Rejoice, Irene, fair-looking holy virgin-martyr,
Your preaching turned so many godless unto Christ.
His message moved the worldly masses into upstir,
Since foolishness for them was the Messiah's Cross.
Accompanied by thirteen fellow virgins in tranquility of pillar,
In luxury you lived, delighting in a quiet life of a princess,
Best care and education you were given by the kingly parent.
Apellian Licinius appointed as your private teacher and docent,
Through whom you came to know Jesus of New Testament.
Destroying golden idols of your gentile father,
You boldly have confessed the Truth in front of him.
Rejecting bridegrooms, staying virgin for Another,
For God Himself you burnt with love like seraphim.
In fury father ordered death of his beloved daughter,
But found death himself by horse that trampled him and not Irene.
Revenging not, you prayed for revival of malefactor rather,
Who then repented like so many witnesses of this so great a scene.
While serving Christ with apostolic zeal and ardor,
You went to other places to proclaim His holy name.
And Holy God has glorified Himself by working wonder
In many martyrdoms that you with patience overcame.
Nor snakes and scorpions, not even insects dared to bite you,
And red-hot calves could neither burn you by its deadly flame.
Immortal God has resurrected you after they beheaded you.
So thousands pagans Christians became and only devils were to blame.
To Ephesus you were replaced by Providence of Mighty Savior,
There you instructed multitudes in doctrine of the Gospel’s Way.
And all of them were born anew by baptism via Timothy the senior,
While you found peaceful end in cave from worldly noise so far away.
Great is your legacy in Thrace, in Asia and beyond, where sun arises,
Of purity and holiness you are for us a great example,
Now you deservedly enjoy the happiness of blissful paradise.
Of love and chastity you are so wonderful a sample.
To God the Three-in-One be praise for love Divine that is so ample.
Your preaching turned so many godless unto Christ.
His message moved the worldly masses into upstir,
Since foolishness for them was the Messiah's Cross.
Accompanied by thirteen fellow virgins in tranquility of pillar,
In luxury you lived, delighting in a quiet life of a princess,
Best care and education you were given by the kingly parent.
Apellian Licinius appointed as your private teacher and docent,
Through whom you came to know Jesus of New Testament.
Destroying golden idols of your gentile father,
You boldly have confessed the Truth in front of him.
Rejecting bridegrooms, staying virgin for Another,
For God Himself you burnt with love like seraphim.
In fury father ordered death of his beloved daughter,
But found death himself by horse that trampled him and not Irene.
Revenging not, you prayed for revival of malefactor rather,
Who then repented like so many witnesses of this so great a scene.
While serving Christ with apostolic zeal and ardor,
You went to other places to proclaim His holy name.
And Holy God has glorified Himself by working wonder
In many martyrdoms that you with patience overcame.
Nor snakes and scorpions, not even insects dared to bite you,
And red-hot calves could neither burn you by its deadly flame.
Immortal God has resurrected you after they beheaded you.
So thousands pagans Christians became and only devils were to blame.
To Ephesus you were replaced by Providence of Mighty Savior,
There you instructed multitudes in doctrine of the Gospel’s Way.
And all of them were born anew by baptism via Timothy the senior,
While you found peaceful end in cave from worldly noise so far away.
Great is your legacy in Thrace, in Asia and beyond, where sun arises,
Of purity and holiness you are for us a great example,
Now you deservedly enjoy the happiness of blissful paradise.
Of love and chastity you are so wonderful a sample.
To God the Three-in-One be praise for love Divine that is so ample.
I read different versions of her life story and it's not quite clear whether she lived in the first century or the third; whether she lived in Thrace or Persia/Parthia. In any case she was from royal descent and Greek by birth, at least in a cultural sense. By her holy intercession may we be saved
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