239 - Holy Days and Various Occasions - Martyrs

1. Blessed feasts of blessed martyrs,

holy women, holy men,

with affection's recollections

greet we your return again.

Worthy deeds they wrought, and wonders,

worthy of the Name they bore;

we, with meetest praise and sweetest,

honor them for evermore.

2. Faith prevailing, hope unfailing,

loving Christ with single heart,

thus they, glorious and victorious,

heavenly bore the martyr's part,

by contempt of every anguish,

by unyielding battle done;

victors at the last, they triumph,

with the host of angels one.

3. Therefore, ye that reign in glory,

fellow heirs with Christ on high,

join to ours your supplication

when before him we draw nigh,

praying that, this life comleted,

all its fleeting moments past,

by his grace we may be worthy

of eternal bliss at last.

Words: Latin, 17th cent.; tr. John Mason Neale (1818-1866), alt. Music: Alta Trinita beata, melody from Laudi Spirituali, 14th cent.; adapt. and harm. Charles Burney (1726-1814).