About the Book
The holy archdeacon Lavrenty, seeing that the Pope was being taken to prison, exclaimed addressing him: "Where are you going, my father, without your son?" where, holy bishop, are you in a hurry without your archdeacon? You never made a bloodless Sacrifice without my co-operation: why did I anger your mercy now? Am I no longer worthy to be with you? Don't you know me, as always a servant submissive to you? And if I participated with you in bringing the Divine Mysteries, then why do not I participate with you in shedding my blood for Christ? Take my father, do not leave your son with you, teacher, your disciple, sacrifice me to God as Abraham your son Isaac (Genesis, chap. 22) and as Supreme Apostle Peter of the first archdeacon Stephen (Acts, chap. 6-7), and after you already see me receiving the martyrdom, proceed to it yourself.Saint Sixtus answered him: "I do not leave you, my son, but I preserve for great torment: you will have great deeds for the faith of Christ." I am already old and therefore am embarking on an easier struggle; you should find a more glorious victory and triumph over the tormentor. Do not cry: know that, three days after my death, you Levite will go after your priest; you do not need my presence for your support. Elijah left Elisha, but did not deprive him of miraculous power ( 2 Kings 2) Go, take advantage of this time: give out at your discretion church treasures to the poor and needy. St. Lawrence obeyed: taking all the church treasures, including utensils, he walked around the city, looking for hiding clerics and wretched Christians, and helped them as they needed. So he came to Mount Helion, where he found the dwelling of one widow, from the date of her husband's death thirty-two years have passed; this widow, named Kyriakia, harbored many Christians along with their elders and clergy. St. Lawrence brought here at night silver, clothes and other necessary items and began to wash his feet both to the clergy and other Christians. The widow of Kyriakia, bowing to his feet, said: "I beg you, servant of Christ, lay your hands on my head, which is terribly painful to me."... Hearing about the treasure, the king was very happy and, summoning Saint Lawrence to him, he said to him: "Where are the church treasures that you hid?"St. Lawrence did not answer anything.... All this aroused involuntary surprise in Hippolytus. After some time, he said to the saint: "Show me the church treasures.""If you believe," answered St. Lawrence, "in the omnipotent God the Father and in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, then a treasure will be revealed to you and eternal life will be given.""If in fact what you say is fulfilled, then I will fulfill all that you command," said Hippolytus."Listen to me," continued St. Lawrence, "and do as soon as possible what I advise you: renounce deaf and dumb idols and be baptized."Hippolytus agreed and led St. Lawrence out of prison to his home. Giving Hippolytus instructions regarding the holy faith and announcing it, Saint Lavrenty performed a holy baptism over him."I saw," said Hippolytus at baptism, "sinless souls in great joy." (These were precisely the treasures that Saint Lawrence predicted to him that they would be open to him: during the baptism, the Lord showed him heavenly blisses in a wonderful vision).... On these three days, Saint Lavrenty gathered into the house of Hippolytus many beggars, widows and orphans, blind, lame and sick. When three days passed, he brought all of them to Decius and Valerian, who were in the Salustius Chamber: "Here they are," Saint Lavrentiy turned to Decius and Valerian, whom you now see as eternal treasures are enclosed in vessels, and whoever puts his property in these vessels, he again receives it in abundance in the kingdom of heaven.
