Receiving of the Holy Relics of

On Sunday, January 20, 2008, following the Divine Liturgy, the Parish of St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church rejoiced with a procession around the Church led by our Pastor Fr. Mark Arsenios Wyatt, with the newly received Holy Relics of St. Laurence the Martyr & Archdeacon of Rome, who was martyred for Christ in Rome in the 3^rd century A.D.

Following the Procession, as the faithful approached to take the blessing from the Cross and the encased Holy Relics were left on the Analogion for veneration before being securely placed inside the Altar. The veneration tray was beautifully decorated with rose petals and a flowery white Cross, which were distributed to the parishioners as a blessing for this memorable day of our humble parish. We are truly blessed to have such a precious and ancient relic in our Altar.

May St. Laurence intercede for the faithful of St. Nicholas and for all! 

The Holy Relics were provided by His Grace Bishop BASIL, and their transfer to our Church was arranged by His Grace Bishop ALEXANDER. We are ever thankful for wonderful Hierarchs for their spiritual guidance and care, and ask for their prayers always!

To find out more about St. Laurence, please read the section below: “Synaxarion”, which tells of his martyrdom.

Thy Martyr, O Lord, in his courageous contest for Thee received the prize of the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God. For since he possessed Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by his prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.

Aflame in thy heart, O Laurence, with the fire divine, thou burntest away the fire of passions utterly, O firm staff of athletes, O thou God-bearing Martyr; and thou in truth while contesting didst cry with faith: Nothing shall separate me from the love of Christ.

This Saint, who was born in Spain, was the Archdeacon of the Church of Rome, caring for the sacred vessels of the Church and distributing money to the needy. About the year 257, a harsh persecution was raised up against the Christians by Valerian. Pope Sixtus, who was from Athens, was commanded to worship the idols, and refused; before his martyrdom by beheading, he committed to Laurence all the sacred vessels of the Church. When Laurence was arrested and brought before the Prefect, he was questioned concerning the treasures of the Church; he asked for three days' time to prepare them. He then proceeded to gather all the poor and needy, and presented them to the Prefect and said, "Behold the treasures of the Church." The Prefect became enraged at this and gave command that Laurence be racked, then scourged with scorpions (a whip furnished with sharp iron points - compare II Chron. 10:11), then stretched out on a red-hot iron grill. But the courageous athlete of Christ endured without groaning. After he had been burned on one side, he said, "My body is done on one side; turn me over on the other." And when this had taken place, the Martyr said to the tyrants, "My flesh is now well done, you may taste of it." And when he had said this, and had prayed for his slayers in imitation of Christ, he gave up his spirit on August 10, 258.