S. Pauli a Cruce Confessoris.

Sed dicet quis: Tu fidem habes, et ego ópera hábeo. Osténde mihi fidem tuam sine opéribus: et ego osténdam tibi ex opéribus fidem meam. Tu credis quóniam unus est Deus: Bene facis: et dǽmones credunt, et contremíscunt. Vis autem scire o homo inánis, quóniam fides sine opéribus mórtua est? Abraham pater noster nonne ex opéribus justificátus est, ófferens Isaac fílium suum super altáre? Vides quóniam fides cooperabátur opéribus illíus: et ex opéribus fides consummáta est?
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

But some man will say: Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without works; and I will show thee, by works, my faith. Thou believest that there is one God. Thou dost well: the devils also believe and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, offering up Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou, that faith did co-operate with his works; and by works faith was made perfect?
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Et suppléta est Scriptúra, dicens: Crédidit Abraham Deo, et reputátum est illi ad justítiam, et amícus Dei appellátus est. Vidétis quóniam ex opéribus justificátur homo, et non ex fide tantum? Simíliter et Rahab méretrix, nonne ex opéribus justificáta est, suscípiens núntios, et ália via ejíciens? Sicut enim corpus sine spíritu mórtuum est, ita et fides sine opéribus mórtua est.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

And the scripture was fulfilled, saying: Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him to justice, and he was called the friend of God. Do you see that by works a man is justified; and not by faith only? And in like manner also Rahab the harlot, was not she justified by works, receiving the messengers, and sending them out another way? For even as the body without the spirit is dead; so also faith without works is dead.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Romam proféctus, theológicis disciplínis rite imbútus, a Summo Pontífice Benedícto decimotértio ex obediéntia sacerdótio auctus est. Facta sibi ab eódem potestáte aggregándi sócios, in solitúdinem recéssit Argentárii montis, quo eum beáta Virgo jamprídem invitáverat, veste illi simul osténsa atri colóris, passiónis Fílii sui insígnibus decoráta, ibíque fundaménta jecit novæ congregatiónis. Quæ brevi, plúrimis ab eo tolerátis labóribus, præcláris aucta viris cum Dei benedictióne valde succrévit; a Sede Apostólica non semel confirmáta, una cum régulis, quas orándo ipse a Deo accéperat, et quarto áddito voto, pergrátam Domínicæ passiónis memóriam promovéndi. Sacras vírgines quoque instítuit, quæ excéssum caritátis divíni sponsi sédulo meditaréntur. Hæc inter, animárum inexhaústa aviditáte ab Evangélii prædicatióne numquam defíciens, hómines pene innúmeros, étiam perditíssimos, aut in hǽresim lapsos, in salútis trámitem addúxit. Præsértim Christi enarránda passióne mirífica ejus oratiónis vis erat, qua una cum astántibus in fletum effúsus, quǽlibet obduráta corda ad pœniténtiam scindébat.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

He betook himself to Rome, and when he had there studied a regular course of theology he was ordained Priest in obedience to the command of the Supreme Pontiff Benedict XIII., who also gave him permission to gather comrades around him. He withdrew to the solitude of Mount Argentaro, whither he had been already called by the Blessed Virgin, at which same time she also showed him in vision a black habit marked with the emblems of the sufferings of her Son. At Mount Argentaro, he laid the foundations of his new Congregation, which under the blessing of God grew quickly, through the labors of Paul, and attracted to it eminent men. It received the confirmation of the Apostolic See more than once, with the rules which Paul himself had received from God in prayer and the addition of a fourth vow, that, namely, to promote the blessed remembrance of the sufferings of the Lord. He founded a congregation of holy virgins also, who should dwell constantly upon the overflowing love of the Divine Bridegroom. Amid all these works his untiring love for souls caused him never to weary in the preaching of the Gospel, and he led into the path of salvation men almost countless, among whom were some of the most lost, or those who had fallen into heresy. The greatest and most wonderful power of his preaching was how he told of the sufferings of Christ, so that he himself and his hearers would alike burst into tears, and hardened hearts were cloven by repentance.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Tanta in ejus péctore alebátur divínæ caritátis flamma, ut indúsium quod erat cordi própius, sæpe véluti igne adústum, et binæ cóstulæ elátæ apparúerint. Sacrum præsértim fáciens non póterat a lácrimis temperáre: frequénti quoque éxtasi cum mira intérdum córporis elevatióne frui, vultúque supérna luce radiánte conspiciebátur. Quandóque, dum concionarétur, cœléstis vox verba ei suggeréntis audíta fuit, aut sermo ejus ad plura míllia pássuum intónuit. Prophetíæ et linguárum dono, córdium scrutatióne, potestáte in dǽmones, in morbos, in eleménta enítuit. Cumque ipsis Summis Pontifícibus carus ac venerándus esset, servum inútilem, peccatórem nequíssimum, a dæmóniis quoque conculcándum se judicábat. Tandem, aspérrimi vitæ géneris ad longam usque senectútem tenacíssimus, anno millésimo septingentésimo septuagésimo quinto, cum præclára mónita, véluti sui spíritus transmíssa hæreditáte, alúmnis tradidísset, Ecclésiæ sacraméntis ac cœlésti visióne recreátus, Romæ, qua prædíxerat die, migrávit in cœlum. Eum Pius nonus Póntifex Máximus in beatórum, novísque deínde fulgéntem signis, in sanctórum númerum rétulit.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

