S. Stephani Protomartyris

Sedérunt príncipes, et advérsum me loquebántur: et iníqui persecúti sunt me: ádjuva me, Dómine, Deus meus, quia servus tuus exercebátur in tuis justificatiónibus. Beati immaculáti in via, qui ámbulant in lege Dómini, Sedérunt príncipes, et advérsum me loquebántur: et iníqui persecúti sunt me: ádjuva me, Dómine, Deus meus, quia servus tuus exercebátur in tuis justificatiónibus.

Princes met and talked against me, and the wicked persecuted me wrongfully; help me, O Lord my God, for Your servant meditates on Your statutes. Happy are they whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. Princes met and talked against me, and the wicked persecuted me wrongfully; help me, O Lord my God, for Your servant meditates on Your statutes.

Da nobis, quǽsumus, Dómine, imitári quod cólimus: ut discámus et inimícos dilígere; quia ejus natalícia celebrámus, qui novit étiam pro persecutóribus exoráre Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum Fílium tuum:

Grant us, we beseech thee, O Lord, so to imitate what we revere, that we may learn to love even our enemies; for we celebrate the heavenly birthday of him who knew how to pray for his very persecutors to our Lord Jesus Christ:

Léctio Actuum Apostolórum In diebus illis: Stéphanus plenus grátia et fortitúdine, faciébat prodígia et signa magna in pópulo. Surrexérunt autem quidam de synagóga, quæ appellátur Libertinórum, et Cyrenénsium, et Alexandrinórum, et eórum, qui erant a Cilícia et Asia, disputántes cum Stéphano: et non póterant resístere sapiéntiæ et Spirítui, qui loquebátur. Audiéntes autem hæc, dissecabántur córdibus suis, et stridébant déntibus in eum. Cum autem esset Stéphanus plenus Spíritu Sancto, inténdens in cœlum, vidit glóriam Dei, et Jesum stantem a dextris Dei. Et ait: Ecce, vídeo cœlos apértos, et Fílium hóminis stantem a dextris Dei. Exclamántes autem voce magna continuérunt aures suas, et ímpetum fecerunt unanímiter in eum. Et ejiciéntes eum extra civitatem, lapidábant: et testes deposuérunt vestiménta sua secus pedes adolescéntis, qui vocabátur Saulus. Et lapidábant Stéphanum invocántem et dicéntem: Dómine Jesu, súscipe spíritum meum. Pósitis autem génibus, clamávit voce magna, dicens: Dómine, ne státuas illis hoc peccátum. Et cum hoc dixísset, obdormívit in Dómino.

Lesson from the Acts of Apostles In those days, Stephen, full of grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people. But there arose some from the synagogue which is called that of the Freedmen, and of the Cyrenians and of the Alexandrians and of those from Cilicia and the province of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit Who spoke. Now as they heard these things, they were cut to the heart and gnashed their teeth at him. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed upon him all together. And they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And while they were stoning Stephen he prayed and said, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, saying, Lord, do not lay this sin against them. And with these words he fell asleep.

Sedérunt príncipes, et advérsum me loquebántur: et iníqui persecúti sunt me. Adjuva me, Dómine, Deus meus: salvum me fac propter misericórdiam tuam. Allelúja, allelúja. ℣. Vídeo cœlos apértos, et Jesum stantem a dextris virtútis Dei. Allelúja.

Princes met and talked against me, and the wicked persecuted me wrongfully. V. Help me, O Lord my God: rescue me because of Your kindness. Alleluia, alleluia. I see the heavens opened, and Jesus standing on the right hand of the power of God. Alleluia.

Sequéntia † sancti Evangélii secundum Matthǽum In illo témpore: Dicébat Jesus scribis et pharisǽis: Ecce, ego mitto ad vos prophétas, et sapiéntes, et scribas, et ex illis occidétis et crucifigétis, et ex eis flagellábitis in synagógis vestris, et persequémini de civitáte in civitátem: ut véniat super vos omnis sanguis justus, qui effúsus est super terram, a sánguine Abel justi usque ad sánguinem Zacharíæ, filii Barachíæ, quem occidístis inter templum et altáre. Amen, dico vobis, vénient hæc ómnia super generatiónem istam. Jerúsalem, Jerúsalem, quæ occídis prophétas, et lápidas eos, qui ad te missi sunt, quóies vólui congregáre fílios tuos, quemádmodum gallína cóngregat pullos suos sub alas, et noluísti? Ecce, relinquétur vobis domus vestra desérta. Dico enim vobis, non me vidébitis ámodo, donec dicátis: Benedíctus, qui venit in nómine Dómini.

Continuation + of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew At that time, Jesus said to the Scribes and Pharisees, Therefore, behold, I send you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of them you will put to death and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from town to town; that upon you may come all the just blood that has been shed on the earth, from the blood of Abel the just unto the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachias, whom you killed between the temple and the altar. Amen I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. Jerusalem, Jerusalem! you who kill the prophets, and stone those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together, as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you would not! Behold, your house is left to you desolate. For I say to you, you shall not see Me henceforth until you shall say, Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!

Elegérunt Apóstoli Stéphanum Levítam, plenum fide et Spíritu Sancto: quem lapidavérunt Judæi orántem, et dicéntem: Dómine Jesu, áccipe spíritum meum, allelúja.

The Apostles chose Stephen to be a levite, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit: whom the Jews stoned, praying and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Alleluia.

Súscipe, Dómine, múnera pro tuórum commemoratióne Sanctórum: ut, sicut illos pássio gloriósos effécit; ita nos devótio reddat innócuos.

Vídeo cœlos apértos, et Jesum stantem a dextris virtútis Dei: Dómine Jesu, accipe spíritum meum, et ne státuas illis hoc peccátum.

I see the heavens opened, and Jesus standing on the right hand of the power of God: Lord Jesus receive my spirit, and do not lay this sin against them.

Auxiliéntur nobis, Dómine, sumpta mystéria: et, intercedénte beáto Stéphano Mártyre tuo, sempitérna protectióne confírment.