Vespers

KNEEL
(PRAYER BEFORE OFFICE)
Aperi, Domine

STAND and PROFOUND INCLINATION

STAND

V.  Deus † in adjutórium meum inténde.
R.  Dómine ad adjuvándum me festína.
Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.  Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper,  *  et in sæcula sæculórum.  Amen.   Allelúja.

V.  O God, † make speed to save me.
R.  O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.  As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.  Alleluia.

And then the Psalms with Antiphon.  Always at Vespers are said five Psalms, with their Antiphons, according to the Office of the day, as given in the Psalter, or as prescribed in the Proper or in the Common.  The appropriate antiphon is begun by the Officiant, whereupon the Psalm is intoned by the Precentor.  On excepted Feasts, the Antiphon is taken from the COMMON OF THE SAINTS, or from the PROPER OF THE FEAST, and the psalms are said as indicated in the Proper of the Feast.  The choir remains seated from the end of the intonation of the first Psalm by the Precentor until the end of the last Antiphon.

After each Psalm, its Antiphon is repeated entire by the Choir.

In the Sunday Office from Low Sunday through the V Sunday after Easter, the Chapter is from the Proper.  The Hymn and what follows is taken from the Ordinary as given below.

In the ferial Office, from the Monday after Low Sunday through Rogation Tuesday, the following are said daily.

STAND

Capitulum           Rom. 6. 9.
Christus resúrgens ex mórtuis jam non móritur, mors illi ultra non dominábitur.  Quod enim mórtuus est peccáto, mórtuus est semel : quod autem vivit, vivit Deo.
R.  Deo grátias.

The Little Chapter        Rom. 6. 9..
Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more ; death hath no more dominion over him.  For in that he died, he died unto sin once; but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
R.  Thanks be to God.

Ad régias Agni dapes,
Stolis amícti cándidis,
Post tránsitum Maris Rubri,
Christo canámus Príncipi :

Divína cujus cáritas
Sacrum propínat sánguinem,
Almíque membra córporis
Amor sacérdos ímmolat.

Sparsum cruórem póstibus
Vastátor horret Angelus :
Fugítque divísum mare ;
Mergúntur hostes flúctibus.

Jam Pascha nostrum Christus est,
Paschális idem víctima,
Et pura puris méntibus
Sinceritátis ázyma.

O vera cæli víctima,
Subjécta cui sunt tártara,
Solúta mortis víncula,
Recépta vitæ præmia.

Victor, subáctis ínferis,
Trophæa Christus éxplicat ;
Cælóque apérto, súbditum
Regem tenebrárum trahit.

Ut sis perénne méntibus
Paschále, Jesu, gáudium,
A morte dira críminum
Vitæ renátos líbera.

*  Deo Patri sit glória,
Et Fílio, qui a mórtuis
Surréxit, ac Paráclito,
In sempitérna sæcula.  Amen.

The Lamb's high banquet we await
In snow-white robes of royal state:
And now, the Red Sea's channel past,
To Christ our Prince we sing at last.

Upon the Altar of the Cross
His Body hath redeemed our loss:
And tasting of his roseate Blood,
Our life is hid with him in God.

That Paschal Eve God's arm was bared
The devastating Angel spared:
By strength of hand our hosts went free
From Pharaoh's ruthless tyranny.

Now Christ, our Paschal Lamb, is slain,
The Lamb of God that knows no stain,
The true Oblation offered here,
Our own unleavened Bread sincere.

O thou, from whom hell's monarch flies,
O great, O very Sacrifice,
Thy captive people are set free,
And endless life restored in thee.

For Christ, arising from the dead,
From conquered hell victorious sped,
And thrust the tyrant down to chains,
And Paradise for man regains.

We pray thee, King with glory decked,
In our our Paschal joy, protect
From all that death would fain effect
Thy ransomed flock, thine own elect.

Proper Doxology
All praise be thine, O risen Lord,
From death to endless life restored;
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.

• The Antiphon after the Magnificat

After the Antiphon, at once, the Salutation is said, with the Collect of the Day, as indicated below.

V.  Dóminus vobíscum.
R.  Et cum spíritu tuo.

Orémus.
Oratio conveniens
R.  Amen.

Let us pray.
Collect of the Day
R.  Amen.

Commemorations

Here are to be said any Commemorations of Concurrences or Occurences which must be made, according to the Rubrics; and also, during Eastertide, the Commemoration of the Cross, when and as prescribed in Common Forms.  After which is said the Closing Versicles:

V.  Dóminus vobíscum.
R.  Et cum spíritu tuo.

V.  Benedicámus Dómino.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  Fidélium ánimæ † per misericórdiam Dei requiéscant in pace.
R.  Amen.

Then is said secretly the final Pater, unless Compline immediately follow; in which case the Opening thereof is immediately said, as is prescribed in Common Forms.

REMAIN STANDING

From Compline of Holy Saturday through None of the Saturday within the Octave of Pentecost:

Regina cæli lætare

V.  Divínum auxílium † máneat semper nobíscum.
R.  Amen.

V. May help divine † be with us all, for ever abiding.
R.  Amen.

KNEEL
(PRAYER AFTER OFFICE)
Sacrosanctæ