Universalis
Saturday 7 March 2026    (other days)
Saturday of the 2nd week of Lent 
 with a commemoration of Saints Perpetua and Felicity, Martyrs

Using calendar: England - Nottingham. You can change this.

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.
INTRODUCTION
Deus, in adiutórium meum inténde.
  Dómine, ad adiuvándum me festína.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
INTRODUCTION
O God, come to our aid.
  O Lord, make haste to help us.
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.
Hymnus
Nunc tempus acceptábile
fulget datum divínitus,
ut sanet orbem lánguidum
medéla parsimóniæ.
Christi decóro lúmine
dies salútis émicat,
dum corda culpis sáucia
refórmat abstinéntia.
Hanc mente nos et córpore,
Deus, tenére pérfice,
ut appetámus próspero
perénne pascha tránsitu.
Te rerum univérsitas,
clemens, adóret, Trínitas,
et nos novi per véniam
novum canámus cánticum. Amen.
Hymn
Lord, who throughout these forty days
for us didst fast and pray,
teach us with thee to mourn our sins,
and close by thee to stay.
As thou with Satan didst contend
and didst the victory win,
O give us strength in thee to fight,
in thee to conquer sin.
As thou didst hunger bear, and thirst,
so teach us, gracious Lord,
to die to self, and chiefly live
by thy most holy word.
And through these days of penitence,
and through thy Passiontide,
yea, evermore in life and death,
Jesus, with us abide.
Abide with us, that so, this life
of suffering overpast,
an Easter of unending joy
we may attain at last.

Ps 105:1-18
Bonitas Domini et populi infidelitas.

“Hæc scripta sunt ad correptionem nostram, in quos fines sæculorum devenerunt” (1 Cor 10, 11).

Meménto nostri, Dómine, vísita nos in salutári tuo.
1Confitémini Dómino, quóniam bonus,*
  quóniam in sǽculum misericórdia eius.
2Quis loquétur poténtias Dómini,*
  audítas fáciet omnes laudes eius?
3Beáti, qui custódiunt iudícium*
  et fáciunt iustítiam in omni témpore.
4Meménto nostri, Dómine, in beneplácito pópuli tui,*
  vísita nos in salutári tuo,
5ut videámus bona electórum tuórum,†
  ut lætémur in lætítia gentis tuæ,*
  ut gloriémur cum hereditáte tua.
6Peccávimus cum pátribus nostris,*
  iniúste égimus, iniquitátem fécimus.
7Patres nostri in Ægýpto non intellexérunt mirabília tua,†
  non fuérunt mémores multitúdinis misericordiárum tuárum*
  et irritavérunt ascendéntes in mare, mare Rubrum.
8Et salvávit eos propter nomen suum,*
  ut notam fáceret poténtiam suam.
9Et incrépuit mare Rubrum et exsiccátum est,*
  et dedúxit eos in abýssis sicut in desérto.
10Et salvávit eos de manu odiéntis*
  et redémit eos de manu inimíci.
11Et opéruit aqua tribulántes eos:*
  unus ex eis non remánsit.
12Et credidérunt verbis eius*
  et cantavérunt laudem eius.
13Cito oblíti sunt óperum eius*
  et non sustinuérunt consílium eius;
14et concupiérunt concupiscéntiam in desérto*
  et tentavérunt Deum in inaquóso.
15Et dedit eis petitiónem ipsórum*
  et misit saturitátem in ánimas eórum.
16Et zeláti sunt Móysen in castris,*
  Aaron sanctum Dómini.
17Apérta est terra et deglutívit Dathan*
  et opéruit super congregatiónem Abíram.
18Et exársit ignis in synagóga eórum,*
  flamma combússit peccatóres.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Meménto nostri, Dómine, vísita nos in salutári tuo.

Psalm 105 (106)
The Lord's goodness and his people's infidelity

O Lord, remember us: come to us with your help.
Give praise to the Lord, for he is good,
  for his kindness is for ever.
Who shall tell of his powerful deeds?
  Who shall proclaim the praises of the Lord?
Blessed are they who keep his decrees,
  who do right at all times.
Remember us, Lord, in your love for your people,
  and bring us your salvation,
so that we may see the good things you have kept for your chosen ones,
  that we may rejoice in the joys of your people,
  that we may glory with those whom you have made your heirs.
Like our fathers, we too have sinned:
  we have done wrong, we have transgressed.
Our fathers, in Egypt, did not understand your miracles;
  they did not remember the abundance of your mercies,
  but rebelled as they approached the Red Sea.
Still he saved them, for his own name’s sake,
  and to make known his mighty power.
He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up.
  He led them through its depths as if through a desert.
He saved them from the hands of those who hated them,
  he set them free from slavery at the hands of their enemies.
The water covered their oppressors:
  not one was left alive.
Then they believed his word,
  and they sang his praises.
But soon they forgot what he had done,
  and refused to submit to his direction.
They embraced desire in the desert
  and put God to the test in the waterless places.
He gave them all they requested,
  he filled their hearts with his abundance.
But in the camp, they grew jealous of Moses
  and Aaron, consecrated to the Lord.
The earth opened and swallowed Dathan,
  covered the party of Abiram.
Fire broke out against them,
  flames burnt up the sinners.
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.
O Lord, remember us: come to us with your help.

How to listen

Ps 105:19-33

Cave nequándo obliviscáris pacti Dómini Dei tui.
19Et fecérunt vítulum in Horeb*
  et adoravérunt scúlptile;
20et mutavérunt glóriam suam*
  in similitúdinem tauri comedéntis fenum.
21Oblíti sunt Deum, qui salvávit eos,*
  qui fecit magnália in Ægýpto,
22mirabília in terra Cham,*
  terribília in mari Rubro.
23Et dixit quia dispérderet eos,*
  nisi affuísset Móyses eléctus eius:
stetit in confractióne in conspéctu eius,*
  ut avérteret iram eius, ne destrúeret eos.
24Et pro níhilo habuérunt terram desiderábilem,*
  non credidérunt verbo eius.
25Et murmuravérunt in tabernáculis suis,*
  non exaudiérunt vocem Dómini.
26Et elevávit manum suam super eos,*
  ut prostérneret eos in desérto
27et ut deíceret semen eórum in natiónibus*
  et dispérgeret eos in regiónibus.
28Et adhæsérunt Beélphegor*
  et comedérunt sacrifícia mortuórum;
29et irritavérunt eum in adinventiónibus suis,*
  et irrúpit in eos ruína.
30Et stetit Phínees et fecit iudícium,*
  et cessávit quassátio,
31et reputátum est ei in iustítiam,*
  in generatiónem et generatiónem usque in sempitérnum.
32Et irritavérunt eum ad aquas Meríba,*
  et vexátus est Móyses propter eos,
33quia exacerbavérunt spíritum eius,*
  et témere locútus est in lábiis suis.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Cave nequándo obliviscáris pacti Dómini Dei tui.

Psalm 105 (106)

Take care you do not forget the covenant the Lord your God has made with you.
At Horeb they made a calf
  and worshipped a statue.
They exchanged the glory of their people
  for the likeness of a bull, that eats grass.
They forgot their God, who had saved them,
  who had done great miracles for them in Egypt,
  wonders in the land of Ham,
  terrors at the Red Sea.
Then he said that he would destroy them,
  but Moses, his chosen one, was there:
he stood in the breach before him
  to turn aside his wrath,
  to prevent the destruction.
To them, the Promised Land meant nothing,
  they did not believe the Lord’s word.
They stayed muttering in their tents,
  they were deaf to the voice of the Lord.
So he raised his hand against them
  to crush them in the desert,
to scatter their seed among the nations,
  to disperse them in foreign lands.
They made themselves followers of Baal-Peor,
  they ate the sacrifices of the dead.
They angered the Lord by their actions,
  and a plague broke out among them.
Then Phinehas stood up and gave judgement,
  and the plague was stopped.
For this, he is revered as one of the just,
  from generation to generation,
  for all eternity.
At the waters of Meribah they so angered the Lord
  that Moses suffered on their account:
they so embittered his spirit
  that his lips spoke rash words.
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.
Take care you do not forget the covenant the Lord your God has made with you.

