Every August, people gather outside after dark to watch one of the most spectacular celestial displays of the year: the Perseid meteor shower.
But for centuries, Christians have known these shooting stars by another name:
The Tears of St. Lawrence.
The connection comes from the calendar. St. Lawrence, one of the Church's most beloved martyrs, is celebrated on August 10, just as the Perseid meteor shower begins to reach its peak.
Lawrence was a deacon in Rome during the persecution of Emperor Valerian in the third century. When ordered to hand over the Church's treasures, he famously presented the poor, the sick, and the needy, declaring, "These are the treasures of the Church."
For his bold witness, he was condemned to death.
Over the centuries, people noticed that streaks of light filled the August sky around his feast day. Tradition affectionately called them the "Tears of St. Lawrence," imagining the heavens remembering the martyr's witness...or, as others have reflected, celebrating his entrance into eternal glory.
Whether you call them the Perseids or the Tears of St. Lawrence, they offer a beautiful reminder that the Church has always looked at creation with eyes of faith. Even the night sky can draw our hearts to the saints and to the God who created the stars.
So if you find yourself outside on a warm August evening, look up. You might just catch one of St. Lawrence's "tears" streaking across the heavens.
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