Ss. Fabian, Pope, and Sebastian

Martyrs

Double

Common

1st Vespers

Matins

Lauds

COLLECT OF THE DAY

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH

First Vespers

V.  Be glad, O ye righteous, and rejoice in the Lord.
R.  And be joyful, all ye that are true of heart.

Ad Magnif. Ant:  Istórum est enim *  regnum cælórum, qui contempsérunt vitam mundi, et pervenérunt ad præmia regni, et lavérunt stolas suas in sánguine Agni.

Ant. on Magnif:  Blessed are they * who have despised earthly pleasure, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven: they have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, and have won the heavenly great reward.

MAGNIFICAT

THE MAGNIFICAT

Oremus.
Infirmitátem nostram réspice, omnípotens Deus : et, quia pondus própriæ actiónis gravat, beatórum Mártyrum tuórum Fabiáni et Sebastiáni intercéssio gloriósa nos prótegat.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
Protect us, O Lord, we beseech thee : who observe the feast of blessed Fabian and Sebastian, thy holy Martyrs; and grant that by their meritorious supplication we may ever find favour in thy sight.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH

Matins

The first part of Matins is in the Ordinary

Invitatory and Hymn

First Nocturn

Second Nocturn

Third Nocturn

First Nocturn

The Lessons for the First Nocturn are taken from the occurrent Scripture.  If, however, they are to be taken from the Common, they are read from that of Several Martyrs, Fratres : Debitores.

Scripture Lessons

Lessons from Common of Several Martyrs

Second Nocturn

Absolutio: Ipsíus píetas et misericórdia nos ádjuvet, qui cum Patre et Spíritu Sancto vivit et regnat in sæcula sæculórum.
R.  Amen.

Absolution:  May his loving-kindness and mercy assist us.  Who, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, for ever and ever.
R.  Amen.

V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.

V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.

Benedíctio 4: Deus Pater omnípotens sit nobis propítius et clemens.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 4:  May God the Father Almighty shew us his mercy and pity.
R.  Amen.

Fabiánus Románus, a Maximíno usque ad Décium regens Ecclésiam, septem diáconis regiónes divísit, qui páuperum curam habérent.  Tótidem subdiáconos creávit, qui res gestas Mártyrum a septem notáriis scriptas collígerent.  Idem státuit, ut quotánnis féria quinta in Cœna Dómini, vétere combústo, chrisma renovarétur.  Dénique décimo tértio Kaléndas Februárii in persecutióne Décii martyrio coronátus, in cœmetério Callísti via Appia sepelítur, cum sedísset annos quíndecim, dies quátuor.  Hic fecit ordinatiónes quinque mense Decémbri, quibus creávit presbyteros vigínti duos, diáconos septem, epíscopos per divérsa loca úndecim.

Fabian was a Roman, and sat as Pope from the reign of the Emperor Maximian till that of Decius.  He appointed a deacon to each of the seven districts of Rome to look after the poor.  He likewise appointed the same number of subdeacons to collect the acts of the Martyrs from the records kept by the seven district notaries.  It was by him that it was ordained that every Maundy Thursday the old Chrism should be burnt and new consecrated.  He was crowned with martyrdom upon the 20th of January, in the persecution of Decius, and buried in the cemetery of St. Callistus on the Appian Way, having sat in the throne of Peter fifteen years and four days.  He held five Advent ordinations, in which he ordained twenty-two priests, seven deacons, and eleven bishops for divers Sees.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

R.  Sancti tui, Dómine, mirábile consecúti sunt iter, serviéntes præcéptis tuis, ut inveniréntur illæsi in aquis válidis : * Terra appáruit árida, et in Mari Rubro via sine impediménto.
V.  Quóniam percússit petram, et fluxérunt aquæ, et torréntes inundavérunt.
R.  Terra appáruit árida, et in Mari Rubro via sine impediménto.

R.  Thy Saints, O Lord, have passed a wonderful way, serving thy commandments, that they might be found without hurt in the midst of the mighty waters. * Dry land appeared, and out of the Red Sea, a way without impediment.
V.  He smote the rock, and the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed.
R.  Dry land appeared, and out of the Red Sea, a way without impediment.

V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.

V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.

