Saturday, August 2, 2008

The Holy Machabees

While they were commemorated at Mass yesterday, today I'll post something at least about those sterling Jewish Martyrs, the seven brothers and their mother.

Firstly, their history is given in II Machabees, chapter 7, while that of St Eleazar is in chapter 6; while in the Apocryphal IV Machabees, the majority of the book (i, 7-12, and all of chapters viii-xviii) deal with their sufferings; chapters 5 to 7 deal with St Eleazar.

The Byzantine Rite fêtes all these saints on the 1st of August, and traditionally names the mother St Solomoni; the extremely useful Anastasis website gives a fine translation of the liturgical texts of their feast.

These are the proper orations for the Holy Machabees in the Traditional Roman Rite:

Fratérna nos, Dómine, Mártyrum tuórum corona lætíficet: quæ et fídei nostræ præbeat increménta virtútum; et multíplici nos suffrágio consolétur. Per...

May the fraternal crown of Thy martyrs, O Lord, rejoice us, both to afford our faith increase of virtues and to console us with their manifold prayers. Through...

Mystéria tua, Dómine, pro sanctorum Martyrum tuórum honóre, devota mente tractémus: quibus et, præsidium nobis crescat, et gaudium. Per...

With a devout mind may we deal with Thy mysteries, O Lord, for the honor of Thy holy martyrs, and by them may both protection and joy be increased unto us. Through...

Praesta, quæsumus, Omnipotens Deus: ut, quorum memóriam sacramenti participatione recolimus, fidem quoque proficiéndo sectémur. Per...

Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we may more and more closely follow the faith of those whose memory we revere by partaking of the sacrament. Through...

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