January 29 — Saint Francis of Sales

divine power and sweetness. A few days back, we were meditating on the Baptism of Jesus, and how the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the shape of a dove. There is an incident in the life of Francis, which reminds us of this great Mystery. He was singing Mass on Whit Sunday, at Annecy. A dove, which had been let into the Cathedral, after flying for a long time round the building, at length came into the sanctuary, and rested on the Saint's head. The people could not but be impressed with this circumstance, which they looked on as an appropriate symbol of Francis' loving spirit ; just as the globe of fire, which appeared above the head of St. Martin, when he was offering up the Holy Sacrifice, was interpreted as a sign of nis apostolic zeaL

The same thing happened to our Saint, on another occasion. It was the Feast of our Lady's Nativity, and Francis was officiating at Vespers, in the Collegiate Church, at Annecv. He was seated on a Throne, the carving of which represented the Tree of Jesse, which the Prophet Isaias tells us produced the virginal Branch, whence sprang the divine Flower, on which there rested the Spirit of love. They were singing the Psalms of the Feast, when a Dove flew into the Church, through an aperture in one of the windows of the Choir, on the epistle side of the Altar. It flew about for some moments, and then lighted first on the Bishop's shoulder, then on his knee, where it was caught by one of the assistants. When the Vespers were over, the Saint mounted the pulpit, and ingeniously turned the incident that had occurred into an illustration which he hoped would distract the people from himself— he spoke to them of Mary, who, being full of the grace of th* Holy Spirit, is called the Dove that is ail fair, in whom there is no blemish.

1 Cant. vi. 8 ; iv. 7.

If we were asked, which of the Disciples of our Lord was the model on which this admirable Prelate formed his character, we should mention, without any hesitation, the Beloved Disciple, John. Francis of Sales is, like him, the Apostle of charity; and the simplicity of the great Evangelist caressmg an innocent bird, is reflected with perfection in the heart of the Bishop of Geneva. A mere look from John, a single word of his, used to draw men to the love of Jesus; and the contemporaries of Francis were wont to say : If the Bishop of Geneva is so amiable, what, 0 Lord, must not thou be !

A circumstance in our Saint's last illness again suggests to us the relation between himself and the Beloved Disciple. It was on the 27th of December, the Feast of St. John, that Francis, after celebrating Mass, and giving Communion to his dear Daughters of the Visitation, felt the first approach of the sickness which was to cause his death. As soon as it was known, the consternation was general — but the Saint has already his whole conversation in heaven, and on the following day, the Feast of the Holy Innocents, his soul took its flight to its Creator, and the candour and simplicity of his spirit made him a worthy companion of those dear little ones of Bethlehem.

But on neither of these two days could the Church place his Feast, as they were already devoted to the memory of St. John and the Holy Innocents; but she has ordered it to be kept during the forty days consecrated to the Birth of our Lord, and this 29th of January is the day fixed for it.

St. Francis, then, the ardent lover of our new-born King, is to aid us, like all these other Christmas Saints, to know the charms of the Divine Babe. In his admirable Letters, we find him expressing, with all the freedom of friendly correspondence, the sweetness which used to fill his heart during this holy Season. Let us read a few passages from these con- fidential papers — they will teach us how to love our Jesus.

Towards the end of the Advent of 1619, he wrote to a Religious of the Visitation, instructing her how to prepare for Christmas. " My very dear Daughter, "our sweet Infant Jesus is soon to be born in our re- " membrance, at the coming Feasts ; and since he is "born on purpose that he may visit us in thename " of his Eternal Father, and is to be visited in his " Crib by the Shepherds and the Kings, I look on " him as both the Father and the Child of our Lady " of the Visitation.

" Come, then, load him with your caresses ; join all " our Sisters in giving him a warm welcome of hos- " pitality ; sing to him the sweetest carols you can " find ; and above all, adore him very earnestly and " very sweetly, and, with him, adore his poverty, his " humility, his obedience, and his meekness, as did " his most holy Mother and St. Joseph. Take one of " his divine tears, which is the dew of heaven, and " put it on your heart, that so you may never admit " any other sadness there, than the sadness which

" commend your own soul to him, recommend mine " also, for you know its devotedness to yours.