Ps 105(106)

Salvos nos fac, Dómine, et cóngrega nos de natiónibus.
34Non disperdidérunt gentes,*
  quas dixit Dóminus illis.
35Et commíxti sunt inter gentes*
  et didicérunt ópera eórum.
36Et serviérunt sculptílibus eórum,*
  et factum est illis in scándalum.
37Et immolavérunt fílios suos*
  et fílias suas dæmóniis.
38Et effudérunt sánguinem innocéntem,†
  sánguinem filiórum suórum et filiárum suárum,*
  quas sacrificavérunt sculptílibus Chánaan.
Et infécta est terra in sanguínibus,†
  39et contamináti sunt in opéribus suis*
  et fornicáti sunt in adinventiónibus suis.
40Et exársit ira Dóminus in pópulum suum*
  et abominátus est hereditátem suam
41et trádidit eos in manus géntium,*
  et domináti sunt eórum, qui odérunt eos.
42Et tribulavérunt eos inimíci eórum,*
  et humiliáti sunt sub mánibus eórum.
43Sæpe liberávit eos;†
  ipsi autem exacerbavérunt eum in consílio suo*
  et corruérunt in iniquitátibus suis.
44Et vidit tribulatiónem eórum,*
  cum audívit clamórem eórum.
45Et memor fuit testaménti sui*
  et pænítuit eum secúndum multitúdinem misericórdiæ suæ.
46Et dedit eos in miseratiónes*
  in conspéctu ómnium,
qui captívos dúxerant eos.
47Salvos nos fac, Dómine Deus noster,*
  et cóngrega nos de natiónibus,
ut confiteámur nómini sancto tuo*
  et gloriémur in laude tua.
48Benedíctus Dóminus Deus Israel†
  a sǽculo et usque in sǽculum.*
  Et dicet omnis pópulus: «Fiat, fiat».
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Salvos nos fac, Dómine, et cóngrega nos de natiónibus.

Psalm 105 (106)

O Lord, save us; gather us from among the nations.
They did not destroy the peoples
  as the Lord had told them they must.
They mingled themselves with the peoples,
  and learned to do as they did.
They served the same idols
  until it became their undoing.
They sacrificed their own sons
  and their daughters to demons.
They poured out innocent blood.
  The blood of their own sons and daughters
  was sacrificed to the idols of Canaan.
Their blood polluted the land,
  and their actions defiled them.
  They devoted themselves to whoring.
The Lord blazed out in anger against his own people,
  he detested his own chosen race.
He gave them into the hands of foreigners,
  they were conquered by those who hated them.
Their enemies persecuted them
  and humbled them beneath their hands.
Many times he freed them,
  but they turned him against themselves
  by falling back into wickedness.
Still he looked upon their distress
  when he heard their cries.
He remembered his covenant,
  and in his infinite kindness he repented.
He made them an object of pity
  and kindness to all their captors.
Save us, O Lord, our God,
  and gather us from among the nations,
so that we may proclaim your holy name,
  and rejoice as we praise you.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
  from the beginning and for all time.
  And all the people shall cry, “Amen!”
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.
O Lord, save us; gather us from among the nations.
℣. Qui facit veritátem, venit ad lucem.
℟. Ut manifesténtur ópera eius.
℣. The man who lives by the truth comes into the light.
℟. So that his good works may be seen.
Lectio prior
De libro Exodi 20, 1-17

