After the death of Sixtus, the prefect of Rome demanded that Lawrence turn over the riches of the Church to the state.  The story tells  that Lawrence asked for three days to gather together the wealth. Lawrence worked swiftly to distribute as much Church property to the poor as possible, so as to prevent its being seized by the prefect. On the third day, at the head of a small delegation, he presented himself to the prefect, and when ordered to give up the treasures of the Church, he presented the poor, the crippled, the blind and the suffering, and said that these were the true treasures of the Church. This act of defiance led directly to his martyrdom by the grill.  We do not know if details were embellished, but the fact of this man's life is documented as a Christian Martyr's death on August 10, 258 A.D.

The west stainglass window is dedicated to this story. Check it out next time when sitting in church preparing for worship.  Thank you God for the freedom to worship.