" I beg of you to remember me affectionately to " the dear Sisters, whom I look upon as simple shep- " herdesses keeping watch over their flocks, that is, "their affections, and who, being warned by the " Angel, are going to pay their homage to the Divine " Babe, and offer him, as an earnest of their eternal " loyalty, the fairest of their lambs, which is their " love, unreserved and undivided."

On Christmas Eve, filled by anticipation with the joy of the sacred Night which is to give the world its Kedeemer, Francis writes to St. Jane Frances de Chantal, and thus invites her to profit by the visit of the Divine Infant

Infant. And when you re-

" May the sweet Infant of Bethlehem ever be your "happiness and your love, my very dear Mother. " Oh ! the loveliness of this Little Child ! I imagine " I see Solomon on his ivory throne, all beautifully " gilded and carved, which, as the Scripture tells us, "had no equal in all the kingdoms of the earth, " neither was there any king that could be compared, " for glory and magnificence, with the king that sat " upon it. And yet, I would a hundred times rather " see the dear Jesus in his Crib, than all the kings of " the world on their thrones.

" But, when I see him on the lap or in the arms " of his Blessed Mother, he seems to me to be more " magnificent on this Throne, not only than Solomon " ever was on his of ivory, but than he himself on "any throne that the heavens could provide him " with ; for though the heavens surpass Mary in out- " ward grandeur, yet she surpasses them in invisible " perfections. Oh ! may the great St. Joseph rive us "some of the consolation that filled his soul; may " the Blessed Mother lend us something of her own " love, and the Infant Jesus mercifully pour into " our hearts of the infinite abundance of his merits !

" I beseech you to keep close to this Divine Babe, " and rest near him as lovingly as you can — he will " love you in return, even should your heart feel no " tenderness or devotion. What sense had the poor "ox and the ass? — and yet he refuses not to let " them breathe warmly upon him. And think you " he will refuse the aspirations of our poor hearts, "which, though just at present they feel no devotion, " yet are sincerely and loyally his, and are ever offer- " ing themselves to be the faithful servants of his own "divine self, and of his Holy Mother, and of his " dear protector Joseph !"

The sacred night is over, and has brought Peace to men of good will : — Francis again writes to the same Saint, and thus betrays to her the joy he has received from the contemplation of the great Mysstery.

" Oh ! the sweetness of this Night ! The Church " has been singing these words — honey has dropped "from the heavens. I thought to myself, that the " Angels, not only come down on our earth to sing " their admirable Gloria in excelsis, but to gaze also " on this sweet Babe, this Honey of heaven resting on " two beautiful Lilies, for sometimes he is in Mary's "arms, and sometimes it is Joseph that caresses " him.

" What will you say of my having the ambition to " think that our two Angel Guardians were of the " grand choir of blessed Spirits that sang the sweet " hymn on this Night ? I said to myself — oh ! happy " we, if they would deign to sing once more their " heavenly hymn, and our hearts could hear it ! I " besought it of them, that so there might be glory " in the highest heavens, and peace to hearts of good "will.

" Returning home from celebrating these sacred " mysteries, I rest awhile in thus sending you my " nappy Christmas ! for I dare say that the poor " Shepherds took some little rest, after they had " adored the Babe announced to them by the Angels. "And as I thought of their sleep on that night, M I said to myself: How sweetly must they not have " slept, dreaming of the sacred melody wherewith the * Angels told them the glad tidings, and of the dear " Child and the Mother they had been to see P

We will close our quotations by the following passage of another of his Letters, to St. Jane Frances de Chantal, io which he speaks of the Most Holy Name of " Jesus! which the Divine Child of Mary received at his Circumcision.

