[Rank]
S. Cosmae and Damiani Martyrum;;Simplex;;1;;vide C3

[Rule]
vide C3;
Quorum Festum

[Oratio]
Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that we who keep the birthday of thine~
holy Martyrs Cosmas and Damian may at their prayers be delivered from all~
dangers that presently hang over us.
$Per Dominum

[Lectio4]
Cosmas and Damian, who were eminent physicians in the time of the Emperors~
Diocletian and Maximian, were brothers, and Arabs by race, but born in the city~
of Aegae (in Cilicia.) Not more by their knowledge of medicine than by the power~
of Christ they healed diseases which had been hopeless for others. When the~
Praefect Lysias learnt to what faith they belonged, he commanded them to be~
brought before him, and questioned them as to their way of life, and the~
confession of their religion; and then, forasmuch as they freely owned~
themselves Christians and the Christian faith needful to salvation, he commanded~
them to worship the gods, under threats of torments and a most cruel death.

[Lectio5]
He bond their hands and feet together, and put them to the sharpest of the~
question. And he was obeyed, but nevertheless Cosmas and Damian abode still of~
the same mind. Therefore they were cast into the depth of the sea, bound as they~
were, but they came forth again, whole and unbound. The Praefect, therefore, who~
would have it that it came to pass so by force of art magic, cast them into~
prison. On the morrow he haled them forth again, and bade cast them upon a great~
fire, but the flame turned away from them. He was pleased then to have them~
tormented in divers and cruel sorts, and lastly, smitten with the axe. Thus did~
they bear witness for Christ Jesus even until they grasped the palm of their~
testimony.

[Lectio6]
@Commune/C3:Lectio4
