Atkinson, The Passions and the Homilies from Leabhar Breac (1887) — translated from the Irish.

¹ “Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” — that is, blessed is he who endures martyrdom and persecution for the heavenly kingdom, for theirs is the heavenly kingdom itself. The comforter of the human race, Jesus Christ the Son of the living God, it is He who spoke these words, to strengthen His apostles and disciples and the whole people of the Church to suffer tribulation and persecution in this present world for the Lord of the elements, because of the great reward He has laid up for it — the kingdom of heaven. Now Matthew son of Alphaeus wrote this saying on the track of his master, Jesus Christ, when he says here: “Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness’ sake.” This saying follows from what he had said before: “Now Jesus, seeing the multitudes, went up into a mountain, and when He had sat down, His disciples came to Him; and opening His mouth He said: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” And Jesus preached the other beatitudes in order up to the eighth beatitude — the beatitude of persecution. Many then, in the Old and New Testaments, suffered persecution and martyrdom for the heavenly kingdom.

² First, Abel son of Adam, the first righteous man, suffered from wicked Cain. Samson suffered from the Philistines. John the Baptist suffered from Herod. Stephen suffered from the synagogue of the Jews. Jesus Christ Himself suffered cross and passion from the unbelieving Jews in Jerusalem.

³ It is in this manner that the two noble, revered apostles suffered persecution and martyrdom for the everlasting kingdom — whose feast and commemoration falls in the course of this season — St Peter and St Paul the apostles. It is then that the Christians honour the feast and commemoration of these two holy apostles: on the Kalends of July [June 29], a day of the month of the sun — on this day which is a day of the week in the year in which we are.

⁴ Then is related somewhat of their race and their deeds of valour in the present world. Peter, first — he was a son of John, of the people of Galilee, of Bethsaida — the name of the city to which he belonged in particular; brother of Andrew the apostle. His name was Cephas — that is, “capital”, “head” — for he was the chief, the head of the apostles. It is to him that God Himself said, “Simon Bar-Jona” — that is, son of the dove, son of the Holy Spirit. He is the shepherd of the human race; he is the rock on which the Church is founded; he is the key of the heavenly kingdom; he is the apostle who gave most love and affection to the Lord; he it is who walked with dry feet across the sea; he it is who raised the widow from death; he it is who by his word alone slew Ananias and Sapphira; he it is who preached the gospel in Galatia, in Pontus, in Cappadocia, in Bithynia, in Asia, in Italy. After he had founded the church in Antioch, he went to Rome to contend with Simon the druid, in the second year of the reign of Claudius Caesar. Twenty-five years he was in his bishopric, and it was after that he went to cross and passion under Nero Caesar in Rome.

⁵ Now Paul the apostle was of the tribe of Benjamin; in Tarsus of Cilicia he was born; at the feet of Gamaliel, the sage of the Law, he was reared; on the road to Damascus he was converted to faith and belief. [He is the teacher of the gentiles]; he is the heir of Christ in wisdom; he it is who preached the gospel to almost the whole world, and it is with him that they shall come to the meeting of the Judgement; he it is who toiled more than all the apostles; he it is who was thrice beaten with rods; he it is who was once stoned; he it is who thrice suffered shipwreck. Who could recount his labours and his distresses and every other tribulation? — in hunger, in famine, in nakedness, in want; he suffered great persecution from his own brethren, and endured snares from without — prisons and chains and daily whippings and threats of death often; he endured dangers on sea and land, from robbers and from his own people. He passed a day and a night in shipwreck in the depths of the sea; he it is who preached the gospel without fee; he it is who earned the wage of the labour of his hands; he it is who was zealous and merciful towards all men; upon him was the anxiety of the care of all the churches.

⁶ Paul — [his faith and belief] — it is he who gave fitting instruction to everyone: a special teaching for masters and for slaves, a special teaching for superiors and subjects, a special teaching for men and women, a special teaching for the married and the virgins, a special teaching for the wise and the unwise, a special teaching for the people of the Law and for the gentiles, a special teaching for the Church and for the people of the world. It is he who earnestly desired his own change for the sake of his brethren, that they might be safe in God. The world was crucified to him, and he was crucified to the world; he it is who counted all things as nothing, for the greatness of the love of Christ in him; he it is who was carried up to the third heaven, to see the secrets and mysteries of God; he it is who said to his disciples as his passion drew near: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which God the just judge shall render to me in that day.” Then Paul was bound at last, and scourged in Jerusalem, and was brought to Rome in chains to be shown to Nero Caesar, as Marcellus the disciple of the apostles relates.

⁷ Now after Paul came to Rome, the Jews came to him and said to him: “It is in our faith that you were born — defend and plead for us,” said they, “for it is not fitting for you that the faith of the Jews should decay, and you yourself a Jew. When Peter comes to you, stand against him; it is he who has transgressed our teaching — sabbaths and new moons and circumcision, and so forth.” Paul said: “Go and tell him what has befallen us; and if he preaches a new doctrine, you shall refute him in my presence; but if it is a doctrine established by the testimonies of the books of the Hebrews that he delivers, it is right for us all to obey him and to be in accord with him.” When Paul had said these words fully, the Jews went to Peter and said to him: “Paul has come from the Jews, and he asks you to come to him — for they would gladly have him here in bonds, and they will not let him go anywhere he desires, until he comes to Caesar.” When Peter heard that, he rejoiced greatly, and came to him without delay. When each saw the other, they wept for joy, and shed many tears, and each laid his hands about the other’s neck. Then Paul told Peter everything he had suffered on the way; and Peter told him all he had endured from Simon the druid. Peter went away at evening — that is, at the end of the day — and when the next day dawned, Peter came again, and found a great multitude before him at the door of the house where Paul was. Then there befell a great strife and uproar between the Jews and the gentiles; for this is what the Jews said: “We are a chosen race, and a royal race of the seed of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and of the seed of all the prophets, to whom the Lord spoke face to face, and to whom He revealed His great miracles and His secret mysteries. You, however, are of the gentiles — there is no great good in your race, but you have been defiled by worshipping stones and trees and idols.” When they had said these words and many other words, this is the answer the gentiles gave: “We,” said they, “when we heard the truth, left destruction behind and followed the truth. You indeed knew the God to whom worship was due — you saw the wonders and miracles of the prophets; to you the Law was given by God; it was you who came through the Red Sea with dry feet; you saw your enemies drowned before your eyes; to you the manna from heaven was given; for you the pillar of cloud was raised by day and the pillar of fire by night; to you the sweet water came out of the rock — and after all these things, you fashioned the golden calf and worshipped it. We, however, though we saw not those wonders and miracles, believed in the true God — and you have left Him without belief.” While they were thus striving, Peter and Paul preached to them and made peace between them. But the chiefs of the Jews and the priests of the gentiles withstood them, and stirred up a murmur of the people against the apostles, and praised Simon the druid in the presence of Nero Caesar. For they kept accusing Peter and Paul, since countless people were coming to the Lord through the preaching of the apostles — so much so that Livia, Nero’s wife, and Agrippina, the wife of Agrippa the viceroy, came to faith and belief, and left their royal palaces to serve the Lord and Christianity.

⁸ Now when Simon the druid saw the people’s murmur against the apostles, this is what he undertook — the accusing of Peter, and this is what he said: “Peter,” said he, “is a druid and a false prophet.” Those who wondered at the signs he wrought believed in Simon — for he used to make the brazen serpent move, and made the stone and brazen images walk and move. And he would cause himself to be seen flying in the air. Peter, in turn, healed lepers and the blind and the lame, and cast out demons and raised the dead; and he preached to the people to shun the false doctrine of Simon the druid. Then the Christians said that Simon was a foul, sinful druid; while those who believed in Simon declared that Peter was the druid.

