cried out: “Where art thou going, master? Art thou leaving thy archdeacon, with whom thou didst offer the bloodless sacrifice?! Take me with thee, that I may share with thee in shedding my blood for Christ too!” The blessed Sixtus answered: “I am not leaving thee, my son; I am old and am going to an easy death. Thou shalt suffer more. Know that three days after our end thou shalt follow me. And now go, sell the treasures of the Church and distribute them to the persecuted and poor Christians.” The saint carried out the hierarch’s blessing.
When Laurence heard that the holy pope and the deacons had been brought before the tribunal, he hastened to them and said to Sixtus: “Master, I have already carried out my task: I have distributed the treasure thou didst entrust to me; do not leave me!” Hearing mention of some treasure, the soldiers detained the blessed one, while the martyrs were beheaded (+6 August 258). The emperor shut Laurence up in prison and charged Hippolytus, the prison warden, with watching over him. The holy archdeacon healed by prayer the sick who gathered to him.
Amazed by the miracles that took place, Hippolytus believed in the true God and was baptised with his whole household. Soon Saint Laurence was again brought before the emperor, who demanded that he reveal where the hidden treasure was. The blessed one answered: “If thou givest me three days, I will show thee the treasure.” During this time Laurence gathered together the many infirm and poor who lived only on the support of the Church, brought them before the king and said to him: “Here are the vessels in which the treasure is laid up. All who lay up their treasure in these earthen vessels will receive it with increase in the Kingdom of heaven.”
After this the tormentors demanded that the lamb of Christ worship the idols, and when they received a firm refusal in reply, they brought terrible torments upon him: they beat him with thin iron chains set with spikes, called “scorpions”, burned his wounds with fire, struck him with tin rods… During the martyr’s torture the soldier Romanus suddenly cried out: “Holy Laurence, I see a young man standing beside thee and wiping thy wounds! For the sake of the name of thy Lord Jesus Christ, do not leave me!” Laurence was taken down from the rack and returned to prison, to Hippolytus. Romanus brought water to the blessed one in the cell in a pitcher and asked to be baptised. As soon as the holy Mystery had been performed, the newly entrusted sheep of Christ was beheaded (9 August). When Laurence was being led out to torture for the last time, Hippolytus wished to declare his faith and die with him, but the holy confessor forbade him: “Keep thy confession in thy heart for now. Very soon I will call thee; thou shalt hear and come to me. And weep not for me, rather rejoice: I am going to be adorned with the radiant crown of a martyr.” The martyr was laid on an iron grid over red-hot coals. The servants pressed down on the blessed one’s body from above, increasing his torment. Saint Laurence turned his eyes to the judges and said: “One side is already baked; turn me over!” Then, already dying, he said aloud: “I thank Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, that Thou hast made me worthy to pass through Thy gates,” and died.
At night Saint Hippolytus carried away the holy body, wrapped it in linen anointed with fragrant ointments, and told the presbyter Justin of it. In the house of the widow Cyriaca all-night prayers and the Divine Liturgy were celebrated over the relics of the God-pleaser. All the Christians present received the Holy Mysteries, and then, on 10 August 258, the saint’s precious body was buried in a cave. Saint Hippolytus and other confessors suffered three days after Saint Laurence’s repose (on 13 August), as the blessed archdeacon had foretold to them.
