Orante sponsa in Roma ad sepulchrum beati Stephani apparuit ipse narrans ei aliqua de vita et virtutibus suis et de passione sua. Et offert se impetrare pro ea graciam a Deo predicendo sibi, quod adhuc ibit in Iherusalem.
The Bride's Prayer at the Tomb
The bride visits the tomb of Saint Stephen in Rome and honors his martyrdom.
The bride was praying at the tomb of blessed Stephen in Rome, outside the walls, saying: "Blessed are you, blessed Stephen, for you share the same merit as blessed Lawrence." Just as he preached to the unbelievers, you preached to the Jews; and just as Lawrence joyfully endured the fire, you endured the stones. That’s why you’re rightly praised as the first among the martyrs.
The Testimony of Saint Stephen
Saint Stephen appears to the bride, recounting his early devotion and his imitation of Christ.
Then blessed Stephen appeared and answered her, "From my youth I began to hold God dear, because I had parents who were concerned for the salvation of my soul." When my Lord Jesus Christ became incarnate and began to preach, I listened to him with my whole heart. And immediately after his ascension, I joined the apostles, serving faithfully and with humility in the office entrusted to me. So, when the Jews blasphemed my God Jesus, I was glad to have the chance to speak with them, and I firmly rebuked their hardness of heart, ready to die for the truth and to imitate my Lord.
The Threefold Glory of Martyrdom
Stephen explains the three foundations of his glory and the threefold joy he now experiences in heaven.
But three things contributed to the glory and the crown I now rejoice in. The first was my good will. The second was the prayer of my masters, the apostles. The third was the passion and the love of my God. Because of this, I now possess a threefold good. The first is that I ceaselessly behold the face and glory of God. The second is that I can do whatever I desire, and I desire nothing except what God desires. The third is that my joy will be without end.
A Promise of Grace and Pilgrimage
Stephen promises to intercede for the bride and predicts her future journey to Jerusalem.
And because you rejoice in my glory, my prayer will help you attain a deeper knowledge of God; the Spirit of God will remain with you, and you will still go to Jerusalem, to the place of my passion.
Read the original Latin
Orabat sponsa ad sepulchrum beati Stephani in Roma extra muros sic dicens: "Benedictus sis tu, beate Stephane, qui eiusdem meriti es cum beato Laurencio.
Nam sicut ille predicabat infidelibus, sic et tu predicabas Iudeis, et sicut Laurencius gaudenter sustinuit ignem, sic et tu lapides. Ideo inter martires digne laudaris primus."
Tunc apparens beatus Stephanus respondit ei dicens: "Ego a iuuentute mea cepi Deum habere carum, quia parentes habui sollicitos de salute anime mee.
Cum autem Dominus meus Ihesus Christus incarnatus fuit et cepit predicare, tunc ego toto corde audiebam eum. Et statim post eius ascensionem coniunxi me apostolis, seruiens fideliter in officio michi iniuncto cum humilitate.
Iudeis igitur blasphemantibus Deum meum Ihesum ego gaudens accepisse occasionem loquendi cum eis constanter increpabam duriciam eorum, paratus mori pro veritate et imitari Dominum meum.
Sed tria operabantur ad gloriam et coronam meam, qua nunc gaudeo. Primum fuit bona voluntas mea. Secundum oracio dominorum meorum apostolorum. Tercium passio et caritas Dei mei.
Ideo nunc habeo triplex bonum. Primum est, quod incessanter video faciem et gloriam Dei. Secundum est, quod, quidquid voluero, potero et nichil volo nisi illud, quod Deus. Tercium est, quod gaudium meum erit sine fine.
Et quia tu de gloria mea gaudes, ideo oracio mea proficiet tibi ad consequendam maiorem Dei cognicionem, et spiritus Dei perseuerabit tecum et venies adhuc ad Iherusalem ad locum passionis mee."
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