Friday 6 February 2026 (other days)
Saints Paul Miki and his Companions, Martyrs
on Friday of week 4 in Ordinary Time
on Friday of week 4 in Ordinary Time
Using calendar: England - Hallam. You can change this.
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If you have already recited the Invitatory Psalm today, you should use the alternative opening.Based on the liturgy for the Common of Martyrs.
Dómine, lábia mea apéries.
Et os meum annuntiábit laudem tuam.
| Lord, open our lips.
And we shall praise your name.
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Regem mártyrum Dóminum, veníte, adorémus.
(repeat antiphon*)
2Deus misereátur nostri et benedícat nobis;*
illúminet vultum suum super nos,
3ut cognoscátur in terra via tua,*
in ómnibus géntibus salutáre tuum.
(repeat antiphon*)
4Confiteántur tibi pópuli, Deus;*
confiteántur tibi pópuli omnes.
5Læténtur et exsúltent gentes,†
quóniam iúdicas pópulos in æquitáte*
et gentes in terra dírigis.
(repeat antiphon*)
6Confiteántur tibi pópuli, Deus,*
confiteántur tibi pópuli omnes.
7Terra dedit fructum suum;*
benedícat nos Deus, Deus noster,
8benedícat nos Deus,*
et métuant eum omnes fines terræ.
(repeat antiphon*)
Glória Patri et Fílio*
et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
(repeat antiphon*)
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The Lord is the king of martyrs: come, let us adore him.
(repeat antiphon*)
O God, take pity on us and bless us,
and let your face shine upon us,
so that your ways may be known across the world,
and all nations learn of your salvation.
(repeat antiphon*)
Let the peoples praise you, O God,
let all the peoples praise you.
Let the nations be glad and rejoice,
for you judge the peoples with fairness
and you guide the nations of the earth.
(repeat antiphon*)
Let the peoples praise you, O God,
let all the peoples praise you.
The earth has produced its harvest:
may God, our God, bless us.
May God bless us,
may the whole world revere him.
(repeat antiphon*)
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
(repeat antiphon*)
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* If you are reciting this on your own, you can choose to say the antiphon once only at the start of the psalm and not repeat it.
Rex glorióse mártyrum,
coróna confiténtium,
qui respuéntes térrea
perdúcis ad cæléstia,
Aurem benígnam prótinus
appóne nostris vócibus;
tropǽa sacra pángimus,
ignósce quod delíquimus.
Tu vincis in martýribus
parcéndo confessóribus;
tu vince nostra crímina
donándo indulgéntiam.
Præsta, Pater piíssime,
Patríque compar Unice,
cum Spíritu Paráclito
regnans per omne sǽculum. Amen.
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The martyrs living now with Christ
In suffering were tried,
Their anguish overcome by love
When on his cross they died.
Across the centuries they come,
In constancy unmoved,
Their loving hearts make no complaint,
In silence they are proved.
No man has ever measured love,
Or weighed it in his hand,
But God who knows the inmost heart
Gives them the promised land.
Praise Father, Son and Spirit blest,
Who guides us through the night
In ways that reach beyond the stars
To everlasting light.
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Ps 54:2-9
| Psalm 54 (55)
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Ps 54:10-15Liberábit nos Dóminus de manu inimíci et insidiatóris.
10Díssipa, Dómine, dívide linguas eórum,*
quóniam vidi violéntiam et contentiónem in civitáte.
11Die ac nocte circúmeunt eam super muros eius,
12iníquitas et labor et insídiæ in médio eius;*
et non defécit de platéis eius frauduléntia et dolus.
13Quóniam si inimícus meus maledixísset mihi,*
sustinuíssem útique;
et si is, qui óderat me, super me magnificátus fuísset,*
abscondíssem me fórsitan ab eo.
14Tu vero, homo coæquális meus,*
familiáris meus et notus meus,
15qui simul habúimus dulce consórtium:*
in domo Dei ambulávimus in concúrsu.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Liberábit nos Dóminus de manu inimíci et insidiatóris.
| Psalm 54 (55)The Lord will free us from the hand of our enemies and from those who wish us harm.
Scatter them, Lord, and separate their tongues,
for I see violence and conflict in the city.
By day and by night they circle it
high on its battlements.
Within it are oppression and trouble;
scheming and fraud fill its squares.