"O my Jesus! fill our hearts with the sacred " balm of thy Holy Name, that so the sweetness of " its fragrance may penetrate our senses, and perfume

"our every action. But, that our hearts may be " capable of receiving this sweetness, they must be " circumcised : — take, therefore, from them whatever " could displease thy divine sight. O glorious Name I " named by the heavenly Father from all eternity, "be thou for ever written on our souls; that, as * thou, Jesus, art our Saviour, so may our souls be " eternally saved. And thou, O Holy Virgin 1 that "wast the first among mortals to pronounce this " saving Name, teach us to pronounce it as it be- "hoveth us, that so we may merit the Salvation " which thou didst bring into this world I

"My dear Daughter! it was but right that my "first letter of this year should be to Jesus and « Mary : my second is to you, to wish you a Happy " New Year, and exhort you to give your whole heart " to God. May we so spend this year, as that it may M secure to us the years of eternity ! My first word " on waking this morning was : Jesus ! and I felt as " though I would gladly pour out on the face of the " whole earth the oil of this sweet Name.

" As long as balm is shut up in a well-sealed vase, " no one knows its sweetness, save him who put it " there : but, as soon as the vase is opened, and a " few drops are spriukled around, all who are present "say: What sweet Balm! Thus it was, my dear " Daughter, with our Jesus. He contained within " himself the balm of salvation ; but no one knew it " until his divine Flesh was laid open by the fortunate " wound of that cruel knife — and then people knew " him to be the Balm of the world s Salvation, and " first Joseph and Mary, then the whole neighbourhood, " began to cry out : Jesus ! which means Saviour."

Let us now turn to the Office of the Church for this Feast, and read the life of our Saint.

Franciscus in oppido Sa- Francis was born of pious lesio, undo familiae cogno- and noble parents, in the town men, piis et nobilibus pa- of Sales, from which the

JAN. 29. ST. FRj family took their name. From his earliest years, he gave pledge of his future sanctity by the innocence and gravity of his conduct. Having been instructed in the liberal sciences during his youth, he was sent early to Paris, that he might study Philosophy and Theology ; and in order that his education might be complete, he was sent to Padua, where he took, with much honour, the degree of doctor in both civil and canon law. He visited the sanctuary of Loreto, where he renewed the vow, he had already taken in Paris, of perpetual virginity, in which holy resolution he continued till death, in spite of all the temptations of the devil, and all the allurements of the flesh.

He refused to accept an honourable position in the Senate of Savoy, and entered into the ecclesiastical state. He was ordained Priest, and was made Provost of the Diocese of Geneva, which charge he so laudably fulfilled that Granier, his Bishop, selected him for the arduous undertaking of labouring, bv the preaching of God's word, for the conversion of the Calvin is ts of Chablais and the neighbouring country round about Geneva. This mission he undertook with much ioy. He had to suffer the harshest treatment on the part of the heretics, who frequently sought to take away his life, caluminated him, and laid all kinds of plots against him. rentibus natus, a teneris annis futures sanctitatis indicia praebuit morum innocentia, et gravitate. Adolescens liberalibus disciplinis eruditus, mox Philosophise ac Theologian Parisiis operam dedit: et ne quid sibi deesset ad animi culturam, Juris utriusque lauream summa cum laude Patavii obtinuit. In sacra JSde Lauretana perpetuae virginitatis votum, quo pridem Parisiis se obstrinxerat, innovavit : a cujus virtutis proposito nullis unquam daamonum fraudibus, nullis sensuum illecebris potuit dimoverl

Recusata in Sabaudiae Senatu amplissima dignitate, Clericali militiae nomen dedit : turn sacerdotio initiatus, et Genevensis Ecclesiae Prsaposituram adeptus, ejus muneris partes adeo perfecte explevit, ut eum Granerius Episcopus vindicandis ab haeresi Oalviniana Chaballicensibus, aliisque Genevas finitimis populis, divini verbi praeconem destinarit. Quaui expeditionem alacri ammo suscipiens, asperrima quaeque perpessus est, saepe ab haereticis conquisitus ad necem, variisque calumniis et insidiis vexatus. Sed inter tot discrimina et agones, insuperabilis ejus constantia semper enituit ;

Deique ope protectus, sep- But, he showed heroie courage tuaginta duo millia haereti- in the midst of all these corum ad Catholicam fidem dangers and persecutions, and. reduxissedicitur, inter quos by the divine assistance, con- multi nobilitate, et doctrina verted, as it is stated, seventy- catholic faith, among whom were many distinguished by the high position they held in the world and by their learning.

Mortuo Granerio, qui eum si bi Coadjutorem decerni curaverat, Episcopus consecratus, sanctitatis su» racircumquaque diffudit, zelo plinae, pacia studio, misericordia in pauperes, om- cipline, nique virtu te conspicuus. Ad divini cultus augmennovum Ordinem Sanetiuionialium instituit, a Visitatione nuncupatum, sub regala sancti Augustini, cui addidit Constitutiones sapieutia, discretione et suaviiate mirabiles. Suis itaque tion, scriptis ccelesti doctrina re- lightened fertis Ecclesiani illustravit, quibus iter ad christianam perfectionem tutum, et pla-

After the death of Granier, who had already made him his Coadjutor, he was made Bishop of Geneva. Then it dios was that his sanctity showed ecclesiastics disci- itself in every direction, by his zeal for ecclesiastical dishis love of peace, his charity to the poor, and every virtue. From a desire to give turn more honour to God, he founded a new Order of beat® Mariaa Vir- Nuns, which he called the giu is Visitation, taking for their Rule that of St. Augustine, to which he added Constitutions of admirable wisdom, discreand sweetness. He enthe children of the Church by the works he wrote, which are full of a heavenly wisdom, and point out a path, aiinum quititum, duni e Gallia Anneceiuin regreditur, post sacrum in die sancti cy, Joannis Evangelists Lugduni celebratum, gravi morbo correptus, sequenti die migravit in cesium, anno Domini millesimo sexcentesinio vigesimo secun- Ejus corpus Anneceium delatum, in Ecclesia Monialium dicti Ordinis honoridemonstra- his fifty-fifth year, whilst returning from France to Annehe was taken with his last sickness, immediately after having celebrated Mass, on the Feast of St John the Evangelist. On the following day. his soul departed this life for heaven, in the year of our do. Lord 1622. His body wai. taken to Annecy, and was buried, with great in3ignes numerantur. two thousand num demonstrat Anuum denique agens quinquage- fice conditum fait, coepitque statim miraculis clarescere. Quibus rite probatia, ab Alexandro Septimo, Pontifice Maximo, in Sanctorum numerum relatus eat, assignata ejus festivitati die vigesima nona Januarii. tion of honour, in the Church of the Nuns of the above mentioned Order. Immediately after his death, miracles began to be wrought through nis intercession, which being officially authenticated, he was canonised by Pope Alexander the Seventh, and his Feast was appointed to be kept on the twenty-ninth day of January.

Pope Alexander the Seventh composed himself the Collect for the Office and Mass of the Saint's Feast. Let us say it with our holy Mother the Church.

COLLECT.

LET U8 PRAY.

OREMUS.

0 God, who, for the salvation of Souls, wast pleased that Blessed Francis, thy Confessor and Bishop, snould become all to all : mercifully grant, that being plentifully enriched with the sweetness of thy charity, by following his directions, and by the help of his merits, we may obtain life everlasting. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Deus, qui ad animarum salutem, beatum Franciscum Confessorem tuum atque Pontificem, omnibus omnia factum esse voluisti : concede propitius, ut charitatis tuse dulcedine perfusi, ejus dirigentibus monitis, ac suffragantibus meritis, aeterna gaudia cousequamur. Per Christum Dominuin nostrum. Amen.