Lex in Sinai datur

In diébus illis: 1Locútus est Deus cunctos sermónes hos:
  2«Ego sum Dóminus Deus tuus, qui edúxi te de terra Ægýpti, de domo servitútis.
  3Non habébis deos aliénos coram me.
  4Non fácies tibi scúlptile neque omnem similitúdinem eórum, quæ sunt in cælo désuper et quæ in terra deórsum et quæ in aquis sub terra. 5Non adorábis ea neque coles, quia ego sum Dóminus Deus tuus, Deus zelótes vísitans iniquitátem patrum in fíliis in tértiam et quartam generatiónem eórum, qui odérunt me, 6et fáciens misericórdiam in mília his, qui díligunt me et custódiunt præcépta mea.
  7Non assúmes nomen Dómini Dei tui in vanum, nec enim habébit insóntem Dóminus eum, qui assúmpserit nomen Dómini Dei sui frustra.
  8Meménto, ut diem sábbati sanctífices. 9Sex diébus operáberis et fácies ómnia ópera tua; 10séptimus autem dies sábbatum Dómino Deo tuo est: non fácies omne opus tu et fílius tuus et fília tua, servus tuus et ancílla tua, iuméntum tuum et ádvena, qui est intra portas tuas. 11Sex enim diébus fecit Dóminus cælum et terram et mare et ómnia, quæ in eis sunt, et requiévit in die séptimo; idcírco benedíxit Dóminus diéi sábbati et sanctificávit eum.
  12Honóra patrem tuum et matrem tuam, ut sis longǽvus super terram, quam Dóminus Deus tuus dabit tibi.
  13Non occídes.
  14Non mœcháberis.
  15Non furtum fácies.
  16Non loquéris contra próximum tuum falsum testimónium.
  17Non concupísces domum próximi tui: non desiderábis uxórem eius, non servum, non ancíllam, non bovem, non ásinum, nec ómnia, quæ illíus sunt».
First ReadingExodus 20:1-17

The Law given at Sinai

God spoke all these words. He said, ‘I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
  ‘You shall have no gods except me.
  ‘You shall not make yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything in heaven or on earth beneath or in the waters under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God and I punish the father’s fault in the sons, the grandsons, and the great-grandsons of those who hate me; but I show kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
  ‘You shall not utter the name of the Lord your God to misuse it, for the Lord will not leave unpunished the man who utters his name to misuse it.
  ‘Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath for the Lord your God. You shall do no work that day, neither you nor your son nor your daughter nor your servants, men or women, nor your animals nor the stranger who lives with you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that these hold, but on the seventh day he rested; that is why the Lord has blessed the sabbath day and made it sacred.
  ‘Honour your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God has given to you.
  ‘You shall not kill.
  ‘You shall not commit adultery.
  ‘You shall not steal.
  ‘You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
  ‘You shall not covet your neighbour’s house. You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his servant, man or woman, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is his.’
Responsorium
Ps 18 (19), 8. 9 b; Rom 13, 8 b. 10 b
℟. Lex Dómini immaculáta, refíciens ánimam; testimónium Dómini fidéle, sapiéntiam præstans párvulis.* Præcéptum Dómini lúcidum, illúminans óculos.
℣. Qui díligit próximum, legem implévit; plenitúdo legis est diléctio.* Præcéptum.
Responsory
Ps 19:7-8; Rm 13:8-10
℟. The law of the Lord is perfect, it revives the soul. The rule of the Lord is to be trusted, it gives wisdom to the simple.* The command of the Lord is clear, it gives light to the eyes.
℣. He who loves his neighbour has satisfied every claim of the law: the whole law is summed up in love.* The command of the Lord is clear, it gives light to the eyes.
Lectio altera
Ex Tractátu sancti Ambrósii epíscopi De fuga sǽculi (Cap. 6, 36; 7, 44; 8, 45: 9, 52: CSEL 32, 192. 198-199. 204)

