S. Justini Martyris.

Et nunc ecce ego scio, quia ámplius non vidébitis fáciem meam vos omnes, per quos transívi prǽdicans regnum Dei. Quaprópter contéstor vos hodiérna die, quia mundus sum a sánguine ómnium. Non enim subterfúgi, quóminus annuntiárem omne consílium Dei vobis. Atténdite vobis, et univérso gregi, in quo vos Spíritus sanctus pósuit epíscopos régere Ecclésiam Dei, quam acquisívit sánguine suo. Ego scio quóniam intrábunt post discessiónem meam lupi rapáces in vos, non parcéntes gregi. Et ex vobis ipsis exsúrgent viri loquéntes pervérsa, ut abdúcant discípulos post se. Propter quod vigiláte memória retinéntes: quóniam per triénnium nocte et die non cessávi, cum lácrimis monens unumquémque vestrum.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

And now behold, I know that all you, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to witness this day, that I am clear from the blood of all men; For I have not spared to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed to yourselves, and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. I know that, after my departure, ravening wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. And of your own selves shall arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, keeping in memory, that for three years I ceased not, with tears to admonish every one of you night and day.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Et nunc comméndo vos Deo, et verbo grátiæ ipsíus, qui potens est ædificáre, et dare hæreditátem in sanctificátis ómnibus. Argéntum, et aurum, aut vestem nullíus concupívi, sicut ipsi scitis: quóniam ad ea, quæ mihi opus erant, et his, qui mecum sunt, ministravérunt manus istæ. Omnia osténdi vobis, quóniam sic laborántes, opórtet suscípere infírmos, ac meminísse verbi Dómini Jesu, quóniam ipse dixit: Beátius est magis dare, quam accípere. Et cum hæc dixísset, pósitis génibus suis orávit cum ómnibus illis. Magnus autem fletus factus est ómnium: et procumbéntes super collum Pauli, osculabántur eum, doléntes máxime in verbo, quod díxerat, quóniam ámplius fáciem ejus non essent visúri. Et deducébant eum ad navem.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

And now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, who is able to build up, and to give an inheritance among all the sanctified. I have not coveted any man's silver, gold, or apparel, as You yourselves know: for such things as were needful for me and them that are with me, these hands have furnished. I have showed you all things, how that so labouring you ought to support the weak, and to remember the word of the Lord Jesus, how he said: It is a more blessed thing to give, rather than to receive. And when he had said these things, kneeling down, he prayed with them all. And there was much weeping among them all; and falling on the neck of Paul, they kissed him, Being grieved most of all for the word which he had said, that they should see his face no more. And they brought him on his way to the ship.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Inter præclaríssima Justíni ópera binæ éminent fídei christiánæ apologíæ, quas cum coram senátu, imperatóribus Antoníno Pio, ejúsque fíliis, nec non Marco Antoníno Vero, et Lúcio Aurélio Cómmodo Christi ásseclas sævíssime divexántibus porrexísset, eamdémque fidem disputándo strénue propugnásset, obtínuit ut a Christianórum cæde público príncipum edícto temperátum fúerit. Verum Justíno haud párcitum est. Nam Crescéntis Cýnici, cujus vitam et mores nefários redargúerat, insídiis accusátus, a satellítibus comprehénsus est. Addúctus autem ad Romæ prǽsidem nómine Rústicum, cum hic ab eo quæsivísset quænam essent Christianórum præcépta, hanc bonam confessiónem coram multis téstibus conféssus est: Rectum dogma, quod nos Christiáni hómines cum pietáte servámus, hoc est: ut Deum unum existimémus factórem atque creatórem ómnium quæ vidéntur, quæque corpóreis óculis non cernúntur; et Dóminum Jesum Christum Dei Fílium confiteámur olim a prophétis prænuntiátum, qui et humáni géneris judex ventúrus est.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

Amongthe most famous of the works of Justin are his two Apologies or Defences of the Christian faith. These he brought before the Senate when the Emperors Antoninus Pius, and his sons, as also Marcus Antoninus Verus and Lucius Aurelius Commodus, were savagely persecuting the followers of Christ, and by their means, and his vigorous disputations in favour of the same faith, he obtained a public edict from the government to stay the slaughter of the Christians. But Justin himself did not escape he had rebuked the life and infamous manners of the Cynic Crescens, and was accused and arrested through that person's plottings. He was brought before Rusticus, the President of Rome, who asked him what were the doctrines of the Christians, whereto he answered, in the presence of many witnesses, with this good confession: The right doctrine which we Christian men do keep with godliness is this, that we should believe that there is one God, Who is the Maker and Creator of all things, both those things which are seen and those things which bodily eyes do not see, and that we should confess the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Who was foretold of old time by the prophets, and Who will come to be the Judge of all mankind.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Quóniam Justínus in prima sua apología palam exposúerat quómodo Christiáni convenírent ad sacra celebránda, et quænam fúerint sacri hujus convéntus mystéria ad repelléndas ethnicórum calúmnias, exquisívit ab eo præses in quonam loco conveníret ipse et céteri hujus Urbis Christifidéles. Justínus autem réticens convéntuum loca, ne sancta et fratres próderet cánibus, domicílium tantum suum indicávit, ubi manére, et discípulos excólere solébat penes célebrem títulum Pastóris in ǽdibus Pudéntis. Demum præses optiónem ei dedit vel ut diis sacrificáret, vel per totum corpus flagéllis cædi perférret. Cum invíctus fídei vindex asséreret se in votis semper habuísse cruciátus pérpeti propter Dóminum Jesum Christum, a quo magnam in cœlis mercédem cónsequi exspectábat, præses in eum capitálem senténtiam pronuntiávit. Itaque mirábilis philósophus Deum collaúdans, post vérbera, fuso pro Christo sánguine, glorióso martýrio coronátus est. Quidam vero fidéles clam illíus sustulérunt corpus, et in loco idóneo condidérunt. Leo décimus tértius Póntifex Máximus ejúsdem Offícium et Missam ab univérsa Ecclésia celebrári præcépit.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

In order to rebut the slanders of the heathen, Justin had in his first Apology given an open account of the gathering of the Christians for divine worship, and what were the holy Mysteries celebrated in these assemblies. The President therefore asked him what was the place where he and Christ's other faithful ones in the city were accustomed to meet. Justin, lest he should betray that which was holy unto God and his brethren, told only where was his own lodging, where he was used to abide and to teach his disciples, hard by the famous Church of the Shepherd, in the house of Pudens. The President then gave him the choice whether to sacrifice to the gods or to be hided with scourges over his whole body. The unconquered champion of the faith answered that he had always desired to suffer in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, from Whom he looked to receive a mighty reward in heaven. The President thereupon sentenced him to death, and then this excellent philosopher, giving praise to God, was first beaten and afterwards shed his blood for Christ's sake, and so received the crown of a glorious martyrdom. Some of the faithful secretly stole away his body, and buried it in a fitting place. The Supreme Pontiff Leo XIII. commanded that his Office and Mass should be used throughout the whole Church.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Deínde postquam illos omni angóre, timóre et sollicitúdine liberávit, et probris ómnibus superióres réddidit, demum illos opportúne de libertáte prædicándi allóquitur; nam dicit: Quod dico vobis in ténebris, dícite in lúmine; et quod in aure audítis, prædicáte super tecta. Quamquam non erant ténebræ cum hæc díceret, neque ad aurem loquebátur: sed hæc hyperbólice dicta sunt. Quia enim solos alloquebátur, et in parvo Palestínæ ángulo, ídeo dicit: in ténebris et in aure, hunc loquéndi modum cómparans cum loquéndi fidúcia, qua illos póstea instructúrus erat. Ne in una, duábus tribúsque civitátibus, sed per totum orbem prædicáte, terram maréque peragrántes, habitátam, non habitátam, ac tyránnis, pópulis, philósophis, rhetóribus cum magna fidúcia ómnia dícite. Ideo dixit super tecta et in lúmine sine ullo subterfúgio, et cum omni libertáte. ¶ Deínde postquam illórum eréxit ánimos, rursum perícula prædícit, illórum mentem érigens, omnibúsque sublimióres reddens. Quid enim ait? Nolíte timére eos qui occídunt corpus, ánimam autem non possunt occídere. Viden, quómodo illos ómnibus superióres reddat, non curas modo, non maledícta, perícula, invídias, sed étiam mortem ómnium terribilíssimam contémnere docens? Neque simplíciter mortem, sed étiam violéntam? Neque dixit, Occidémini, sed cum magnificéntia congruénte totum declarávit. Nolíte timére, dicens, ab iis qui occídunt corpus, ánimam autem non possunt occídere: sed pótius, Timéte eum qui potest et ánimam et corpus pérdere in gehénnam: in contrárium vertens sermónem, uti semper facit. Quid enim sibi vult? Timétis mortem, ideóque ad prædicándum segnióres estis? Sed hac de causa pótius prædicáte, quia mortem timétis. Illud enim vere vos a morte erípiet. Nam etiámsi vos interemptúri sunt, meliórem tamen partem non separábunt, etiámsi id totis víribus conéntur. Ideo non dixit: Animam autem non occídunt; sed, Non possunt occídere. Nam etiámsi velint, non separábunt. Itaque si supplícium times, illud longe grávius time. Viden, quómodo non promíttat, se illos a morte liberatúrum esse, sed mori permíttit, majóra largitúrus quam si id non permítteret? Longe enim majus est suadére ut mors spernátur, quam a morte erúere.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