The fire of the love of God burnt so in his heart that the part of his under-garment which was next thereto often presented the appearance of having been scorched, and two of his ribs seemed to be raised. He could not withhold his tears, more especially when he was saying Mass, and when he was in a state of trance, as oftentimes befell, his body was sometimes seen to be raised into the air, and his face to shine as with light from heaven. Sometimes when he was preaching a heavenly voice was heard prompting him, or his words became audible at the distance of several miles. He was eminent for the gifts of prophecy, of speaking with tongues, of reading the heart, and of power over evil spirits, over diseases, and over the inanimate elements of nature. The Supreme Pontiffs themselves regarded him as dear and venerable, but he held himself to be but an unprofitable servant, and a sinful wretch upon whom devils might well trample. He held to the bitter hardships of his life, even unto a great age, and passed to heaven from Rome, (upon the 18th day of October,) being the day which he had himself foretold, in the year 1775, after he had addressed to his disciples noble exhortations which are as the heritage of his spirit, and had been comforted by the sacraments of the Church, and by an heavenly vision. The Supreme Pontiff Pius IX. numbered his name among those of the blessed, and then, after renewed signs and wonders, among those of the Saints.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Ecce enim binos ad prædicándum discípulos Dóminus mittit: quátenus hoc nobis tácitus ínnuat, quia qui caritátem erga álterum non habet, prædicatiónis offícium suscípere nullátenus debet. Bene autem dícitur, quia misit eos ante fáciem suam in omnem civitátem et locum, quo erat ipse ventúrus. Prædicatóres enim suos Dóminus séquitur: quia prædicátio prǽvenit, et tunc ad mentis nostræ habitáculum Dóminus venit, quando verba exhortatiónis præcúrrunt: atque per hoc véritas in mente suscípitur. ¶ Hinc namque eísdem prædicatóribus Isaías dicit: Paráte viam Dómini, rectas fácite sémitas Dei nostri. Hinc fíliis Psalmísta ait: Iter fácite ei, qui ascéndit super occásum. Super occásum namque Dóminus ascéndit: quia unde in passióne occúbuit, inde majórem suam glóriam resurgéndo manifestávit. Super occásum vidélicet ascéndit; quia mortem quam pértulit, resurgéndo calcávit. Ei ergo qui ascéndit super occásum, iter fácimus, cum nos ejus glóriam vestris méntibus prædicámus, ut eas et ipse post véniens, per amóris sui præséntiam illústret.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

Behold, the Lord sendeth forth His disciples to preach by two and two: and thus doing, He doth silently teach us that whoseover loveth not his neighbour, such an one it behooveth not to take upon him the office of a preacher. Well also is it said that He sent them before His face into every city and place whither He Himself would come. The Lord followeth His preachers: first cometh preaching, and then the Lord Himself cometh to the house of our mind, whither the word of exhortation hath come before: and so cometh the truth into our mind. ¶ Therefore to preachers saith Isaiah: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight an highway for our God. And again the Psalmist saith: Spread a path before Him That rideth upon the West. The Lord rideth upon the West; above that from which in death He veiled His glory hath He royally exalted that glory that excelleth, even the glory of His rising again. He rideth upon the West, Who, being risen again from the dead, is throned high above the death to which He bowed. Before Him, therefore, That rideth upon the West, we spread a path, when we set forth His glory before the eyes of your mind, to the end that He Himself may come after, and Himself enlighten the same your minds by His presence and His love.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Vitális miles, sanctórum Gervásii et Protásii pater, una cum Paulíno júdice Ravénnam ingréssus, cum vidísset Ursicínum médicum ob christiánæ fídei confessiónem ductum ad supplícium, paúlulum in torméntis titubáre, exclamávit: Ursicíne médice, qui álios curáre sólitus es, cave ne te mortis ætérnæ jáculo confícias. Qua voce confirmátus Ursicínus, martýrium fórtiter subívit. Quare Paulínus incénsus Vitálem comprehéndi jubet, et equúleo tortum, atque in profúndam fóveam demérsum, lapídibus óbrui. Quo facto quidam Apóllinis sacérdos, qui Paulínum in Vitálem incitárat, oppréssus a dǽmone, clamáre cœpit: Tu me nímium Vitális Christi Martyr incéndis: et illo æstu jactátus, se præcipitávit in flumen.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

Vitalis was a soldier, and the father of the holy Martyrs Gervase and Protase. He went to Ravenna with Paulinus the judge, and there saw the physician Ursicinus led out to die, because he owned to being a believer in Christ. As the torments went on, Ursicinus seemed to waver a little, and Vitalis cried out to him, Ursicinus! as a physician thou hast been used to heal other men's bodies, take heed lest thou let thine own soul die eternally. These words encouraged Ursicinus, and he endured bravely in his testimony even unto the end but Paulinus was filled with fury, and caused Vitalis to be seized, tormented on the rack, and finally thrown into a pit and buried under an heap of stones. When it was over, a certain priest of Apollo, who had urged on Paulinus against Vitalis, was seized by the devil, and began to cry out, Vitalis Vitalis thou art Christ's Martyr, but thou makest me to burn thou makest me to burn until in that phrenzy he threw himself into the river.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.