Blest day by suff’ring sanctified:
Christ’s chosen
high apostles died.
Today St. Peter wins renown.
Today St. Paul accepts
the crown.
Together, equally, they bled:
Together: the victorious
dead.
They followed God and sacrificed
And now their faith is crowned by
Christ.
St. Peter holds the highest place,
Yet Paul is not the less by
grace.
An equal faith was giv’n to Paul:
The chosen vessel of God’s
call.
St. Peter, downward crucified—
To honor God in how he
died—
Securely tied, he sees unfold
The death his Shepherd once
foretold.
On such foundations Rome may claim
The highest service of
God’s name.
His noble blood has dignified
The city where this prophet
died.
Let all the world, then, run to Rome.
Let families of nations
come!
The head of nations teaches there
Beside the nations’ teacher’s
chair.
O Lord, we ask that we may be
In their exalted company,
And
with our princes sing Your praise
Forever, to unending days.
