It’s the best celestial show of the northern summer, one that can be enjoyed without a telescope, camera, or much expertise in celestial matters at all. It’s the Perseid meteor shower, an annual event in which sand-sized bits of an ancient comet streak through the Earth’s upper atmosphere and elicit “oohs and ahhs” from experienced and untutored stargazers alike. With the Moon out of the way this year, it's going to be a great year for this prolific and reliable meteor shower. It's also an event which recalls the tragic tale of Laurentius, a Christian deacon of ancient Rome who met a memorable but gruesome fate...