And when He had freed them from pain, fear, and care, and set them above the reproaches of men, He spake unto them in due season concerning the freedom of preaching, What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the house-tops. It was not darkness when He uttered these words, neither was He speaking into their ear. These words were a figure He was speaking to them alone and in a little corner of Palestine, and therefore He saith in darkness and in the ear, as comparing this manner of speech with that boldness of speaking wherewith He was afterwards to inspire them. Preach, He saith, not in one nor two nor three cities, but throughout the whole world go over the earth and the sea, the land that is dwelt in and the land that is not dwelt in speak all things with great boldness to kings and to peoples, to philosophers and to rhetoricians therefore without any subtlety, but with all freedom, He saith, What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the house-tops. ¶ He saith: I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman. Is the vine one with the husbandman? These words then are to be taken in that sense wherein He also saith: My Father is greater than I. In this sense He is the vine, and the Father is the husbandman. But again, in regard to those words: I and the Father are one, and again: and My Father is the husbandman, we understand that They are not the vine and the husbandman, after the manner of a vine, and the husbandman that from without doth care for and keep it, but after the manner of a vine and Him That from within doth make it to bring forth fruit. For neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth: but God that giveth the increase. But Christ is God, for the Word was God. Therefore He and the Father are one: and, albeit the Word was made flesh, which, before, He was not, He ceased not to be still That Which He was.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Valeriánus Románus, nóbili génere ortus, Alexándro Sevéro imperatóre, hortátu beátæ Cæcíliæ Vírginis, quam sibi pari nobilitáte uxórem despónderat, una cum Tibúrtio fratre a sancto Urbáno Papa baptizátur. Quos ubi præféctus Urbis Almáchius Christiános esse cognóvit, et património paupéribus distribúto, Christianórum córpora sepelíre; accersítos gráviter reprehéndit: atque ubi Christum Deum constánter confiténtes, deos autem dæmoniórum inánia simulácra prædicántes videt, virgis cædi jubet. Sed cum verbéribus cogi non possent, ut Jovis simulácrum veneraréntur, imo fortes in fídei veritáte permanérent, ad quartum ab Urbe lápidem secúri feriúntur. Quorum virtútem admirátus Máximus præfécti cubiculárius, qui eos ad supplícium perdúxerat, Christiánum se esse proféssus est, cum multis prætérea præfécti minístris: qui paulo post plumbátis contúsi, omnes ex diáboli minístris, Christi Dómini Mártyres evasérunt.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

Valerian was a Roman, of a family as noble as that of the blessed maiden Cecily, to whom he was contracted in marriage, in the reign of the Emperor Alexander Severus. At her persuasion he and his brother Tiburtius were baptized by the holy Pope Urban. When it came to the knowledge of Almachius, the Prefect of the city, that they were become Christians, had given their substance to the poor, and were burying the bodies of the faithful, he sent for them and strongly rebuked them but as they constantly confessed that Christ is God, and that the gods of the heathen are but vain images of devils, he commanded them to be beaten with rods. But, forasmuch as no blows could force them to worship the image of Jupiter, but they seemed rather to wax strong in witnessing to the truth of the faith that was in them, they were beheaded at the fourth mile-stone from the city. One of the clerks of the Prefect, named Maximus, who had led them out to die, was so moved at the sight of their courage that he himself, with many other servants of the Prefect, owned to being a Christian they were sentenced to be scourged to death with whips loaded with lead, under the which torment, in a little while, all these, who had once been the devil's ministers, passed away as martyrs of Christ the Lord.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.