For if my enemy had slandered me,
I think I could have borne it.
And if the one who hated me had trampled me,
perhaps I could have hidden.
But you – a man just like me,
my companion and my friend!
We had happy times together,
we walked together in the house of God.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
The Lord will free us from the hand of our enemies and from those who wish us harm.
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Ps 54:17-24Iacta super Dóminum curam tuam et ipse te enútriet.
17Ego autem ad Deum clamábo,*
et Dóminus salvábit me.
18Véspere et mane et merídie meditábor et ingemíscam,*
et exáudiet vocem meam.
19Rédimet in pace ánimam meam ab his, qui impúgnant me,*
quóniam in multis sunt advérsum me.
20Exáudiet Deus et humiliábit illos,*
qui est ante sǽcula.
Non enim est illis commutátio,*
et non timuérunt Deum.
21Exténdit manum suam in sócios;*
contaminávit fœdus suum.
22Lene super butýrum est os eius,*
pugna autem cor illíus:
mollíti sunt sermónes eius super óleum,*
et ipsi sunt gládii destrícti.
23Iacta super Dóminum curam tuam,†
et ipse te enútriet;*
non dabit in ætérnum fluctuatiónem iusto.
24Tu vero, Deus, dedúces eos*
in púteum intéritus.
Viri sánguinum et dolósi non dimidiábunt dies suos;*
ego autem sperábo in te, Dómine.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Iacta super Dóminum curam tuam et ipse te enútriet.
| Psalm 54 (55)Entrust your cares to the Lord and he will support you.
Let death break in upon them!
Let them go down alive to the underworld,
for wickedness shares their home.
As for me, I will call upon God,
and the Lord will rescue me.
Evening, morning, noon – I shall watch and groan,
and he will hear my voice.
He will redeem my soul
and give it peace from those who attack me –
for very many are my enemies.
God will hear and will bring them low,
God, the eternal.
They will never reform:
they do not fear God.
That man – he stretched out his hand against his allies:
he corrupted his own covenant.
His face was smoother than butter,
but his heart was at war;
his words were softer than oil,
but they were sharp as drawn swords.
Throw all your cares on the Lord
and he will give you sustenance.
He will not let the just be buffeted for ever.
No – but you, Lord, will lead the wicked
to the gaping mouth of destruction.
The men of blood and guile
will not live half their days.
But I, Lord, will put my trust in you.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Entrust your cares to the Lord and he will support you.
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℣. Anima nostra sústinet Dóminum.
℟. Quóniam adiútor et protéctor noster est.
| ℣. Our soul is waiting for the Lord.
℟. The Lord is our help and our shield.
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Dies Domini1Rogámus vos, fratres, circa advéntum Dómini nostri Iesu Christi et nostram congregatiónem in ipsum, 2ut non cito moveámini a sensu neque terreámini, neque per spíritum neque per verbum neque per epístulam tamquam per nos, quasi instet dies Dómini. 3Ne quis vos sedúcat ullo modo; quóniam nisi vénerit discéssio primum, et revelátus fúerit homo iniquitátis, fílius perditiónis, 4qui adversátur et extóllitur supra omne, quod dícitur Deus aut quod cólitur, ita ut in templo Dei sédeat, osténdens se quia sit Deus.
5Non retinétis quod, cum adhuc essem apud vos, hæc dicébam vobis? 6Et nunc quid detíneat scitis, ut ipse revelétur in suo témpore. 7Nam mystérium iam operátur iniquitátis; tantum qui tenet nunc, donec de médio fiat.
8Et tunc revelábitur ille iníquus, quem Dóminus Iesus interfíciet spíritu oris sui et déstruet illustratióne advéntus sui, 9eum, cuius est advéntus secúndum operatiónem Sátanæ in omni virtúte et signis et prodígiis mendácibus 10et in omni seductióne iniquitátis his, qui péreunt, eo quod caritátem veritátis non recepérunt, ut salvi fíerent. 11Et ídeo mittit illis Deus operatiónem erróris, ut credant mendácio, 12ut iudicéntur omnes, qui non credidérunt veritáti, sed consensérunt iniquitáti.
13Nos autem debémus grátias ágere Deo semper pro vobis, fratres, dilécti a Dómino, quod elégerit vos Deus primítias in salútem in sanctificatióne Spíritus et fide veritátis: 14ad quod et vocávit vos per evangélium nostrum in acquisitiónem glóriæ Dómini nostri Iesu Christi.
