E02613: Augustine of Hippo preaches in Latin a sermon on the feast of the Apostles *Peter (S00036) and *Paul (S00008), expressing his disappointment that it is less well attended by the faithful that those of other martyrs. Sermon 298, preached in Hippo Regius (North Africa), c. 426-430.

Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 298

1. Debuimus quidem tantorum martyrum diem, hoc est, sanctorum apostolorum Petri et Pauli, maiore frequentia celebrare. Si enim celebramus frequentissime natalitia agnorum, quanto magis debemus arietum?

'Really, we should have been celebrating the feast of such great martyrs, that is of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, with a much bigger crowd than this. After all, if we flock in big crowds to the celebration of the birthday of lambs, how much more should we do for those of the rams?'

In what follows, Augustine expresses once again his disappointment at the fact that so few of the faithful attended the feast.

Text: Morin 1930, 516. Translation: Hill 1994, 224. Summary: Robert Wiśniewski.