Adhæreamus Deo, uni vero bono

Ubi cor hóminis, ibi et thesáurus eius est; non enim solet bonum datum deprecántibus Dóminus denegáre.
  Ergo, quia bonus Dóminus est et máxime sustinéntibus se bonus est, ipsi adhæreámus, cum ipso simus tota ánima nostra, toto corde, tota virtúte, ut simus in lúmine eius et videámus eius glóriam et delectatiónis supérnæ fruámur grátia; ad illud ígitur bonum erigámus ánimos et in illo simus atque in ipso vivámus, ipsi adhæreámus, quod est supra omnem mentem et omnem consideratiónem et pace útitur perpétua ac tranquillitáte; pax autem supra omnem mentem est et supra omnem sensum.
  Hoc est bonum, quod pénetrat ómnia, et omnes in ipso vívimus atque ex ipso pendémus, ipsum autem nihil supra se habet, sed est divínum; nemo enim bonus nisi unus Deus, quod ergo bonum divínum et quod divínum bonum, et ídeo dícitur: Aperiénte te manum, implebúntur ómnia bonitáte; per bonitátem enim Dei, nobis univérsa tribuúntur mérito bona, quibus nihil admíxtum est mali.
  Hæc bona promíttit Scriptúra fidélibus dicens: Quæ bona sunt terræ manducábitis.
  Mórtui sumus cum Christo; mortem Christi in córpore nostro circumférimus, ut et vita Christi in nobis manifestétur. Non ergo iam nostram illam vitam, sed Christi vitam vívimus, vitam innocéntiæ, vitam castimóniæ, vitam simplicitátis omniúmque virtútum. Cum Christo resurréximus, in ipso vivámus, in ipso ascendámus, ut serpens calcáneum nostrum quod vúlneret in terris reperíre non possit.
  Fugiámus hinc. Potes ánimo fúgere, etsi retinéris córpore, potes et hic esse et adésse ad Dóminum, si illi adhǽreat ánima tua, si post ipsum cogitatiónibus tuis ámbules, si fide, non spécie, vias eius sequáris, si ad ipsum confúgias; est enim refúgium et virtus, cui dicit David: Ad te confúgi et non sum decéptus.
  Ergo quia Deus refúgium, Deus autem in cælo et supra cælos, útique hinc illo fugiéndum est, ubi pax, ubi réquies ab opéribus, ubi epulémur sábbatum magnum, sicut dixit Móyses: Et erunt sábbata terræ vobis escæ. Epulatórium enim et plenum iucunditátis et tranquillitátis est requiéscere in Deo et eius delectatiónem vidére.
  Fugiámus sicut cervi ad fontes aquárum; quod sitiébat David, sítiat et nostra ánima; quis est ille fons? Audi dicéntem: Quóniam apud te est fons vitæ; huic fonti dicat ánima mea: Quando véniam et parébo ante fáciem tuam? Fons enim Deus est.
Second Reading
From the treatise on Flight from the World by Saint Ambrose, bishop

Hold fast to God, the one true good

Where a man’s heart is, there is his treasure also. God is not accustomed to refusing a good gift to those who ask for one. Since he is good, and especially to those who are faithful to him, let us hold fast to him with all our soul, our heart, our strength, and so enjoy his light and see his glory and possess the grace of supernatural joy. Let us reach out with our hearts to possess that good, let us exist in it and live in it, let us hold fast to it, that good which is beyond all we can know or see and is marked by perpetual peace and tranquillity, a peace which is beyond all we can know or understand.
  This is the good that permeates creation. In it we all live, on it we all depend. It has nothing above it; it is divine. No one is good but God alone. What is good is therefore divine, what is divine is therefore good. Scripture says: When you open your hand all things will be filled with goodness. It is through God’s goodness that all that is truly good is given us, and in it there is no admixture of evil.
  These good things are promised by Scripture to those who are faithful: The good things of the land will be your food.
  We have died with Christ. We carry about in our bodies the sign of his death, so that the living Christ may also be revealed in us. The life we live is not now our ordinary life but the life of Christ: a life of sinlessness, of chastity, of simplicity and every other virtue. We have risen with Christ. Let us live in Christ, let us ascend in Christ, so that the serpent may not have the power here below to wound us in the heel.
  Let us take refuge from this world. You can do this in spirit, even if you are kept here in the body. You can at the same time be here and present to the Lord. Your soul must hold fast to him, you must follow after him in your thoughts, you must tread his ways by faith, not in outward show. You must take refuge in him. He is your refuge and your strength. David addresses him in these words: I fled to you for refuge, and I was not disappointed.
  Since God is our refuge, God who is in heaven and above the heavens, we must take refuge from this world in that place where there is peace, where there is rest from toil, where we can celebrate the great sabbath, as Moses said: The sabbaths of the land will provide you with food. To rest in the Lord and to see his joy is like a banquet, and full of gladness and tranquillity.
  Let us take refuge like deer beside the fountain of waters. Let our soul thirst, as David thirsted, for the fountain. What is that fountain? Listen to David: With you is the fountain of life. Let my soul say to this fountain: When shall I come and see you face to face? For the fountain is God himself.
Responsorium
Mt 22, 37-38; cf. Deut 10, 12
℟. Díliges Dóminum Deum tuum in toto corde tuo et in tota ánima tua et in tota mente tua:* Hoc est magnum et primum mandátum.
℣. Quid Dóminus petit a te, nisi ut tímeas Dóminum Deum tuum et díligas eum ac sérvias Dómino Deo tuo in toto corde tuo et in tota ánima tua?* Hoc est.
Responsory
℟. You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind:* this is the greatest and first commandment.
℣. What does the Lord ask of you? Only this: to fear the Lord your God, to love him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul:* this is the greatest and first commandment.
Lectio alia
E Narratióne martýrii sanctórum mártyrum Carthaginiénsium (Cap. 18. 20-21: edit. van Beek, Noviomagi, 1936, pp. 42. 46-52)

