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Re: St. Lawrence, patron of archivists



Here is a prayer I found hanging above the photocopier when I got here.  The machine and I get along pretty well, but it does have a mind of its own.  I heard it drove my predecessor bonkers, though, so maybe that's the reason for its placement.  I have no idea who wrote it, though, or when.  Along with 99 percent of everything here in the Archives, there is no information on provenance or attribution.  And it doesn't mention St. Lawrence.

It's called "The Blessing of An Archives."

O God, Lover of truth and justice, graciously pour Your blessing upon this archives that has been set up to preserve historical documents and official papers from harm through the passage of time, and human hands.  May it remain safe from fire, water and other dangers, and may all who come here to study and research consciously strive for truth and justice, and advance in love of You.  Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Maybe that's why this place has not yet burned to the ground, despite having no sprinkler system and being struck by lightning!  We did have a flood in 1996 that ruined the rare book collection.  But that was probably before the prayer was posted.

The topic of patron saints has been discussed here before.  Other names that popped up then were Catherine of Alexandria and Jerome.  As I recall we raised quite a chatter, and it's all probably available in the listserv's archives under the subject heading "patron saint."

Rebecca Fitzgerald, CA
Mt. St. Mary's Archives & Dept. of Special Collections
Mt. St. Mary's College & Seminary
Emmitsburg, MD 21727
301/447-5397
301/447-6868 (fax)
rfitzger@msmary.edu
http://www.msmary.edu/studentsandstaff/library/archives.htm


-----Original Message-----
From: Russell James [mailto:youngarchivist@YAHOO.COM]
Sent: Friday, May 03, 2002 10:33 PM
To: ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
Subject: St. Lawrence, patron of archivists


I was looking at a webpage today and found out that
St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, is the patron saint
of archivists.  Does anyone have any more information
on this, such as why or if a prayer has been written
to go along with this patronage?

Russell D. James, M.A.
Milton, Florida
youngarchivist@yahoo.com

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