Vespers

KNEEL
(PRAYER BEFORE OFFICE)
Aperi, Domine

STAND and PROFOUND INCLINATION

Saturday Vespers

Sunday Vespers

Festal and Ferial Vespers

Sunday Office in Advent

First Sunday in Advent

Second Sunday in Advent

Third Sunday in Advent

Fourth Sunday in Advent

Ferial and Festal Office in Advent

On excepted Feasts, the Antiphon is taken from the Common of the Saints, or from the Proper of Feast, and the psalms are said as indicated in the Proper of the Feast. 

THE ORDO

In the Office of any other Feastday, as also in the Ferial Office, the Antiphons and Psalms for Vespers are of the current weekday.

Creátor alme síderum,
Ætérna lux credéntium,
Jesu, Redémptor ómnium,
Inténde votis súpplicum.

Qui dæmonis ne fráudibus
Períret orbis, ímpetu
Amóris actus, lánguidi
Mundi medéla factus es.

Commúne qui mundi nefas
Ut expiáres, ad crucem
E Vírginis sacrário
Intácta prodis víctima.

Cujus potéstas glóriæ,
Noménque cum primum sonat,
Et cælites et ínferi
Treménte curvántur genu.

Te deprecámur últimæ
Magnum diéi Júdicem,
Armis supérnæ grátiæ
Defénde nos ab hóstibus.

Virtus, honor, laus, glória
Deo Patri cum Fílio,
Sancto simul Paráclito,
In sæculórum sæcula.  Amen.

Creator of the stars of night,
Thy people's everlasting light,
Jesu, Redeemer, save us all,
And hear thy servants when they call.

Thou, grieving that the ancient curse
Should doom to death an universe,
Hast found the medicine, full of grace,
To save and heal a ruined race.

Thou camest, the Bridegroom of the Bride,
As drew the world to evening tide,
Proceeding from a virgin shrine,
The spotless Victim all divine.

At whose dread Name, majestic now,
All knees must bend, all hearts must bow;
And things celestial thee shall own
And things terrestrial, Lord alone.

O thou whose coming is with dread,
To judge and doom the quick and dead,
Preserve us, while we dwell below,
From every insult of the foe.

All praise, eternal Son, to thee
Whose Advent doth thy people free;
Whom with the Father we adore,
And Holy Ghost, for evermore.  Amen.

STAND

CANTICUM BEATÆ MARIÆ VIRGINIS

Luc. 1. 46-55

MAGNIFICAT † : * ánima mea Dóminum.
2  Et exsultávit spíritus meus: * in Deo, salutári meo.
3  Quia respéxit humilitátem ancíllæ suæ: * ecce enim ex hoc beátam me dicent omnes generatiónes.
4  Quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est: * (Fit reverentia) et sanctum nomen ejus.
5  Et misericórdia ejus, a progénie in progénies: * timéntibus eum.
6  Fecit poténtiam in bráchio suo: * dispérsit supérbos mente cordis sui.
7  Depósuit poténtes de sede: * et exaltávit húmiles.
8  Esuriéntes implévit bonis: * et dívites dimísit inánes.
9  Suscépit Israël púerum suum: * recordátus misericórdiæ suæ.
10  Sicut locútus est ad patres nostros: * Abraham, et sémini ejus in sæcula.
11  Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.
12  Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper,  *  et in sæcula sæculórum.  Amen.

CANTICLE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Luc. 1. 46-55

My soul * † doth magnify the Lord.
2  And my spirit hath rejoiced * in God my Saviour.
3  For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden : * for behold, from henceforth * all generations shall call me blessed.
4  For he that is mighty hath magnified me; * (Here all make a profound reverence) and holy is his Name.
5  And his mercy is on them that fear him * throughout all generations.
6  He hath shewed strength with his arm; * he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
7  He hath put down the mighty from their seat, * and hath exalted the humble and meek.
8  He hath filled the hungry with good things; * and the rich he hath sent empty away.
9  He remembering his mercy * hath holpen his servant Israel.
10  As he promised to our forefathers, * Abraham and his seed for ever.
11  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
12  As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end.  Amen.

