THE HOLY MARTYR ARDALION

April 14

From the Prologue

At first Ardalion was an actor-comedian. For the sake of entertaining the people, he eagerly played the role of a martyr for the Faith deriding Christians in every possible manner. When a persecution surfaced during the reign of Emperor Maximian, his spirit completely changed. In front of the crowd, he cried out in a loud voice that he is a Christian and that he was not jesting. For this, Ardalion was condemned, suffered for Christ and died tied to a red hot framework of rods thus portraying a true and honorable role of a martyr.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT MARTIN

Saint Martin the Pope, before the Senate speaks:

May my body be crushed and burned,

And the most cruel sufferings, I will joyfully endure;

But, the True Faith, I will not deny.

The Good Savior was God and Man,

Two natures different with two wills, He bore,

But, two natures in one person,

And, both wills in a single light.

Such a Faith, all the Fathers passed on to us,

For such a Faith, many suffered.

May I suffer also; of all, the least

The servant of my Lord, of all the most sinful!

Thus, Martin confessed his faith to all

And truth did he speak before the heretics.

O what is the worth of man when he fears God:

Above little men, he [Martin] stands as a mountain!