15Itaque, fratres, state et tenéte traditiónes, quas didicístis sive per sermónem sive per epístulam nostram. 16Ipse autem Dóminus noster Iesus Christus et Deus Pater noster, qui diléxit nos et dedit consolatiónem ætérnam et spem bonam in grátia, 17consolétur corda vestra et confírmet in omni ópere et sermóne bono.
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The Day of the LordTo turn now, brothers, to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we shall all be gathered round him: please do not get excited too soon or alarmed by any prediction or rumour or any letter claiming to come from us, implying that the Day of the Lord has already arrived. Never let anyone deceive you in this way.
It cannot happen until the Great Revolt has taken place and the Rebel, the Lost One, has appeared. This is the Enemy, the one who claims to be so much greater than all that men call ‘god’, so much greater than anything that is worshipped, that he enthrones himself in God’s sanctuary and claims that he is God. Surely you remember me telling you about this when I was with you? And you know, too, what is still holding him back from appearing before his appointed time. Rebellion is at its work already, but in secret, and the one who is holding it back has first to be removed before the Rebel appears openly. The Lord will kill him with the breath of his mouth and will annihilate him with his glorious appearance at his coming.
But when the Rebel comes, Satan will set to work: there will be all kinds of miracles and a deceptive show of signs and portents, and everything evil that can deceive those who are bound for destruction because they would not grasp the love of the truth which could have saved them. The reason why God is sending a power to delude them and make them believe what is untrue is to condemn all who refused to believe in the truth and chose wickedness instead.
But we feel that we must be continually thanking God for you, brothers whom the Lord loves, because God chose you from the beginning to be saved by the sanctifying Spirit and by faith in the truth. Through the Good News that we brought he called you to this so that you should share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Stand firm, then, brothers, and keep the traditions that we taught you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father who has given us his love and, through his grace, such inexhaustible comfort and such sure hope, comfort you and strengthen you in everything good that you do or say.
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℟. Parébit signum Fílii hóminis in cælo,* Et vidébunt Fílium hóminis veniéntem cum virtúte et glória multa.
℣. Tunc revelábitur ille iníquus, quem Dóminus Iesus interfíciet spíritu oris sui.* Et vidébunt.
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℟. The sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven,* and all the peoples of the earth will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
℣. Then the Rebel will appear openly and the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth,* and all the peoples of the earth will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
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Eritis mihi testesCrúcibus defíxis, mirábile fuit vidére ómnium constántiam, ad quam eos hortabántur, partim Pater Pásius, partim Pater Rodríguez. Pater Commissárius semper cónstitit quasi immótus óculis in cælum coniéctis. Frater Martínus ad agéndum divínæ bonitáti grátias concinébat quosdam psalmos, adiúncto versículo In manus tuas, Dómine. Frater Francíscus Blancus étiam clara voce Deo agébat grátias. Frater Gunsálvus ádmodum eláta voce dicébat domínicam oratiónem et salutatiónem angélicam.
Paulus Miki frater noster, videns se consístere in suggéstu ómnium, quos umquam habúerat, honoratíssimo, primum circumstántibus apéruit se Iapónium et de Societáte Iesu esse, moríque propter annuntiátum Evangélium, et grátias Deo ob benefícium tam exímium ágere, deínde hæc verba subiécit: «Cum ad hoc témporis punctum pervénerim e vobis néminem esse opínor, qui me credat velle párcere veritáti. Decláro ítaque vobis nullam esse ad salútem viam, nisi quam tenent christiáni. Quæ cum dóceat me ignóscere inimícis, et ómnibus qui me offendérunt, ego libénter regi omnibúsque meæ mortis auctóribus ignósco, eósque rogo ut christiáno baptísmo initiári velint».
Hinc óculis in sócios convérsis cœpit eos in hoc extrémo conflíctu animáre; in quorum ómnium vúltibus lætítia quædam apparébat, sed in Ludovíco singuláris; cui cum álius quidam christiánus acclamáret brevi eum futúrum in paradíso, digitórum totiúsque córporis gestu gáudii pleno, ómnium in se spectántium óculos convértit.
