St. Lawrence Novena
Contents
Show HideSt. Lawrence was a deacon in the early Church. He lived in Rome in the 200s. He was martyred during Emperor Valerian’s persecution of Christians.
Legend holds that St. Lawrence was very courageous during his martyrdom. You can use this novena to seek intercession from this courageous deacon in your life!
About St. Lawrence
It is thought that St. Lawrence was born in 225 in Valencia. Though there is not a lot of information known for certain about his early life, it is thought that both of his parents were martyrs.
As a young man, Lawrence met the man who would eventually become Pope Sixtus II. The future Pope Sixtus II was a famous teacher in Caesaraugusta. They both eventually left the city and went to Rome.
After the Papal election, Pope Sixtus II ordained Lawrence as a deacon. Sixtus then appointed Lawrence as one of the seven deacons who ministered in the cathedral. As an “archdeacon” of Rome, Lawrence’s duties included distribution of alms to the needy and care of the Church’s treasury.
During this time, many Christians were being persecuted and put to death. In 258, Emperor Valerian issued an official edict that condemned all deacons, priests, and bishops to death. Pope Sixtus was captured and martyred soon after this.
After the Pope’s death, the Roman prefect demanded that Lawrence surrender the Church’s riches to the government. According to an account from St. Ambrose, the official gave Lawrence three days to gather the Church’s riches.
During those three days, Lawrence quickly gave away as much money as he could to the poor so that it would not be seized by the government. Then, he came before the prefect with a large group of the poor, the blind, and the crippled. He told the prefect that these people were the true riches of the Church.
He even told the prefect that the Church was truly rich, richer than the emperor. He was quoted as saying, “Behold in these poor persons the treasures which I promised to show you; to which I will add pearls and precious stones, those widows and consecrated virgins, which are the Church’s crown.”
Lawrence’s defiance enraged the prefect. The prefect demanded that a gridiron be prepared. He had hot coals placed beneath the gridiron, and he had Lawrence put onto the gridiron. Legend holds that, after Lawrence had suffered severe pain on the gridiron for some time, he cheerfully told his executioners to turn him over because he was well done on that side.
Other accounts hold that Lawrence was not executed immediately after his confrontation with the prefect. These accounts say that Lawrence was first imprisoned for a time before his execution, and that he baptized fellow prisoners while awaiting his execution.
St. Lawrence’s Feast Day: August 10th
Why Pray the St. Lawrence Novena?
St. Lawrence is the patron saint of chefs, tanners, firefighters, and miners. You can ask St. Lawrence to pray for you if you work in one of these professions. You can also ask him to pray for someone you know who works in one of these professions.
St. Lawrence is also the patron saint of the poor. You can ask for his prayers if you are struggling with poverty, or you can ask him to pray for a poor person whom you know.
Additionally, St. Lawrence is the patron saint of Rome. You can ask him to pray for you if you live in Rome or are preparing to travel to Rome. You can also ask him to pray for someone you know who lives in Rome, or for the government of Rome.
You can pray the St. Lawrence Novena for any intention!
St. Lawrence Novena Prayers
St. Lawrence Novena - Day 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Lawrence as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You he showed throughout his whole life.
St. Lawrence, we know little for certain about your early life. But it is thought that both of your parents were Christian martyrs. We do know that you desired to serve God from the time you were young.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you desired to serve!
You became a deacon as a young man. You spent the rest of your life serving the Church before eventually being martyred for your Faith.
Pray for me, that I may always devote my life to God as wholeheartedly as you did. Pray that I may be eager to serve God in whatever ways He calls me to serve Him.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Lawrence, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Lawrence Novena - Day 2
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Lawrence as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed in choosing to serve You as a deacon.
St. Lawrence, you began on the path to holiness and service to God at a young age. You continued to do all you could to serve God faithfully throughout your whole life.
Please bring my petitions before God with such faithfulness!
While you were still a young man, you answered God’s call to serve Him as a deacon in Rome. After you were ordained, you carried out the duties of your vocation for the rest of your life, even choosing to give up your life for the Faith.
Pray for me, that I may always be open to serving God in whatever ways He calls me to. Pray that I may never waver in my devotion to God.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Lawrence, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Lawrence Novena - Day 3
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Lawrence as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You he showed through his faithful service to Your Church as a deacon.