Preces

V.  Kyrie, eléison.
R.  Christe, eléison.  Kyrie, eléison.

V.  Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Christ, have mercy upon us.  Lord have mercy upon us.

V.  Convértere, Dómine, úsquequo?
R.  Et deprecábilis esto super servos tuos.

V.  Fiat misericórdia tua, Dómine, super nos.
R.  Quemádmodum sperávimus in te.

V.  Sacerdótes tui induántur justítiam.
R.  Et sancti tui exsúltent.

V.  Orémus pro beatíssimo Papa nostro N.
R.  Dóminus consérvet eum, et vivíficet eum, et beátum fáciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in ánimam inimicórum ejus.

V.  Turn thee again, O Lord, at the last.
R.  And be gracious unto thy servants.

V.  Let thy merciful kindness, O Lord, be upon us.
R.  Like as we do put our trust in thee.

V.  Endue thy ministers with righteousness.
R.  And make thy chosen people joyful.

V.  Let us pray for our most blessed Pope N.
R.  The Lord preserve him and keep him alive, that he may be blessed upon earth ; and deliver not thou him into the will of his enemies.

Romæ præcedens Versus cum suo Responsorio omittitur; alibi vero ad litteram N. ab omnibus nomen diœcesani Episcopi exprimatur, Vacante Apostolica vel Episcopali Sede, alteruter vel uterque respectivus Versus cum suo Responsorio præteritur.

V.  Dómine, salvum fac regem.
R.  Et exáudi nos in die, qua invocavérimus te.

V.  Salvum fac pópulum tuum, Dómine, et bénedic hereditáti tuæ.
R.  Et rege eos, et extólle illos usque in ætérnum.

In Rome, the preceding Versicle and its Response are omitted.  Elsewhere, the name of the local Ordinary is inserted at the letter N.  If the Holy See or the See of the local Bishop is vacant, the appropriate V. and R., either or both as the case may be, is omitted.

V.  O Lord, save the king.
R.  And mercifully hear us, when we call upon thee.

V.  O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine inheritance.
R.  Govern them, and lift them up for ever.

V.  Fiat pax in virtúte tua.
R.  Et abundántia in túrribus tuis.

V.  Orémus pro benefactóribus nostris.
R.  Retribúere dignáre, Dómine, ómnibus, nobis bona faciéntibus propter nomen tuum, vitam ætérnam.  Amen.

V.  Peace be within thy walls.
R.  And plenteousness within thy palaces.

V.  Let us pray for our benefactors.
R.  Vouchsafe, O Lord, for thy Name's sake, to reward with eternal life all them that do us good.  Amen.

V.  Orémus pro fidélibus defúnctis.
R.  Réquiem ætérnam dona eis, Dómine, et lux perpétua lúceat eis.

V.  Requiéscant in pace.
R.  Amen.

V.  Pro frátribus nostris abséntibus.
R.  Salvos fac servos tuos, Deus meus, sperántes in te.

V.  Pro afflíctis et captívis.
R.  Líbera eos, Deus Israël, ex ómnibus tribulatiónibus suis.

V.  Let us pray for the faithful departed.
R.  Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord ; and let perpetual light shine upon them.

V.  May they rest in peace.
R.  Amen.

V.  Let us pray for our absent brethren.
R.  Save thy servants, O my God, that put their trust in thee.

V.  Let us pray for the afflicted and captives.
R.  Deliver them, O God of Israel, out of all their tribulations.

V.  Exsúrge, Christe, ádjuva nos.
R.  Et líbera nos propter nomen tuum.

V.  Dómine, exáudi oratiónem meam.
R.  Et clamor meus ad te véniat.

V.  O Christ, arise, and help us.
R.  And deliver us for thy Name's sake.

V.  O Lord, hear my prayer.
R.  And let my cry come unto thee.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH