If you are going through the Monti area in Rome, headed to Santa Maria Maggiore, you will likely walk down Via Panisperna. In doing so you will be forgiven for missing the church of San Lorenzo in Panisperna, for it is hidden behind a wall!
San Lorenzo was an incredibly popular saint, and, by all accounts, his fame was well deserved. He was traditionally born in AD 225 and was martyred under the persecutions of the Roman Emperor Valerius in AD 258. He was indeed a historical figure and was made a deacon of the church under Pope Sixtus II (Pope, AD 257-258). Both Sixtus II and Lorenzo were victims of the oppression of Christianity under the Emperor, Valerian.
Sixtus was martyred before Lorenzo, beheaded at the order of Valerian. Lorenzo was told to gather all the wealth of the church and present it to the Emperor. Lorenzo asked for three days, and at the end of the period appeared with the poorest of citizens, stating that they were the riches of the church. For this the emperor ordered his torture and subsequent killing: Lorenzo was to be roasted alive on a grill.
The location of San Lorenzo's martyrdom is said to be at San Lorenzo in Panisperna, and the "oven of San Lorenzo" is located below the church. His body is buried in San Lorenzo fuori Le Mura. In art, San Lorenzo is often shown carrying a ladder-like object, which is the iron grill upon which he was martryed. Notable among the many, many images - for his image was very popular in art - is Michaelangelo's Last Judgement where he is prominent in his position at the feet of Mary and Christ.
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San Lorenzo in Panisperna, Google Maps
NOTE: The website, Rome Art Lover, https://www.romeartlover.it/index.html, contains images of all of Giuseppe Vasi's engravings, as well as additional links and background information. I strongly recommend the site.
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