Benedíctio 5: Christus perpétuæ det nobis gáudia vitæ.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 5: May Christ bestow upon us the joys of life eternal.
R.  Amen.

Sebastiánus ex patre Narbonénsi, matre Mediolanénsi natus, ob géneris nobilitátem et virtútem Diocletiáno carus fuit.  Dux primæ cohórtis, Christiános, quorum fidem clam colébat, ópera et facultátibus adjuvábat ; et qui ex eis tormentórum vim reformidáre videbántur, cohortatióne sic confirmábat, ut pro Jesu Christo multi se ultro tortóribus offérrent.  In illis fuére Marcus et Marcelliánus fratres, qui Romæ in custódia erant apud Nicóstratum : cujus uxor Zoë vocem, quam amíserat, Sebastiáni oratióne recuperávit.  Quibus Diocletiáno delátis, Sebastiánum accérsit, et veheméntius objurgátum ómnibus artifíciis a Christi fide conátur avértere.  Sed cum nihil nec pollicéndo, nec terréndo profíceret, ad palum alligátum sagíttis confígi jubet.

The father of Sebastian was of Narbonne, and his mother a Milanese.  He was a great favourite of the Emperor Diocletian, both on account of his noble birth  and his personal bravery, and was by him appointed captain of the first company of the Praetorian Guards.  He was in secret a Christian, and often supported the others both by good offices and money.  When some shewed signs of yielding under persecution, he so successfully exhorted them, that, for Jesus Christ's sake, many offered themselves to the tormentors.  Among  these were the brothers Mark and Marcellian who were imprisoned at Rome in the house of Nicostratus.  The wife of Nicostratus himself, named Zoe, had lost her voice, but it was restored to her at the prayer of Sebastian.  These facts becoming known to Diocletian, he sent for Sebastian, and after violently rebuking him, used every means to turn him from his faith in Christ.  But as neither promises nor threats availed, he ordered him to be tied to a post and shot to death with arrows.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

R.  Vérbera carníficum non timuérunt Sancti Dei, moriéntes pro Christi nómine : * Ut herédes fíerent in domo Dómini.
V.  Tradidérunt córpora sua propter Deum ad supplícia.
R.  Ut herédes fíerent in domo Dómini.

R.  The Saints of God shrank not from the stripes of the executioners, but chose to die for the Name of Christ,  * That they might be made joint-heirs in the house of the Lord.
V.  They delivered their bodies for God's sake to suffer torment.
R.  That they might be made joint-heirs in the house of the Lord.

V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.

V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.

Benedíctio 6: Ignem sui amóris accéndat Deus in córdibus nostris.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 6: May God enkindle in our hearts the fire of his holy love.
R.  Amen.

Quem ómnium opinióne mórtuum noctu sancta múlier Iréne sepeliéndi grátia jussit auférri ; sed vivum repértum domi suæ curávit.  Itaque paulo post confirmáta valetúdine, Diocletiáno óbviam factus, ejus impietátem libérius accusávit.  Cujus aspéctu cum ille primum obstupuísset, quod mórtuum créderet ; rei novitáte et acri Sebastiáni reprehensióne excandéscens, eum támdiu virgis cædi imperávit, donec ánimam Deo rédderet.  Ejus corpus in cloácam dejéctum Lucína, a Sebastiáno in somnis admónita ubi esset et quo loco humári vellet, ad Catacúmbas sepelívit, ubi sancti Sebastiáni nómine célebris ecclésia est ædificáta.

Sebastian was treated accordingly, and left for dead, but in the night the holy widow Irene sent for the body in order to bury it, and then found that he was still alive, and nursed him in her own house.  As soon as his health was restored, he went out to meet Diocletian, and boldly rebuked him for his wickedness.  The Emperor was first thunderstruck at the sight of a man whom he believed to been some time dead, but afterwards, frenzied with rage at the reproaches of Sebastian, ordered him to be beaten to death with rods, under which torment the martyr yielded his blessed soul to God.  His body was thrown into a sewer, but he appeared in sleep to Lucina, and made known to her where it was, and where he would have it buried.  She accordingly found it and laid it in those Catacombs, over which a famous Church hath since been built, called St. Sebastian's-without-the-Walls.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

R.  Tamquam aurum in fornáce probávit eléctos Dóminus, et quasi holocáusti hóstiam accépit illos; et in témpore erit respéctus illórum, * Quóniam donum et pax est eléctis Dei.
V.  Qui confídunt in illum, intélligent veritátem : et fidéles in dilectióne acquiéscent illi.
R.  Quóniam donum et pax est eléctis Dei.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Quóniam donum et pax est eléctis Dei.