St. Lawrence, you were ordained as a deacon when you were a young man. You began to carry out the duties of your new vocation with devotion and eagerness to serve God.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you served so eagerly!
Your position in the Church led directly to you becoming a target of the government. You were sentenced to death because of your Faith and your refusal to renounce your Faith.
Pray for me, that I may be as devoted a servant of God as you were. Pray that I may never allow sufferings or persecution to deter me from serving God.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Lawrence, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Lawrence Novena - Day 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Lawrence as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the virtue he showed in his ministry to the poor as a deacon.
St. Lawrence, you became a deacon as a young man. You were appointed the task of overseeing the Church treasury, and you cared for the poor entrusted to you out of love for God.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you loved so dearly!
When you were faced with the prospect of death on account of your Faith, you continued in your care and concern for the poor. You distributed as much of the Church’s wealth as you could to the poor before it could be seized.
Pray for me, that I may never miss the opportunity to serve God through service to my brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray that I may always serve God in whatever ways He calls me to.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Lawrence, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Lawrence Novena - Day 5
Today, let’s pray for an increase in charity towards the poor in our society and in our own lives. Let’s ask St. Lawrence to intercede that we may grow in charitable love for the poor among us each day.
Day’s Prayers:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Lawrence as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You he showed in his charitable work towards the poor.
St. Lawrence, you were entrusted with the task of caring for the poor through alms as a deacon. You carried out this task faithfully, out of love for God.
Please bring my petitions before God with such faithfulness!
When government officials told you to turn over the Church’s wealth, you instead distributed the wealth to the poor before it could be seized. You then presented the poor as the true riches of the Church.
Pray for me, that I may grow in charity towards the poor around me. Pray that I may never miss the opportunity to practice charity towards my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Lawrence, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Lawrence Novena - Day 6
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Lawrence as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the virtue he showed in seeing the poor and the disabled as the Church’s true riches.
St. Lawrence, you were told to surrender the riches of the Church to government officials before your martyrdom. Rather than turn over the Church’s money, you instead presented the poor and the disabled. You saw these people as the true riches of the Church.
Please continue to bring my petitions before the throne of God!
Your defiance enraged the prefect, and you were sentenced to a terrible death. Despite your sufferings, you never wavered in your Faith.
Pray for me, that I may grow in appreciation of true riches. Pray that I may never waver in my commitment to God and the pursuit of spiritual goods, no matter what trials I might face.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Lawrence, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Lawrence Novena - Day 7
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Lawrence as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed in holding fast to his Faith, even to the point of death.
St. Lawrence, you were a deacon in a time when the Church was being persecuted by the government. Though you could have spared your life by renouncing your Faith, you persevered in your Faith.
Please persevere in bringing my petitions before God!
Your refusal to cooperate with the directions of the government enraged the prefect and caused him to sentence you to a torturous death. Despite your sufferings, you never wavered in your Faith.
Pray for me, that I may have the fortitude to do what is right, no matter the cost. Pray that I may always hold fast to my Faith, even amidst great sufferings.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Lawrence, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Lawrence Novena - Day 8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Lawrence as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You he showed in facing his martyrdom courageously.
St. Lawrence, legend says that you were sentenced to death on a gridiron on account of your Faith and your refusal to cooperate with the evil government. You were said to have faced this painful death with great courage, out of love for God.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you loved so devotedly!
Rather than renounce your Faith to save yourself from such a painful death, you were said to have joked that you were well-done on one side as you were dying.
Pray for me, that I may always practice my Faith with courage, no matter what sufferings I might face. Pray that I may never allow sufferings to deter me from serving God.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Lawrence, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Lawrence Novena - Day 9
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Lawrence as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed through his committed service to Your Church.
St. Lawrence, you were ordained a deacon when you were a young man. Until your martyrdom, you served the Church faithfully in your vocation as a deacon.
Please bring my petitions before the throne of God with such faithfulness!
You refused to renounce your Faith or to betray the Church by turning over the Church’s treasury to the government. Because of your commitment to God, you were sentenced to a painful death.
Pray for me, that I may be as devoted a servant of God and His Church as you were. Pray that I may grow in my love for God and His Church each day.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Lawrence, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.