E04355: Augustine of Hippo delivers a Latin sermon, probably on the feast of martyrs. Sermon 320, preached possibly in Hippo, at an unknown date between 391 and 430.

Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 329

[In natali martyrum

'On the birthday of some martyrs']


1. Per tam gloriosa sanctorum martyrum gesta, quibus ubique floret ecclesia, ipsis oculis nostris probamus quam uerum sit quod cantauimus, quia pretiosa in conspectu Domini mors sanctorum eius: quando et in conspectu nostro pretiosa est, et in conspectu eius, pro cuius nomine facta est.

'Through such glorious deeds of the holy martyrs, with which the Church blossoms everywhere, we prove with our own eyes how true what we have just been singing is that "precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints" (Ps. 116:5); seeing that it is precious both in our sight and in the sight of him for the sake of whose name it was undertaken.'

In what follows Augustine presents his general reflections on martyrdom and does nor refer to any specific martyrs or their cult.

Text: Patrologia Latina 38,1454. Translation: Hill 1994, 182. Summary: Robert Wiśniewski.