R.  As gold in the furnace hath the Lord tried his chosen ones, and received them as a burnt-offering, and yet a while, and they shall be regarded; * For the grace of God, and his peace, are with his chosen.
V.  They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth : and such as be faithful in love shall abide with him.
R.  For the grace of God, and his peace, are with his chosen.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  For the grace of God, and his peace, are with his chosen.

If this Feast be reduced to the rank of Simple, and Lesson IX of this Feast is to be said according to the Rubrics, the following abbreviated version may be used.

Fabiánus Románus, a Maximíno usque ad Décium regens Ecclésiam, septem diáconis regiónes divísit, qui páuperum curam habérent.  Tótidem subdiáconos creávit, qui res gestas Mártyrum a septem notáriis scriptas collígerent.  Idem státuit, ut quotánnis féria quinta in Cœna Dómini vétere combústo, Chrisma renovarétur.  Dénique décimo tértio Kaléndas Februárii martyrio coronátus, in cœmetério Callísti via Appia sepelítur.  Sebastiánus, ob géneris nobilitátem et virtútem Diocletiáno carus, dux primæ cohórtis, Christiános, quorum fidem clam colébat, ópera et facultátibus adjuvábat, et in Christi confessióne confírmábat.  Quibus Diocletiáno delátis, Sebastiánum ómnibus artifíciis a Christi fide conátur avértere.  Sed cum nihil nec pollicéndo, nec terréndo profíceret, ad palum alligátum sagíttis confígi jubet.  Verum Dei servus, ómnium opinióne mórtuus, judicátus, cum paolo post, sanus Diocletiáno óbviam factus, ejus impietátem libérius accusáret, jussu tyránni támdiu virgis cæsus est, donec spíritum rédderet.

Fabian was a Roman, and ruled the Church from the time of the Emperor Maximian to that of Decius.  He appointed a deacon to each of the seven districts of Rome to look after the poor.  He likewise appointed the same number of subdeacons to collect the acts of the Martyrs from the records kept by the seven district notaries.  It was by him that it was ordained that every Maundy Thursday the old Chrism should be burnt and new consecrated.  He was crowned with martyrdom upon the 20th of January, in the persecution of Decius, and buried in the cemetery of St. Callistus on the Appian Way.  Sebastian was a great favourite of the Emperor Diocletian, both on account of his noble birth  and his personal bravery, and was by him appointed captain of the first company of the Praetorian Guards.  He aided the Christians, whose faith he secretly practised, both by good offices and by material help, and strengthened them in professing Christ.  These facts becoming known to Diocletian, he used every means to turn him from his faith in Christ.  But as neither promises nor threats availed, he ordered him to be tied to a post and shot to death with arrows.  The servant of God was then thought by all to be dead ; but shortly afterwards, restored to health, he appeared in the presence of Diocletian, and boldly rebuked him for his wickedness.  Then the tyrant ordered him beaten with rods until he expired.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

After the conclusion of the Second Nocturn, the Third Nocturn is begun according to the current weekday, as given in the table below.

Third Nocturn

In the Third Nocturn, the Gospel Homily Descendens Jesus  is read from the Common of several Martyrs, Series 2.

Gospel Homily from Common of Several Martyrs

Lauds

Ad Bened. Ant:  Vestri capílli cápitis * omnes numeráti sunt : nolíte timére : multis passéribus melióres estis vos.

Ant. on Bened:  Even the very hairs of your head * are all numbered; fear not therefore ; ye are of more value than many sparrows.

BENEDICTUS

Oremus.
Infirmitátem nostram réspice, omnípotens Deus : et, quia pondus própriæ actiónis gravat, beatórum Mártyrum tuórum Fabiáni et Sebastiáni intercéssio gloriósa nos prótegat.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
Protect us, O Lord, we beseech thee : who observe the feast of blessed Fabian and Sebastian, thy holy Martyrs; and grant that by their meritorious supplication we may ever find favour in thy sight.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH