Passio sanctorum decem martyrum Aegyptiorum

Fine, O beloved, is the chorus that bore witness to God in Egypt, fine and worthy of narration. For men and women found to be of one mind, having resolved to serve the Lord and having disciplined both mind and body to endure anything whatsoever, are all subjected to a single punishment, accompany one another in a common noble contest, and, victorious, bind on a bright crown. For when the executioners had grown weary, the torturers had become reluctant, and they themselves abhorred making them stonings any longer, the dux of Egypt devised a punishment beyond human invention, taking the location as his ally. For just as the sun burned and sent forth a great intensity of fire over the plains, so the natural position of Egypt is such that it is heated more quickly than other places and is more inflamed than other regions. He built a wall against the plain, raising it to such a height that it was impossible for those who wished to escape. Having shut in the like-minded, he said, "Pay the penalty, all you polluted ones, since you have held the same opinion." Stationing guards and ordering that they be questioned gradually, he said, "Water is abundant to flood the provisions; if you are thirsty, deny your God and be saved; if you need food, do this and you will have it." But they, having rightly recognized that martyrdom is the only freedom, that confession to God is the only salvation, and that death here is the only life, neither desisted because of the sun burning and scorching them, nor turned back because of the oppressive famine, nor submitted to relieving the parching thirst.

But for them, psalmody was their food, and praise of the Lord their drink. And their faith in these matters was not discordant with the voice of the Gospel. For the devil said on the mountain, "Say to this stone that it become bread," and Jesus answered him, "It is written thus: 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.'" And again in another place, answering the Samaritan woman, Jesus said, "Everyone who drinks from this water will thirst again; but he who drinks from the water that I will give him shall never thirst for eternity; rather, the water that I give him will become in him a spring of water gushing forth into eternal life." Thus the most holy ones were nourished, thus they persisted in a truly good drink, akin to the spring toward which they hastened. This psalmody, this praise had made them enjoy paradise all the more; they desired all the more to draw from the holy spring. After this, when the time came for the soul to hasten to its own places toward its own God, they gave it back full of many hymns and praises of God, and most pure. When these things were reported to the dux, he ordered that the wall built for their protection become their tomb. But we Christians send up glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and always and for all eternity. Amen.