Peaceful conqueror of souls ! Pontiff beloved of God and man! we venerate thee as the perfect imitator of the sweetness and gentleness of our Jesus. Having learnt of him to be meek and humble of Jieart, thou didst, according to his promise, possess the land} Nothing could resist thee. Heretics, however obstinate ; sinners, however hardened ; tepid souls, however sluggish ; — all yielded to the powerful

St. Matth. v. 4. charm of thy word and example. We love to see thee standing near the Crib of our loving Jesus, and sharing in the glory of John and the Innocents, for thou wast an Apostle like John, and simple like the children of Racnel. Oh ! that our hearts might be filled with the spirit of Bethlehem, and learn how aweet is the yoke, and how light the burden of our Emmanuel I1

Pray for us to our Lord, that our charity may be ardent like thine ; that the desire of perfection may be ever active within us; that we mav gain that introduction to a devout Life which tnou hast so admirably taught ; that we may have that love of our neighbour, without which we cannot hope to love God ; that we may be zealous for the salvation of souls ; that we may be patient and forgive injuries, in order that we may love one another, not only in word and in tongue, but, as thy great model says, in deed and in truth? Bless the Church Militant, whose love for thee is as fresh as though thou hadst but just now left her; thou art venerated and loved throughout the whole world

Hasten the conversion of the followers of Calvin. Thy prayers have already miraculously forwarded the great work, and the Holy Sacrifice has, long since, been publicly offered up in the very City of Geneva. Redouble those prayers, and then, even we may live to see the grand triumph of the Church. Root out too, the last remnants of that Jansenistic heresy, which was beginning to exercise its baneful influence at the close of thy earthly pilgrimage. Remove from us the dangerous maxims and prejudices, which have come down to us from those unhappy times, when this odious sect was at the height of its power.

"Bless with all the affection of thy paternal heart 1 St. Matth. xl 30. » I. St. John, iii. IS. the holy Order thou didst found, and which thou didst offer to Mary under the title of her Visitation. Maintain it in its present edifying fervour ; give it increase in number and merit ; and do thou thyself direct it, that so thy family may be ever animated by the spirit of its father. — Pray, also, for the venerable Episcopate, of which thou art the ornament and model : ask our Lord to bless his Church with Pastors endowed with thy spirit, inflamed with thy zeal, and imitators of thy sanctity.

January 30. SAINT MARTINA,

VIRGIN AND MARTYR.

A third Roman Virgin, wearing on her brow a Martyr's crown, comes to-day to share the honours given to Agnes and Emerentiana, and offer her palm to the Lamb. Her name is Martina, which the pagans were wont to give to their daughters in honour of their god of war. Her sacred relics repose at the foot of the Capitoline hill, in the ancient temple of Mars, which has now become the beautiful Church of Saint Martina. The holy ambition to render herself worbhy of Him whom she had chosen as her divine Spouse, gave her courage to suffer torments and death for his sake ; so that of her, as of the rest of the Martyrs, we may say those words of the Liturgy, she washed her robes in the Blood of the Lamb. Our Emmanuel is the Mighty God, the Lord that is mighty in war, not, like the Mars of the pagans, needing the sword to win his battlea He vanquishes his enemies by meekness, patience, and innocence, as in the martyrdom of to-day's Saint, whose victory was grander than was ever won by Rome's boasted warriors.

This illustrious Virgin, who is one of the Patrons of the City of Rome, is honoured by having her praises sung by one of the Popes. It was Urban the Eighth who wrote the Hymns, which are recited on her Feast, and which we subjoin to the Lessons which recount the glorious combats of our Saint.

1 la. ix. 6. » P«. xxiii. 8. itized by G00gk I

JAX. 30. ST. MARTINA.

Martina, a noble virgin of Rome, was the daughter of a Consul. Having lost her parents when auite a child, and being exceedingly fervent in the practice of the christian religion, she was singularly charitable to the poor, and distributed among them her immense riches. During the reign of Alexander Severus, she was ordered to worship the false gods, but most courageously refused to commit so detestable a crime. Whereupon, she was several times scourged ; her flesh was torn with iron hooks and nails, and with potsherds, and her whole body was cut with most sharp swords ; she was scalded with boiling oil, and was, at length, condemned to be devoured by wild beasts, in the amphitheatre; but being miraculously left untouched by them, she was thrown on a burning pile, from which she also escaped unhurt, by the same divine power.

