August the 10th marks the feast of a great deacon and martyr of the Church, St. Lawrence. He famously died while being burned to death on a grill. (Significantly, the feast day which precedes his, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, or Edith Stein, also commemorates a martyrdom by fire — hers, in Auschwitz.)

Below is a beautiful novena prayer to this remarkable saint (when recited, to be followed by the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be). And the icon above is the work of a recently ordained deacon from the Diocese of Sacramento, Lawrence Klimecki, whose work can be purchased at this website, and viewed at his own blog.

O glorious St. Lawrence, blessed deacon of the church, filled with compassion for those who invoke you, with love for those who suffer, heavily laden with the weight of my troubles, I kneel at your feet and humbly beg you to take my present need under you special protection… (mention here). Vouchsafe to recommend it to our Lord who gave you the grace to withstand great torture before being burned to death in His name. Cease not to intercede for me until my request is granted. Above all, obtain for me the grace to one day meet God face to face, and with you and Mary and all the angels and saints praise Him through all eternity. O most powerful Saint Laurence, do not let me lose my soul, but obtain for me the grace of winning my way to heaven, forever and ever. Amen.