The Feast of St. Laurence, Deacon and Martyr
[In order to understand parts of the following Service, it may be necessary for the reader to have some knowledge of St. Laurence’s history; which may fitly be conveyed in the following translation from St. Ambrose’s Offices, as found in the British Magazine, for January, 1834.
“We must not omit mention of the blessed Laurence, who, on the sight of Sextus, his Bishop, going to martyrdom, began to weep, not so much at his passion, as his own orphanhood. So he called out to him, ‘Whither goest thou, O my father, without thy son? Whither can a Priest be hurrying without his Deacon? Never as yet didst thou offer sacrifice without an attendant. How have I displeased thee? Hast thou found me a degenerate son? Peter let Stephen suffer before him. Thou, too, O my Father, show thine own graces in my person, offer up to God him whom thou hast begotten, nor seize the crown of martyrdom without a noble company to answer your good thoughts concerning them.’
“The Prelate answered, ‘Nay, son, I leave thee not, neither forsake thee; a fiercer combat is in store for thee. We, as the old, are allotted the lighter skirmish, but youth must bear off a more glorious triumph over tyranny. Thou wilt soon be called upon; cease thy tears; in three days thou shalt follow me. Ill would it seem for me who hold the third rank in the sacred ministry, to press into the first. I leave to thee the legacy of my own constancy.’”
In consequence, three days after, Laurence was arrested, and, after other tortures, broiled to death on a gridiron. St. Ambrose adds, “when he was stretched upon the scorching gridiron, he did but say, The meat is done; turn it over, and eat it.’” This happened A.D. 258. Other particulars of his Martyrdom will be found in the Service itself. It may be added, by way of explaining an allusion in the above account, that “Priest,” in the language of antiquity, means one who has the power of consecrating the Eucharist, i.e. Bishop and Presbyter, [Leitourgos], or as our Service seems sometimes to express it, Minister; and that this Deacon was the usual attendant on the Minister in the celebration.]
First Vespers
O God, make speed to save me.
*O Lord, make haste to help me*.
Glory be to the Father, &c.
As it was in the beginning, &c. Amen. Hallelujah
(yy) Antiphon
Laurence entered on his Martyrdom, and confessed the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ps. 110. p. 76. (1)
The Lord said, &c.
(yy) Antiphon
Laurence entered on his Martyrdom, and confessed the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(zz) Antiphon
Laurence hath wrought a good work, who by the sign of
the Cross gave sight to the blind.
Ps. 111. p. 76. (2)
I will give thanks, &c.
(zz) Antiphon
Laurence hath wrought a good work, who by the sign of
the Cross gave sight to the blind.
(aaa) Antiphon
My soul hangeth upon Thee, because my flesh is burned
in the fire for Thee, O my God.
Ps. 112. p. 77. (3)
Blessed is the man, &c.
(aaa) Antiphon
My soul hangeth upon Thee, because my flesh is burned
in the fire for Thee, O my God.
(bbb) Antiphon
The Lord hath sent His Angel, and hath delivered me
from the midst of the fire, and I am not tormented.
Ps. 113. p. 77. (4)
Praise the Lord, ye servants, &c.
(bbb) Antiphon
The Lord hath sent his Angel, and hath delivered me
from the midst of the fire, and I am not tormented.
(ccc) Antiphon
Blessed Laurence prayed, saying, I give Thee thanks, O
Lord, because I have been found worthy to enter Thy gates.
Psalm 117. (5)
O praise the Lord, all ye heathen: praise him, all ye
nations.
For his merciful kindness is ever more and more towards
us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise
the Lord.
(ccc) Antiphon
Blessed Laurence prayed, saying, I give Thee thanks, O
Lord, because I have been found worthy to enter Thy gates.
(ddd) Text 2 Cor. ix. 6.
*Minister*.—Brethren, he which soweth sparingly shall
reap sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap
bountifully.
Thanks be to God.
(eee) Hymn
[Invicte martyr
unicum. It is re-
markable that this
Hymn, which is
the only one of
those here trans-
ated which sa-
vours of Roman-
ism, is the only
one, except one
other, which is
not known to be
ancient. The rest
are either Ambro-
sian or Gregorian,
except one, which
is by Prudentius.
(Quicunque Chri-
stum.) Of the
Hymn Lux Alma
Jesu, the Trans-
lator cannot dis-
cover the Author.]
Martyr of Christ, thy fight is won!
Following the Father’s only Son,
O’er thy fall’n foes thou triumphest,
In heavenly courts a risen guest.
Use thou for us thy gift of prayer
To cleanse thy brethren’s sin,
To sweeten earth’s infectious air,
And gain us peace within.
For ever broken is the chain
That bound thy body’s hallowed fane;
As God hath given thee, break the tie
Which links our hearts to vanity.
To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Paraclete,
Be praise, while circling ages run
Beneath the Eternal’s feet. Amen.
(fff) Verse and
Response
Thou hast crowned him with glory and worship.
*And makest Him to have dominion of the works of Thy
hands*.
(ggg) Antiphon
On the hot bars I denied Thee not, my God: and, when
brought to the fire, I confessed Thee, O Christ. Thou hast
proved my heart, and visited me in the night: thou hast
tried me by fire, and hast found no wickedness in me.
Magnificat
My soul doth magnify the Lord, &c.
Antiphon
On the hot bars I denied thee not, &c.
The Lord be with you.
*And with thy spirit*.
Let us pray.
Collect
Almighty God, who gavest to blessed Laurence to over-
come the fire of his torture, grant to us, we beseech Thee,
to extinguish the flames of our vices, through the Lord.
Amen.
(*The Service ends as above in Vespers*, p. 80.)