Vocati et electi in gloriam Domini

Illúxit dies victóriæ mártyrum, et processérunt de cárcere in amphitheátrum, quasi in cælum, hílares vultu, decóri, si forte gáudio pavéntes, non timóre.
  Prior Perpétua iactáta est, et cóncidit in lumbos. Ita surréxit, et elísam Felicitátem cum vidísset, accéssit et manum ei trádidit et suscitávit illam. Et ambæ páriter stetérunt. Et pópuli durítia devícta, revocátæ sunt in portam Sanaviváriam. Illic Perpétua a quodam tunc catechúmeno, Rústico nómine, qui ei adhærébat, suscépta et quasi a somno expérgita (ádeo in spíritu et éxtasi fúerat) circumspícere cœpit; et stupéntibus ómnibus ait: «Quando prodúcimur ad vaccam illam néscio quam?». Et cum audísset quod iam evénerat, non prius crédidit nisi quasdam notas vexatiónis in córpore et hábitu suo recognovísset. Exínde accersítum fratrem suum, et illum catechúmenum, allocúta est, dicens: «In fide state et ínvicem omnes dilígite, et passiónibus nostris ne scandalizémini».
  Item Sáturus in ália porta Pudéntem mílitem exhortabátur, dicens: «Ad summam certe, sicut præsúmpsi et prædíxi, nullam usque adhuc béstiam sensi. Et nunc de toto corde credas: ecce pródeo illo, et ab uno morsu leopárdi consúmmor». Et statim in fine spectáculi leopárdo obiéctus, de uno morsu tanto perfúsus est sánguine, ut pópulus reverténti illi secúndi baptísmatis testimónium, reclamáverit: «Salvum lotum, salvum lotum». Plane útique salvus erat qui hoc modo láverat.
  Tunc Pudénti míliti: «Vale, inquit, et meménto fídei et mei; et hæc te non contúrbent, sed confírment». Simúlque ánsulam de dígito eius pétiit, et vúlneri suo mersam réddidit ei hereditátem, pignus relínquens illi et memóriam sánguinis. Exínde iam exánimis prostérnitur cum céteris ad iugulatiónem sólito loco.
  Et cum pópulus illos in médio postuláret, ut gládio penetránti in eórum córpore óculos suos cómites homicídii adiúngerent, ultro surrexérunt et se quo volébat pópulus transtulérunt, ante iam osculáti ínvicem, ut martýrium per sollémnia pacis consummárent.
  Céteri quidem immóbiles et cum siléntio ferrum recepérunt: multo magis Sáturus, qui et prior ascénderat, prior réddidit spíritum; nam et Perpétuam sustinébat. Perpétua autem, ut áliquid dolóris gustáret, inter ossa compúncta exululávit, et errántem déxteram tirúnculi gladiatóris ipsa in iúgulum suum tránstulit. Fortásse tanta fémina áliter non potuísset occídi, quæ ab immúndo spíritu timebátur, nisi ipsa voluísset.
  O fortíssimi ac beatíssimi mártyres! O vere vocáti et elécti in glóriam Dómini nostri Iesu Christi!
Additional Reading
From the story of the death of the holy martyrs of Carthage

Called and chosen for the glory of the Lord

The day of the martyrs’ victory dawned. They marched from their cells into the amphitheatre, as if into heaven, with cheerful looks and graceful bearing. If they trembled it was for joy and not for fear.
  Perpetua was the first to be thrown down, and she fell prostrate. She got up and, seeing that Felicity was prostrate, went over and reached out her hand to her and lifted her up. Both stood up together. The hostility of the crowd was appeased, and they were ordered to the gate called Sanavivaria. There Perpetua was welcomed by a catechumen named Rusticus. Rousing herself as if from sleep (so deeply had she been in spiritual ecstasy), she began to look around. To everyone’s amazement she said: “When are we going to be led to the beast?” When she heard that it had already happened she did not at first believe it until she saw the marks of violence on her body and her clothing. Then she beckoned to her brother and the catechumen, and addressed them in these words: “Stand firm in faith, love one another and do not be tempted to do anything wrong because of our sufferings.”
  Saturus, too, in another gate, encouraged the soldier Pudens, saying: “Here I am, and just as I thought and foretold I have not yet felt any wild beast. Now believe with your whole heart: I will go there and be killed by the leopard in one bite.” And right at the end of the games, when he was thrown to the leopard he was in fact covered with so much blood from one bite that the people cried out to him: “Washed and saved, washed and saved!” And so, giving evidence of a second baptism, he was clearly saved who had been washed in this manner.
  Then Saturus said to the soldier Pudens: “Farewell, and remember your faith as well as me; do not let these things frighten you; let them rather strengthen you.” At the same time he asked for the little ring from Pudens’s finger. After soaking it in his wound he returned it to Pudens as a keepsake, leaving him a pledge and a remembrance of his blood. Half dead, he was thrown along with the others into the usual place of slaughter.
  The people, however, had demanded that the martyrs be led to the middle of the amphitheatre. They wanted to see the sword thrust into the bodies of the victims, so that their eyes might share in the slaughter. Without being asked they went where the people wanted them to go; but first they kissed one another, to complete their witness with the customary kiss of peace.
  The others stood motionless and received the deathblow in silence, especially Saturus, who had gone up first and was first to die; he was helping Perpetua. But Perpetua, that she might experience the pain more deeply, rejoiced over her broken body and guided the shaking hand of the inexperienced gladiator to her throat. Such a woman – one before whom the unclean spirit trembled – could not perhaps have been killed, had she herself not willed it.
  Bravest and happiest martyrs! You were called and chosen for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Responsorium
Rom 8, 34 b-35. 37
℟. Christus Iesus est ad déxteram Dei, qui étiam interpéllat pro nobis. * Quis nos separábit a caritáte Christi? Tribulátio, an angústia, an persecútio, an fames, an núditas, an perículum, an gládius?
℣. In his ómnibus supervíncimus per eum, qui diléxit nos. * Quis.
Responsory
℟. Christ Jesus is at God’s right hand and pleads our cause.* Then what can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or hardship? Can persecution, hunger, nakedness, peril or the sword?
℣. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us.* Then what can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or hardship? Can persecution, hunger, nakedness, peril or the sword?
Oremus.
  Deus, cuius urgénte caritáte, beátæ mártyres Perpétua et Felícitas torméntum mortis, contémpto persecutóre, vicérunt, da nobis, quǽsumus, eárum précibus, ut in tua semper dilectióne crescámus.
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.
With overwhelming love for you, Lord God,
  your martyrs Perpetua and Felicity
  defied the persecutor and overcame the pain of death.
Listen to their prayers
  and grant that we may love you daily more and more.
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.
Benedicámus Dómino.
– Deo grátias.
Let us praise the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.

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