# Matins Nocturn 2-3 readings for Ss. Nereus, Achilleus, and Domitilla, # Virgin, and Pancras, Martyrs (May 12) — SanctiM/05-12.txt inherits # the whole day (`@Sancti/05-12`) with no Nocturn 2/3 override, so this # feast's own proper content is sourced from the Tridentine track # exactly as for a pre-1955 saint (see memory vu-matins-pre1955-saints, # vu-matins-sanctim-saints). # web/www/horas/Latin/Sancti/05-12.txt, English/Sancti/05-12.txt. # # Nocturn 2: Lectio4 (Nereus and Achilleus, brothers, kept together), # Lectio5 (Domitilla, a genuinely distinct martyr), and Lectio6 # (Pancras, likewise distinct) kept split. # Nocturn 3: Lectio7's Gospel citation (John 4:46-53) is a bare incipit # ("Et réliqua") with no full pericope text given, so — per the # pre-1955 pass's convention of not transcribing bare incipits — only # the homily portion is authored (not marked isGospel), combined with # Lectio8-9 as one continuous excerpt of Pope St. Gregory the Great's # sermon. No responsory given for either. id: ss-nereus-achilleus-domitilla-and-pancras readings: - nocturn: 2 isGospel: false text: la: >- Nereus et Achilleus fratres eunuchi Flaviæ Domitillæ, a beato Petro una cum ipsa ejusque matre Plautilla baptizati, cum Domitillæ persuasissent, ut virginitátem suam Deo consecraret, ab ejus sponso Aureliáno tamquam Christiáni accusati, ob præcláram fidei confessiónem in Pontiam insulam relegántur. Ubi ad quæstiónem íterum vocáti et verbéribus cæsi, mox Tarracinam perducti, a Minucio Rufo equuleo et flammis cruciati, cum constanter negarent se, a sancto Petro Apóstolo baptizatos, ullis tormentis cogi posse ut idolis immolarent, secúri percússi sunt. Quorum córpora ab Auspicio, eórum discipulo et Domitillæ educatore, Romam delata, via Ardeatina sepúlta sunt. en: >- Nereus and Achilles were brethren, eunuchs belonging to Flavia Domitilla, who were baptized by blessed Peter, along with her and her mother Plautilla. They had advised Domitilla to consecrate her virginity to God, and on this account Aurelian, to whom she was betrothed, accused them of being Christians. They nobly confessed the faith, and were banished to the island of Ponza. Then they were again put to the torture, and after being scourged, were taken to Terracina. At Terracina, Minutius Rufus tormented them with the rack and with fire, but as they constantly affirmed that having once been baptized by the blessed Apostle Peter, no torture could ever make them sacrifice to idols, they were beheaded. Auspicius, their own disciple and the tutor of Domitilla, took their bodies to Rome, where they were buried on the road to Ardea. status: { la: verified, en: verified } - nocturn: 2 isGospel: false text: la: >- Flavia Domitilla virgo Romana, Titi et Domitiáni imperatórum neptis, cum sacrum virginitátis velámen a beato Cleménte Papa accepísset, ab Aureliáno sponso, Titi Aurelii consulis fílio, deláta quod Christiana esset, a Domitiáno imperatóre in insulam Pontiam est deportata, ubi in carcere longum martyrium duxit. Demum Tarracinam deducta, íterum Christum confessa, cum semper constantior apparéret, sub Trajano imperatóre, júdicis jussu incénso ejus cubiculo, una cum Theodora et Euphrosyna virgínibus et collactaneis suis, gloriosi martyrii cursum confecit, Nonis Maji: quarum corpora, integra invénta, a Cæsario diacono sepúlta sunt. en: >- The Virgin Flavia Domitilla was a Roman, the niece of the Emperors Titus and Domitian, and was veiled by the blessed Pope Clement. Aurelian, son of the Consul Titus Aurelius, to whom she was betrothed, accused her of being a Christian, and the Emperor Domitian banished her into the island of Ponza, where she long suffered and testified in prison. At length she was taken to Terracina, where she again confessed Christ, and as she seemed ever to grow firmer, the judge, under the Emperor Trajan, caused her chamber to be set on fire, and there Domitilla, with her foster-sisters the maidens Theodora and Euphrosyne, finished the race of faith by grasping the crown of glory, on the 7th day of May. Their bodies were found whole, and were buried by the Deacon Caesarius. status: { la: verified, en: verified } - nocturn: 2 isGospel: false text: la: >- Pancratius, in Phrygia nobili genere natus, puer quatuordecim annórum Romam venit Diocletiáno et Maximiáno imperatóribus. Ubi a Pontifice Romano baptizátus et in fide christiana eruditus, ob eamdem paulo post comprehénsus; cum diis sacrificáre constanter renuísset, virili fortitúdine datis cervicibus, illustrem martyrii corónam consecutus est. Cujus corpus Octavilla matrona noctu sústulit, et unguentis delibutum via Aurelia sepelívit. en: >- Pancras was the son of a noble family of Phrygia. He came to Rome in the reign of the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian, being then a boy of fourteen years of age. There he was baptized by the Bishop of Rome, and brought up in the Christian faith. On this account he was soon after taken, and having constantly refused to sacrifice to the gods, he offered his neck to the executioner with manly courage, and won a glorious crown of martyrdom. The Lady Octavilla took his body by night, embalmed it with precious ointments, and buried it on the Aurelian Way. status: { la: verified, en: verified } - nocturn: 3 isGospel: false source: "Pope St. Gregory the Great, Homily 28 (preached in the Basilica of these Martyrs on their feast day, on John 4:46-53)" text: la: >- Quid est quod regulus Dominum rogat ut ad ejus filium veniat, et tamen ire corporaliter recusat: ad servum vero centurionis non invitatur, et tamen se corporaliter ire pollicetur? Reguli filio per corporalem præsentiam non dignatur adesse, centurionis servo non dedignatur occurrere. Quid est hoc, nisi quod superbia nostra retunditur, qui in hominibus non naturam, qua ad imaginem Dei facti sunt, sed honores et divitias veneramur? Redemptor vero noster ut ostenderet, quia quæ alta sunt hominum, despicienda sunt, et quæ despecta sunt hominum, despicienda non sunt: ad filium reguli ire noluit, ad servum centurionis ire paratus fuit. Increpata est ergo superbia nostra, quæ nescit pensare homines propter homines. Sola, ut diximus, quæ circumstant hominibus, pensat, naturam non aspicit, honorem Dei in hominibus non agnoscit. Ecce ire non vult Filius Dei ad filium reguli: et tamen venire paratus est ad salutem servi. Certe si nos cujuspiam servus rogaret, ut ad eum ire deberemus, protinus nobis nostra superbia in cogitatione tacita responderet, dicens: Non eas, quia temetipsum degeneras, honor tuus despicitur, locus vilescit. Ecce de cælo venit, qui servo in terra occurrere non despicit: et tamen humiliari in terra contemnimus, qui de terra sumus. Nolite ergo intra vosmetipsos pensare quod habetis, sed quid estis. Ecce mundus qui diligitur, fugit. Sancti isti, ad quorum tumbam consistimus, florentem mundum mentis despectu calcaverunt. Erat tunc vita longa, salus continua, opulentia in rebus, fœcunditas in propagine, tranquillitas in diuturna pace: et tamen cum in seipso floreret, jam in eorum cordibus mundus aruerat. Ecce jam mundus in seipso aruit, et adhuc in cordibus nostris floret. Ubique mors, ubique luctus, ubique desolatio: undique percutimur, undique amaritudinibus replemur: et tamen cæca mente carnalis concupiscentiæ ipsas ejus amaritudines amamus, fugientem sequimur, labenti inhæremus. en: >- Wherefore was it that when this nobleman besought the Lord to come down where his child died, the Lord, albeit He healed him, would not come, and yet, when the Centurion prayed Him to heal his servant, albeit not asked to come down, He went with them? He deemed not that the nobleman's son was worthy of His bodily presence, but He refused not to go to help the Centurion's servant. What is this but a rebuke to earthly pride, which maketh us to respect in men their honours and riches rather than that Divine image wherein they are created? It was not so with our Redeemer, who would not go to the son of the nobleman, but was ready to come down for the Centurion's servant, to show that to Him the things which are great among men are but of little moment, and the things which are little esteemed among men are not beneath His notice. Our pride then standeth rebuked, that pride which maketh us forget for the sake of one man that another man is a man at all. This pride, as we have said, looketh only at the surroundings of men, not at their nature, and seeth not that God is to be honoured in a man because he is a man. Lo, how the Son of God will not go unto the nobleman's son, but is ready to go and heal the servant. Of myself I know that if any one's servant were to ask me to go to him, I have a sort of pride which would say to me silently inside my heart: Go not, thou wilt lower thyself; the Papal dignity will be lightly esteemed, thy exalted station will be degraded. Behold how He Which came down from heaven, doth not deem it below Him to go to help a servant, and yet I who am of the earth earthly, shrink from being trodden on. Think not therefore within yourselves what ye have, but what ye are. Behold, the world which I love, is a world which passeth away. Those holy servants of God, by whose grave I am standing, ennobled themselves mentally above the world at its fairest. To them was offered length of days, robust health, plenty in possessions, fruitfulness in offspring, comfort under perpetual peace: and yet while the spring-tide of life was unfolding before them, their hearts had already condemned it to an arid winter. Behold, winter in their hearts, spring in mine! Death, and pain, and barrenness occur all around me, I am attacked on all sides, and I feel very bitter, and yet the sting of fleshly lust so blindeth me, that I love the bitter feelings, I hunt after that which flees from me, and cling to that which would leave me. status: { la: verified, en: verified }