Poor St. Lawrence....

Today, sixty eight years ago, we lost one of the great jewels of Rome. On July 16th, 1943 the Patriarchal Basilica of Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls was destroyed by American bombers who were trying to bomb the nearby railyards. Sadly, our American bomber pilots missed with one serious bomb. There were, in fact, specific instructions for bombers to avoid any religious buildings in Rome, but one bomb strayed anyway. If you want to read more on this check this out. Here is what the devastation looked like:


Prior to that bombing, San Lorenzo was an ancient Church that was built above the tomb of St. Lawrence, one of the first seven Deacons of Rome. Originally, it was half the size it is today, because an entirely different Church was built over the original tomb. Then one was built next to it. Then, later, the two were conjoined. Even today, you can find a crick in the walls of the current Church were the two buildings were conjoined. For centuries, following a tradition propogated by St. Phillip Neri, it was one of seven Patriarchal Basilicas of Rome that people would often go to visit while in Rome. It houses a large cemetary just behind it as well, called in Italian the Campo Verano.

It was St. Lawrence who is famously shown with a grill, because it was reported that he had been put to death on a grill. He was so burned, that he exclaimed to his captors, "Turn me over, I am done on this side!" In fact, in the basement of that Basilica you can find, even today, the marble slab that was said to have been used to carry the Saint from his death to his tomb (perhaps I will post a picture of this slab on his Feast day). Upon the white marble slab, one finds blood stains that are said to have come from his back.

In short, the Church that was standing at the time it was bombed had a long and rich history. Unfortunately, when this Basilica was hit, some people who were nearby were wounded and some died. But the great pastoral heart of Pope Pius XII was shown when he immediately went out to visit the people. It is said that his cassock was stained with the blood of the victims, presumbly because he went to visit and/or pray over them - perhaps even offer Extreme Unction (Last Rites). This visit of the Holy Father to the bombed Church also preciptated one of my most favorite pictures of any Pope I have ever seen, because it bespeaks the heart of the Pope:

While we have lost the original Church, as it once stood, the Church that stands in its place today was restored from the original plans - and thankfully not ruined with weird modern art. While my post today is entitled "Poor St. Lawrence" I am certain that he didn't "sweat" (as the kids say) losing a Basilca named after him, nor even that its where his earthly remains are kept. I have a feeling he was more concerned for the poor souls who lost their lives that day that America bombed the city of St. Peter and St. Paul. It just goes to show you, you never know when God will call you home. Perhaps it is best that we each prepare our hearts, for we never know when we too will be asked to give account for our lives before the Lord. Like St. Lawrence, may we have the grace to die well... and even provide a lil' humor for centuries of martyrs to follow.

In case you have never seen it, let me leave you with this short video, the beginning 7 minutes of which shows the Basilica of St. Lawrence (the latter half shows the Basilica of Santa Prassede - but that is a blogpost for a different day):


UPDATE*** Here is a picture of the shell of the actual bomb! They kept it at St. Lawrence and you can see it there today: