Laurentius, anti-pope, lived about 460-520. He was archdeacon of a Church in Rome, and was opposed to Symmachus, who in 498 was elected successor of Anastasius II in the papal chair. This schism created much disturbance in the city, Festus and Probinus, two of the most influential senators, siding M'ith Laurentius. Both parties finally agreed to submit their difficulty to the decision of Theodoric, king of the Goths, though an Arian. He decided in favor of Symmachus, and Lau- rentius, having withdrawn his claim, was made bishop of Nocera. But as he subsequently created new dis- turbances, and was, whether justly or unjustly is not known, accused of Eutychianism, he was deposed by the Synodus Palmaris (501), and died an exile. See Anas- tasius, FiVa Pontif; Baronius, Annales; Plotina, T'tVa Pontif- Roman. ; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, xix, 927.
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Laurentius, a noted prelate of the early Englisli Church (Anglo-Saxon period), flourished in the first half of the 7th century (A.I). 605) as successor of St. Augustine — suggested for the archbishopric by Augus- tine himself. Under the reign of Eadbald, the successor of Ethelbert, when England was in danger of a return to heathenish practices by Eadbald's marriage of his own mother-in-law, Laurentius shrewdly managed af- fairs for the benefit of Christianity ; he induced the king to renounce his incestuous marriage, and to embrace the Christian faith. See Churton, I/ist. Early Engl. Church, p. 41 sq. ; Mosheim, Eccles. Hist. bk. ii. cent, vii, pt. i, ch. i, § 2, and note (5).
Laurentius, St., according to tradition, was a dis- ciple of pope Sixtus II (257-258), who received him among the seven Roman deacons, and afterwards made
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him arcluleacon. When the pope, during the persecu- tion of the Christians b_y Valerian, was led out to suffer martyrtlom, Laurentius wished to accompany him, and to share his fate ; but Sixtus prevented him, prophesying to him at the same time that he would be called upon to endure even greater sufferings for the cause of Chris- tianity, and that he would follow him within three days. The omen was fultilled : the Koraan governor had lieard of treasures belonging to the Cliristian Church, and wished to obtain possession of them. He desired Lau- rentius to reveal them to him. Laurentius seemed to comply, and was allowed to depart. Soon the cour- ageous young disciple of Christ returned, accompanied by a crowd of paupers, cripples, and sick, whom he pre- sented to the governor, saying, "These are oiu: treas- ures." This was regarded as an insult, and in punish- ment he was condemned to be slowly roasted alive in an iron chair. Laurentius underwent this martj'rdom with resignati(m and cheerfulness. He is said to have been buried in tlie Via Tiburtina. The pope Leo I said of him that he was as great an honor to Kome as Stephen to Jerusalem, and Augustine that the crown of Lauren- tius can as little be hidden as the city of Eome itself. Under Constantine a church was erected o\-er tlie place where his remains were supposed to be (SH. Laurentii extra muros); another church dedicated to him is St. Laurentii in Damaso. He is commemorated on the 10th of August. The earhest accounts of his martyrdom are to be found in Ambros. Be offic. ministr. i, 41 ; ii, 28. The most glowing account of him is Prudentius's Hymn, in Laur. (Prudentius, F'eristeph.). — Herzog, Real-EncyMop. viii, 202 ; AVetzcr und Welte, Kirchen-Lex. vi, 305.
Laurentius Valla, a distinguished humanist, was born at Kome in 1415. He was still young when the reaction against scholasticism set in, and took an active part in the conflict. He attacked the authenticity of Constantine the Great's deed of donation in his Be /also credita et ementita Constantini donatiune DecUimatio, as also all the other unproved assertions of the theologians. Thus he questioned the origin of the so-called Apostles' Creed, pointed out the faults contained in the old Latin versions of the Bible, and applied i)hilological exegesis to the New Testament. It is no Avontler that by such a course he gained many enemies, especially among the clergy, who denounced him as an inlidcl. He Avas com- pelled to leave Kome, and retired to the court of Al- phonse, king of Naples, who, though fifty years of age, now commenced to study Latin under Valla's tuition. Here, however, he commenced anew his arguments on the Trinity, free will, the vows of continence, and other delicate questions, and was therefore accused of heresy by the ecclesiastical authorities. King Alphonse suc- ceeded in saving his life, but could not prevent his be- ing whipped publicly around the convent of St. Jacob. Valla then returned to Kome, where he found a protector in pope Nicholas V, who gave him permission to teach, and granted him a salary. Here again he entered into a most violent controversy with Poggi. He died at Kome in 1457. His works, in which he attacks scho- lastic theology more with the weapons of common sense than of philosophy, are especially directed against Aris- totle and Boetius, whom he considers as the founders of the scholastic dialect. He looked upon the evidences of Christianity as a result of sane human reason, which, in its development, has become participant in the divine revelation. But he was far from attenqjling to inquire further into these revelations by analyzing their myste- ries. He says that there are many things we cannot know, and that we must respect tlie mystery with which it has pleased (lod to surround them. His tendency is eminently practical ; according to him there is no Vir- tue without faith, and all without it is but sinfulness. Where hope no longer points t.o liigher and eternal ha[)piness, nothing can remain l)ut the false honesty of the stoic, or the material sense of the epicure. "Without hope of a future life there can be no virtue, only mis- ery ; the peace and inner satisfaction of which philoso-