“Let the chief pastor weave together his homilies like flowers,
let the priests make a garland of their ministry,
the deacons of their reading,
strong men of their jubilant shouts, children of their psalms,
chaste women of their songs, chief citizens of their benefactions,
ordinary folk of their manner of life.
Blessed is He who gave us so many opportunities for good!
Let us summon and invite the saints,
the martyrs, apostles and prophets,
whose own blossoms and flowers shine out like themselves –
such a wealth of roses they have, so fragrant are their lilies:
from the Garden of Delights do they pluck them,
and they bring back fair bunches
to crown our beautiful feast.
O praise to You form the [saints who are] blessed!
(St. Ephrem the Syrian, Ephrem the Syrian: Selected Poems, p. 177)
Fraternized 