Antónius, qui Ludovíci claudébat latus, óculis cælo infíxis, post invocátum sanctíssimum nomen Iesu et Maríæ occínuit psalmum Laudáte, púeri, Dóminum, quem didícerat Nagasáki in institutióne catechéseos; in ea enim dédita ópera púeris quidam psalmi hanc in rem ediscéndi tradúntur.
Alii dénique repetébant: «Iesu, María», seréna fácie; nonnúlli étiam exhortabántur circumstántes ad vitam christiáno dignam; hisque et áliis simílibus actiónibus promptitúdinem moriéndi demonstrábant.
Tum carnífices quáttuor cœpére vagínis (quæ Iapóniis usitátæ sunt) exímere lánceas, ad quarum horríficum conspéctum omnes fidéles acclamárunt: «Iesu, María» et, quod plus, est complorátio secúta miserábilis ipsos fériens cælos. Carnífices quemque eórum uno alteróque ictu, brevíssimo témpore, exanimárunt.
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You shall be my witnessesThe crosses were set in place. Father Pasio and Father Rodriguez took turns encouraging the victims. Their steadfast behaviour was wonderful to see. The Father Bursar stood motionless, his eyes turned heavenward. Brother Martin gave thanks to God’s goodness by singing psalms. Again and again he repeated: “Into your hands, Lord, I entrust my life.” Brother Francis Branco also thanked God in a loud voice. Brother Gonsalvo in a very loud voice kept saying the Our Father and Hail Mary.
Our brother, Paul Miki, saw himself standing now in the noblest pulpit he had ever filled. To his “congregation” he began by proclaiming himself a Japanese and a Jesuit. He was dying for the Gospel he preached. He gave thanks to God for this wonderful blessing and he ended his “sermon” with these words: “As I come to this supreme moment of my life, I am sure none of you would suppose I want to deceive you. And so I tell you plainly: there is no way to be saved except the Christian way. My religion teaches me to pardon my enemies and all who have offended me. I do gladly pardon the Emperor and all who have sought my death. I beg them to seek baptism and be Christians themselves.”
Then he looked at his comrades and began to encourage them in their final struggle. Joy glowed in all their faces, and in Louis’ most of all. When a Christian in the crowd cried out to him that he would soon be in heaven, his hands, his whole body strained upward with such joy that every eye was fixed on him.
Anthony, hanging at Louis’ side, looked towards heaven and called upon the holy names – “Jesus, Mary!” He began to sing a psalm: “Praise the Lord, you children!” (He learned it in catechism class in Nagasaki. They take care there to teach the children some psalms to help them learn their catechism).
Others kept repeating “Jesus, Mary!” Their faces were serene. Some of them even took to urging the people standing by to live worthy Christian lives. In these and other ways they showed their readiness to die.
Then, according to Japanese custom, the four executioners began to unsheathe their spears. At this dreadful sight, all the Christians cried out, “Jesus, Mary!” And the storm of anguished weeping then rose to batter the very skies. The executioners killed them one by one. One thrust of the spear, then a second blow. It was over in a very short time.
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℟. Nos autem gloriári opórtet in cruce Dómini nostri Iesu Christi, in quo est salus, vita et resurréctio nostra,* Per quem salváti et liberáti sumus.
℣. Vobis donátum est pro Christo, non solum ut in eum credátis, sed ut étiam pro illo patiámini.* Per quem.
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℟. We ought to boast about the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom we have our salvation, life and resurrection,* through whom we have been redeemed and saved.
℣. It has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,* through whom we have been redeemed and saved.
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Oremus.
Deus, ómnium fortitúdo sanctórum, qui beátos mártyres Paulum eiúsque sócios per crucem ad vitam vocáre dignátus es, præsta, quǽsumus, ut, eórum intercessióne, fidem quam profitémur usque ad mortem fórtiter teneámus.
Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum,
qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus,
per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
| Let us pray.
Lord God, source of strength to all the saints,
you called your martyrs Paul and his companions to undergo the cross that they might enter into life.
Let their prayer help us to keep the faith to the end of our days.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
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Benedicámus Dómino.
– Deo grátias.
| Let us praise the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.
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The psalms and canticles here are our own translation from the Latin. The Grail translation of the psalms, which is used liturgically in most of the English-speaking world, cannot be displayed on the Web for copyright reasons. The Universalis apps and programs do contain the Grail translation of the psalms.
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