Some of the men that had inflicted these tortures upon her, being struck by the miracle, and touched by the grace of God, embraced the christian faith, and, after suffering many tortures, gained the glorious palm of martyrdom by being beheaded. The prayers of Martina were powerful with God. Earthquakes shook the city, fire fell from the heavens in the midst of loud thunder, the temples and idols of the gods were overthrown and destroyed. More than once, milk flowed from her wounds

(2)

Martina Virgo Romana patre consulari, illustri genera nata, teneris adhuc annis orbata parentibus, Christianas pietatis adore succensa, divitias quibus affluebat, mira in pauperes liberalitate distribuit. Sub Alexandra principe cum deos inanes colere juberetur. immane f acinus gamma liber tate detestatur. Quaproper iterum atque iterum affecta verberibus, uncis, ungulis ferreis, teetarum fragmentis lacerate, acutissimis gladiis membratim concisa, adipe ferventi peruncta, demum in amphitheatro damnatur ad bestias : a quibus iltosa divinitns evadens, in ardentem rogum injecta, incolumis pari beneficio servatur.

Ex ejus tortoribus nonnulli miraculi novitate correpti, Dei aspirante gratia, Christi fidem amplexi, post cruciatus gloriosam martyrii palmam, capitis abscissione promeruere. Ad ejusdem preces nunc teme motibus exortis, nunc ignibus e coelo tonante delapsis, deorum templa prostrata sunt, et simulacra consumpta. Interdum ex vulneribus lac cum sanguine # erupit, splendorque nitidissimus, ac suavissimus odore corpora emanavit : interdum 2 K sublimis regia in aede divinis laudibus una cum coelitibus intere8se visa est.

Hisce prodigiis, ej usque in primis constantia, acriter nermotus judex, caput Virgini amputari prcecepit ;

Sua perempta, auditaque e coelo voce, qua ad Superos evocabatur, urbs tota contremuit, ao multi idolorum cultores ad Christi fidem con vers i sunt. Sacrum Mar tin ae corpus sedente sancto Urbano Primo, martyrio affectum, Urbano, Octavo Pontifice Maximo, in pervetusta ejusdem Ecclesia, ad Mamertinum carcerem in Capitolini clivi radicibus, cum sanctorum Martyrura Concordii, Epiphanii, et sociorum corporidus repertum, eodem loco in meliorem formam redacto, atque decentius ornato, magno populi concursu, totius Urbis Istitia, solemni ritu, ao pompa repositum est together with the blood, and a most sweet fragrance was perceived by the by-standera ; and sometimes she was seen raised up and placed on a beautiful throne, and singing the divine praises surrounded by heaven* ly spirits.

Vexed above measure by these prodigies, and, above all, by her constancy, the judge ordered her to be beheaded. Which being done, a voice from heaven was heard calling Martina to ascend : the whole city trembled, and many of the idolaters were converted to the faith of Christ Martina suffered under the Pontificate of Urban the First ; and under that of Urban the Eighth, her body was discovered in an an* cient Church, together with those of the holy Martyrs Concordius, Epiphanius and Companions, near the Mamertine prison, at the foot of the Capitoline hill. The Church was restored, and decorated, and the body of the Saint was again placed in it, with much solemnity, in the presence of a great concourse of people, and amidst shouts of joy from the whole city.

We unite into one the three hymns of Urban the Eighth, in which the holy Church prays for the deliverance of Jerusalem. It is the last cry of the Crusades.

HYMN.

Martin ae oelebri plaudite nomini, Cives Romulei, plaudite glori® :

Citizens of Rome ! sing to the celebrated name of the glorious Martina. Sing the praises of this admira-

JAN. 30. SI ble Virgin and Martyr of Christ.