⁹ Now when Nero heard these tidings, he commanded that Simon be brought to him. When he came, he transformed himself into various shapes — into the shape of a youth, into the shape of an old man, into the shape of a young man in turn: thus he transformed himself through the devil’s ministry into many forms. When Nero saw Simon, he believed that he was truly the Son of God; while Peter said he was a lying, foul druid. Then Simon said to Nero: “Listen to me, O commander, for I am the Son of God, come down from the heavens; I have suffered Peter alone hitherto. Now a great evil has been added to me — Paul; it is he who contends with me together with Peter. Unless you take heed to destroy these men, they will destroy your kingdom.” Nero said: “God gives every man his doctrine and his rank; but as for you, you are the persecutor of these men.” Simon the druid said: “This is the race of men who have seduced all the Jews, so that they believe not in me.” Nero said to Peter: “Why are you unbelievers, as your race is?” Peter said to Simon: “You were able to seduce all the others, but me you could not seduce; and everyone you seduced, God has rescued from destruction through me. I wonder,” said Peter, “that a brazen vessel should in the king’s presence overcome a disciple of Christ by your druidic art — for you have often attempted it, and could not.” Simon said to Nero: “It is no less a wonder to me, O commander, that this ignorant man — Peter, the false fisherman, strong neither in word nor in race nor in power — should withstand you. Now I shall command my angels to come and take vengeance on him.” Peter said: “I fear not your angels — rather they fear me, through the might of my God, Jesus Christ.” Nero said: “Do you not fear, O Peter, this Simon who proves his divinity by many wonders?” Peter said: “There is no divinity in him at all; but there are two natures in him — a human nature and a diabolic.” And Peter said further to him: “If it is from God,” said Peter, “that Simon knows the thing I think — for God knows men’s thoughts — I shall tell you, Nero, in secret what I am thinking: bid a barley loaf be given me here in secret.” That was done, and he broke it and held it in his hands. Peter said to Simon: “Tell, O Simon, the thing I have thought or have done.” “Do you think, Peter,” said Nero, “that you would believe that this man had knowledge of hidden things concerning Simon? For he has wrought great wonders in my presence, and everything he said he would do, he has fulfilled.” Peter said: “If he has done the great things, why does he not do the small ones?” Nero said: “What answer will you give, Simon?” Simon said: “Let Peter declare what I am thinking.” “It shall now be manifest,” said Peter, “that I understand what Simon thinks.” Then wrath seized Simon, because he could not understand the apostle’s thought, and this is what he said: “Bring forth great dogs, and let them devour Peter in the presence of Nero Caesar!” Dogs of wonderful size came at once, and fell upon Peter to devour him. But Peter stretched forth his hands in prayer, and threw to the dogs the loaf he had blessed; and when the dogs saw it, they vanished at once. Then Peter said to Nero: “I told you that I knew what Simon had thought — that he would bring hounds against me; and they are no divine angels.” Nero said to Simon: “I deem, O Simon, that you are overcome.” Simon said: “He did the like against me in the land of Judah and Palestine; and from the time he used to contend with me often, he learned these tricks from me.” Nero said: “You have been driven by envy against these men; for as I perceive, there is great enmity between you and Christ in this matter; and I fear your overthrow and destruction by them.” Simon said: “Let them not deceive you, O commander,” said he. Nero said: “They have not deceived me; but I see that you are the adversary of Peter and Paul and of their master, Jesus.” Simon said: “Christ was never a teacher of Paul’s.” Paul said: “The one who taught Peter in person taught me through revelation.” Simon said to Nero: “I wonder that you are in doubt about me, seeing I have wrought wonders and many miracles before you.” Nero said: “I doubt not, and I believe none of you; but answer me the thing I shall ask you.” Simon said: “I will answer nothing for you.” Nero said: “Why then should I not count you for nothing, for you are false in everything, as I perceive in you? And you three have made me doubtful, so that I know not now in which God to believe.” Peter said: “Believe in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Creator of all the elements; it is He who made heaven and earth and all that is in them; He is the true King, and there is no end to His kingdom.” Simon said: “Do you not know that there is appointed for you the thing you seek — to go to martyrdom?” Peter and Paul said: “O Simon, O foul druid, O vessel full of demons and of bitterness, there shall be no good for you now before.” Simon said: “Listen, Nero, that you may know these men are deceivers; but I, since it is to heaven I came, shall go to heaven tomorrow; then I shall prove that they who believe in me are faithful, and I shall reveal my wrath and fury upon those who deny me.” Peter and Paul said: “Our God has called us from far away to heaven and to His great glory and honour; but you are called by the devil, and are hastening to destruction and everlasting pain.” Simon said: “Nero — keep these madmen from me a day, that I may do you good when I reach my Father in heaven.” Nero said: “From where shall we know that you will go to heaven?” Simon said: “Bid a great tower of timbers be made for me to go up into; and let my angels bear me from there into the air — for they cannot come to earth among sinners.” Then Nero commanded a high tower to be made in the Field of Mars, and he bade all the people and the chiefs and the apostles come to witness this deed the next day. Nero said to the apostles: “Now it shall be manifest who has the truth.” Peter and Paul said: “We shall not expose Simon, that he is false — but our Lord Jesus Christ shall expose him.” Then Paul turned to Peter and said to him: “It is for me to kneel and pray to the Lord; it is for you to overthrow Simon when he is received on high — for your exaltation by God is more precious.” Peter said to Simon: “The thing you have attempted, do it; for the hour of your downfall’s revelation has drawn near; and the hour of our calling upon God is near — for I see my Lord Jesus Christ calling me and calling Paul.” Nero said: “Where would you go against my will?” Peter said: “Where the Lord calls me — Jesus Christ, in whom is my strength — there I go.” Nero said: “Is it to heaven you go?” Peter said: “Where God wills to call me, there I go.”

¹⁰ At that moment Simon was received up into the tower in the sight of all, and stretched out his hands, and was flying in the air. Nero said: “This man Simon speaks truth — but you and Paul are deceivers.” Peter said to him: “You shall know shortly that we are true disciples of Christ — and that Simon is no God, but a foul, deceiving druid.” Nero said: “Persist still in your wickedness — you plainly see him going to heaven.” Peter said to Paul: “Lift up your head and see Simon flying.” Paul said: “O Peter, fulfil the thing you began — for our Lord, Jesus Christ, is calling us.” Now when Nero heard their converse, he mocked them and said: “It is plain to these people now that you are defeated and out of your senses.” Peter said: “I conjure you, O angels of the devil, who hold this man up in the air for the seduction of the hearts of unbelieving men — by the Creator of all the elements, by Christ who rose the third day from the dead, bear him no longer from this hour forth!” At once Simon fell down in the place called Sacra Via, and his body was broken into four pieces; and four stones were set up from them in memory of the apostolic victory, to this day.

¹¹ Then Nero commanded that the apostles be bound, and Simon’s body be kept for three days — for he thought he would rise again on the third day. Peter said to him: “He shall never rise, for he has died in pain and destruction.” Then Nero said to the viceroy — Agrippa was his name: “Take these impious men and put them under fiery swords, that their life may be ended thus — and everyone who agrees with them.” The viceroy said: “O king, O commander, a like death is not fitting for them — for Paul is innocent, but Peter is guilty and impious. What seems just to me is this — that Paul be beheaded, and Peter crucified.” Nero said: “The judgement you have given is good,” said he.

¹² Then the apostles were led out in Nero’s presence. Now as Paul was being brought to the place of execution, he saw a woman with a white linen cloth in her hand. Paul said to her: “Give me the linen cloth for my head, that the executioner’s hand may not be seen; and I will bring it back to you at once.” The woman gave him the cloth. Then Paul was beheaded on a marble pillar in the Via Ostiensis, and he sent the linen back to the woman behind him. Now Paul’s head ran at once to a certain lake and was there forty years. Then, in the fortieth year, the daughter of the woman who had given the linen to Paul went to wash clothes at that same lake; and she saw the lights burning in the lake, and it was made known throughout the city. Then the Roman people came to the lake, and found Paul’s head in the middle of the lake; they took the head then with honour and great choral chanting to the body; and the body and the head were as it were shedding blood, as though he had been beheaded that very day. And they set the head to the body, and it cleaved to it as though he were alive; and all praised and blessed the Lord for that miracle.

¹³ Now Peter, when he reached the cross, said: “My Lord Jesus Christ, who came from heaven, was crucified with His head up and His feet down; but I am not worthy to be placed in that manner — let my head be down and my feet up.” The executioners did so. Then a countless multitude gathered there, and this is what they resolved — to burn Nero Caesar. But Peter called out and said: “I went out today to speak with a brother of mine, and my Lord Jesus Christ met me on the road, and I worshipped Him, and I said to Him, ‘Domine quo vadis?’ — ‘where go You, Lord?’ and Christ said, ‘I go to Rome to be crucified again’ — this is what Christ said to me, that is, ‘I am recalled, for I go again to my crucifixion at Rome — to be crucified in my members, the apostles.’ Hinder not, then, my journey and my going,” said Peter, “for I am going to heaven — for it is to the members of Christ that I and Paul belong.” When Peter had said these words and other words, he gave up his spirit. Then holy men — angels, the like of whom was never seen before or since — raised him up, and this is what they said: “For Peter’s sake we have come from Jerusalem” — Jerusalem being there a name for heaven. Then they took Peter’s body secretly away, and laid it in the place called the Vatican; and they said to the Roman people: “Rejoice and be glad, for so great elders and friends of the Lord are among you.”

¹⁴ Now the Roman people conceived a great hatred of Nero — so much so that they resolved to scourge and beat him to death. When Nero heard that counsel, a trembling and unspeakable dread came upon him, and he fled secretly into the deserts and woods of the land, wandering and straying, till he died of cold and hunger, and beasts and birds devoured him afterwards.

¹⁵ Then the Greeks came to carry off the bodies of the apostles to their own land; and a great earthquake came there, and the Roman people ran and overtook them, and laid the bodies in the place called the Catacombs; and they were seven months and a year in that place, until the building of the shrines was finished in which the bodies were laid at last. Then Peter’s body was laid in the Vatican — one mile’s pace east of Rome. And Paul’s body was laid in the second mile south of Rome. It is there that his petition is granted to everyone through the intercession of those high apostles.

¹⁶ Today the two holy apostles finished their fight against the devil and the world. Today all the heavenly city rejoiced, and came to meet the apostles with chants and many praises. Today holy Peter was received up to Jesus Christ — he who gave him a special love beyond every apostle — and he is in everlasting joy in the presence of Him to whom he gave great love. Today the keys of the heavenly city were given him, so that he shuts and opens to everyone as he wills. Today was given to holy Paul the apostle the thing he ever asked, saying: “I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ” — to see that Christ face to face; for whose sake he counted as nothing his brethren and his kindred and his friends and the whole world. To him was given a love unspeakable, as he himself says: “There is neither tribulation nor distress nor persecution nor famine nor danger nor sword that shall separate me from the love of Christ,” said Paul. Today the two holy elders and two faithful shepherds of the Church were received up to heaven — to the true Father and the true Shepherd, Jesus Christ; and they shall be with Him judging the human race, as He said to them: “When the Son of Man shall sit in the seat of His majesty, you also shall sit upon twelve seats, judging the twelve tribes of Israel”; and after that judgement they shall be in the heavenly life for ever and ever — in the union of the holy, holy, holy ones of the world, in the union of the nine orders of heaven who have not transgressed, in the union of the noble, reverend Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Spirit.

¹⁷ Let us beseech God’s mercy through the intercession of Peter and Paul, that we may all attain to that union — may we merit it, may we dwell in it, for ever and ever. Amen.

¹⁸ Here follows the Passion of Bartholomew.*