Commemoration of the passion of the seven holy brothers, martyrs, who at Antioch in Syria, under King Antiochus Epiphanes, were cruelly put to death together with their mother for keeping the law of the Lord with unconquered faith — she who suffered indeed in each of her sons, yet was crowned in them all, as is recounted in the second book of Maccabees. Commemorated also is Saint Eleazar, one of the foremost of the scribes, a man advanced in years, who in the same persecution, refusing to eat unlawful flesh for love of life and embracing a most glorious death rather than a hateful life, went of his own accord to his torment, leaving a great example of virtue.
August 1st
Saint The Holy Maccabees, Martyrs
Latin Original
Commemorátio passiónis sanctórum septem fratrum mártyrum, qui Antiochiz in Syria, sub Antiocho Epíphane rege, propter legem Dómini invícta fide servátam, morti crudéliter tráditi sunt cum matre sua, in síngulis quidem fíliis passa, sed in ómnibus coronáta, sicut in secündo libro Maccabaeórum narrátur. Item commemorátur sanctus Eleázarus, unus de primóribus scribárum, vir aetáte provéctus, qui in eàádem persecutióne, illicitam carnem manducáre propter vitae amórem réspuens, gloriosíssimam mortem magis quam odiósam vitam compléctens, voluntárie praívit ad supplícium, magnum virtütis relínquens exémplum.