THE MIRACLE OF THE MOST

August 26

From the Prologue

HYMN OF PRAISE

THE HOLY MARTYR ADRIAN AND HIS WIFE, SAINT NATALIA, AND THE TWENTY THREE MARTYRS

The path is thorny, in Paradise are roses,

Bitter sufferings, but Christ is sweet.

What is heard in the darkened dungeon?

Against the hard anvil, the hammer strikes,

But, not iron nor lead, does it forge,

But breaks the legs of the martyrs,

And breaks the arms of the martyrs,

Martyrs, the soldiers of Christ.

One hand white, noble

Stained with blood, to the dust falls

That is the hand of Saint Adrian,

Saint Natalia took the hand

And with the hand, from the dungeon runs

Washes the hand and, in silk, wraps it,

Kiss the hand and mists with tears.

Wherever she walks, with her, the hand she carries,

While she sleeps, beneath her head, she places it,

To the severed hand, quietly she speaks:

"Holy hand of my Adrian,

You have helped me much,

Once again, help me, O hand,

To heaven, raise me as soon as possible

Where Adrian lives with the saints,

It was but a short while and did not last long

Adrian, to Natalia appeared,

Than all the emperors, beautiful and more radiant was he,

And, with a heavenly voice, invited her:

Come to me, sister Natalia,

Come to me, be eternally alive,

Into the Kingdom, the eternal King invites you.