The Eucharistic Prayer for the Commemoration of Blandina and Her Companions, Martyrs

There is a tendency to think that persecution of the early Christians happened only in places like Rome or Jerusalem. Sadly, the ugly part of the Roman Empire stretched to the north where, in 177, persecution of believers began in Lyons, France, and elsewhere. Christians first experienced social ostracism until the government became involved when being a Christian became grounds for detainment. Slaves in Christian households were taken into custody and tortured. Persecution knew no boundaries. In this year, civil unrest was nurtured among the citizenry and those especially chosen included an elderly Bishop, Pothinus, a deacon, Sanctus, a new convert, Maturus, and a slave, Blandina all of whom suffered death because of their faith and the false allegations made against the church. After their torturous deaths, their remains were casually tossed into the Rhone.

P: It is truly right and a good and joyful thing
that we should at all times and in all places,
offer our thanks and praise to you,
Holy God through Christ our Lord.

Throughout the ages, you stood by those
who witnessed to your love,
even to the point of offering up their very lives.

And so with the Church on earth,
with Blandina, Pothinus, Sanctus, Maturus,
and all the hosts of heaven,
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
The Sanctus is said or sung.

P: You are indeed holy, O God,
and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.
Fully God and fully human,
no vile was done by him
yet he took upon himself the sins of the world.

By the baptism of Jesus’ suffering, death,
and resurrection,
you gave birth to your church,
delivered us from slavery to sin and death,
and made with us a new covenant by water
and the Spirit.

On the night before he suffered death,
our Lord Jesus gathered his friends around
the table and as he took bread,
he offered thanks to you; breaking it,
and giving it to all of them, saying:
“Take and eat; this is my body, given for
you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After all of them had eaten,
he again took the cup and offered thanks to you,
and gave it for all to drink, saying:
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness
of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a holy and living sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
C: Christ has died.
Christ has risen.
Christ will come again.

P: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here
and on these gifts of bread and wine.
As they are the body and blood of Christ for us,
so may we be for the world the body of Christ,
redeemed by his blood.

May we be fully rooted in your love that we
might withstand any sufferings that come our way.

By your Spirit bind us to Christ,
one to another,
together in ministry to all the world,
until Christ comes in final victory
and we gather at the River with the white robed martyrs
and feast at the heavenly banquet.

Through your son Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit in your holy church,
all honor and glory is yours, Almighty God,
now and forever.
C: Amen

P: And now, as God’s confident children, we boldly pray:
C: Our Father in heaven...