Emeritus

 In the midst of the pagan world and in time of persecussions, it was the altar of the holy sacrifice where Christians drew strength from, to lead a holy life and to have the courage of martyrdom. They could not live without the Mass, the "dominicum" as they familiarly called it (...) 

In 304, Carthage, on a Sunday, a group of Christians were surprised celebrating their Mass in the house of Emeritus, alogn with other twenty-six men, four children, and eighteen women. While  interrogated, Emeritus gave the answer that led him to death: "I could not forbid my brothers to come home, I cannot, we can not live without the "dominicum "! 

 Enmig del món pagà i en temps de persecussions dels emperadors, és a l'altar del sant sacrifici d'on els cristians treien la força d'una vida santa i el coratge del martiri. No podien viure sense la missa, el "dominicum" com l'anomenaven familiarment(...)

L'any 304, a Cartago, en diumenge, un grup de cristians varen ser sorpresos celebrant el diumenge a casa d'Emeritus, amb altres vint-i-sis homes, divuit dones i quatre nens. Torturats i interrogats, Emeritus va donar la resposta que el va conduir al suplici: "Jo no podia prohibir als meus germans entrar a casa meva! Jo no puc, nosaltres no podem viure sense el "dominicum"! 

(Georges Chevrot:  Notre Messe, 228, Desclée de Brouwer)