St. Stephen

XXIX. S. STEPHANUS
English

XXVI DECEMBRIS

Heri mundus exultavit
Et exultans celebravit
Christi natalitia;
Heri chorus angelorum
Prsecutus est coelorum
Regem cum laetitia.

Protomartyr et Levita,
Clarus fide, clarus vita,
Clarus et miraculis,
Sub hac luce triumphavit,
Et triumphans insultavit
Stephanus incredulis.

Frement ergo tanquam ferae,
Quia victi defecere
Lucis adversarii:
Falsos testes statuunt,
Et linguas exacuunt
Viperarum filii.

Agonista, nulli cede,
Certâ certus de mercede,
Persevera, Stephane:
Insta falsis testibus,
Confuta sermonibus
Synagogam Satanae.

Testis tuus est in coelis,
Testis verax et fidelis,
Testis innocentiae.
Nomen habes Coronati:
Te tormenta decet pati
Pro corona gloriae.

Pro corona non marcenti
Prefer brevis vim tormenti!
Te manet victoria.
Tibi fiet mors natalis,
Tibi poena terminalis
Dat vitae primordia.

Plenus Sancto Spiritu,
Penetrat intuitu
Stephanus coelestia.
Videns Dei gloriam,
Crescit ad victoriam,
Suspirat ad praemia.

En a dextris Dei stantem,
Jesum pro te dimicantem,
Stephane, considera:
Tibi coelos reserari,
Tibi Christum revelari,
Clama voce liberâ

Se commendat Salvatori,
Pro quo dulce ducit mori
Sub ipsis lapidibus.
Saulus servat omnium
Vestes lapidantium,
Lapidans in omnibus.

Ne peccatum statuatur
His, a quibus lapidatur,
Genu ponit, et precatur,
Condolens insaniae:
In Christo sic obdormivit,
Qui Christo sic obedivit,
Et cum Christo semper vivit,
Martyrum primitiae.

Quod sex suscitaverit
Mortuos in Africa,
Augustinus asserit,
Fama refert publica.

Hujus, Dei gratia,
Revelato corpore,
Mundo datur pluvia
Siccitatis tempore.

Solo fugat hic odore
Morbos et daemonia,
Laude dignus et honore
Jugique memoria.

Martyr, cujus est jocundum
Nomen in Ecclesia,
Languescentem fove mundum
Coelesti fragantia. Amen.
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XXIX. ST. STEPHEN
Latin

DECEMBER 26th

Yesterday the world, elated,
Joyed, and, joying, celebrated
Chris the Saviour's natal day:
Yesterday, heaven's King surrounding,
Angel-choirs, his welcome sounding,
Sang to him with joyful lay.

Protomartyr and a deacon,
Faith's clear light and life's bright beacon,
For his wonder-works well known,
Stephen on this day all-glorious
Won the victory, and, victorious,
Trod the unbelievers down.

Thus, since those 'gainst light engaging,
Conquered, fail, behold them raging
Like wild beasts in their despair:
Lying witnesses they bring,
And with bitter words they sting,
Seed of vipers that they are!

Champion! yield to non, but ever
Persevere in thine endeavour,
Stephen! sure of sure reward:
Their false witnesses withstand,
And confute all Satan's band
By thine eloquence outpoured.

In the heavens thy Witness dwelleth;
Truly, faithfully, He telleth
How thou hast no evil done:
Since "a crown" for name thou bearest,
Suffering first thou fitly sharest,
Till thy glory-crown be won.

For that crown's unfading dower
Choose to bear brief torture's power;
There awaits thee victory!
Death new birth for thee portendeth,
And its pain, which quickly endeth,
Is the dawn of life to thee.

Full of the blest Spirit's grace,
Stephen into heaven's space
Penetrates with lightened eyes;
Gazing on God's glory, he
Waxes strong for victory,
Longing for its deathless prize.

Lo! at God's own right hand standing,
Jesus, in thy cause contending,
Stephen! lift thine eyes and see!
Cry that heaven now open lieth;
And that Christ thine eye descrieth
Cry aloud in accents free!

To his Lord his soul commending,
Sweet he deems it at life's ending
'Neath these stones for him to fall.
Saul stands by and keeps the clothes
Of each stoner as he throws,
Stoning Stephen through them all.

That the Lord would not be laying
To his murderers' charge this slaying,
Stephen kneeleth down, and, praying,
Mourns their mad and reckless deed:
So asleep in Christ fell Stephen,
Who had Christ to serve so striven,
And now lives with Christ in heaven,
First-fruits of the martyrs' seed!

That in Africa from death
He six men to life revived,
Is a fact Augustine saith,
And one commonly believed.

When, by God's grace, his remains
From their grave to light were brought,
Then were given heavy rains
On the earth in time of drought.

He by perfume rare alone
Makes disease and demons flee,
And due praise and fame hath won
With a deathless memory.

Martyr! whose sweet name doth live
In the Church so pleasantly,
An enfeebled world revive
With thy heavenly fragrancy! Amen.
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