She was born of noble parents, and was brought up in every delicacy, surrounded by all that could pamper nature, and with riches of a princelike house at her command.

But, she spurns these luxuries, dedicates herself to the Creator of all things, and, with a liberal hand, distributes her riches to the poor of Christ, that she may gain the riches of heaven.

She shrinks not at the torturing hook, the wild beasts, or the cruel wound-inflicting rod 8. Angels descend from heaven, comforting her with a divine food.

The very lions lose their fierceness, and tamely come crouching at her feet The sword, Martina ! gave thee the wished-for death, and death united thee to the choirs of heaven.

Our ceaseless prayers mount up to thee from thine altar, where clouds of incense shroud devotion's love : and thy blessed name makes Mars forgotten, the pretended God.

Do thou protect thy fatherland, and give to Christian countries the rest of holy peace, driving unto Thracian coast the din of arms and war.

Marshal the armies of princes under, the banner of the Cross,

Insignem meritis dicite Vir- ginem, Christi dicite Marty rem. Haec dum conspicuis orta parentibus, Inter delicias, inter ama- biles

Luxus illecebras, ditibus af • fluit

Faustae muneribus domus. Vitas despiciens com mo - da, dedicat Se rerum Domino, et muni- fica manu Christi pauperibus distri- buens opes, Quaerit praemia ccelitum Non dlam crucians un- gula, non ferae, Non virgae horribili vulnere com movent : Hinc lapsi e Superum sedi- bus Angeli Coelesti dape recreant Quin et deposita saavitie leo,

Se rictu placido projicit ad pedes ;

Te, Martina, tamen dans gladius neci Coeh' ccdtibus inserit Te, thuris redolens ara vaporibus Quae fumat, precibus jugiter invocat, Et falsum perimens auspi- cium, tui Delet nominis omine. Tu natale solum protege, tu bonae Da pacis requiem Christia- num plagis ; Armorum strepitus, et fera praelia In fines age Thracios. Et regum socians agmina sub crucis

Vexiilo, Solymas nexibus deliver Jerusalem from her exime, chains. Avenge innocent

Vindexque innocui Bangui- blood, and once for all crush nis hosticum down the Turkish foe. Bobur f unditus erue.

Tu nostrum co lumen, tu O thou our Patron, and our decus inclytum, City's Saint 1 see this homage

Nostrarum obsequium re- of our loving hearts, Hear the spice mentium : prayers of thy Rome, which,

Roma? vota libens excipe, on this festive day, offers thee qu&pio its hymns and reveres thy

Te ritu canit, et colit. name.

A nobis abigas lubrica O God, whose arm protects gaudia, the Martyrs, take from us the

Tu, qui Martyribus dexter pleasures which would make ades, Deus us falL O Triune God I give

Une, et Trine, tuis da famu- to thy servants the blessed lisjubar, light, wherewith thy mercy

Quo cleinens animos beas. crowns the soul with bliss.

Amen. Amen*

Thus does christian Borne hymn thy praises, O generous Martyr ! and whilst praising, begs thee to protect her with thy loving care. She is safe from danger, if shielded by such watchfulness as thine. Bear her prayers, and drive far from the Holy City the enemies that would plot her ruin. She has foes more to be dreaded than they that attack her walls with the cannon of their fierce artillery — she has them who plot the destruction of her independence. Disconcert these plans of perfidy, and remember, O Martina I that the City which now asks tby aid, was the Mother that trained thee to be a Martyr. Weaken still more the fallen kingdom of the Turk ; emancipate Jerusalem ; inspire our Europe to take up the cause of the suffering Syria.

Obtain for us from Jesus, thy Spouse, the courage to destroy those idols of our affections, to which we are so prone to offer the sacrifice of our hearts. The enemies of our salvation are untiring in their attacksupon our frailty— oh I stretch out to us thy helping hand; that hand, which made the idols of Rome