St. Patrick

Bishop, Confessor

Double

Common

1st Vespers

Matins

Lauds

COLLECT OF THE DAY

Oremus.
Deus, qui ad prædicándam géntibus glóriam tuam beátum Patrícium Confessórem atque Pontíficem míttere dignátus es : ejus méritis et intercessióne concéde ; ut, quæ nobis agénda præcipis, te miseránte, adimplére possímus.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
O God, who didst send forth blessed Patrick, thy Confessor and Bishop, to preach unto the Gentiles the glory of thy Name : grant that by his merits and intercession ; we may of thy mercy be enabled to fulfil all such things as thou commandest.  Through.

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH
 

First Vespers

V.  Amávit eum Dóminus, et ornávit eum.
R.  Stolam glóriæ índuit eum.

Ad Magnif. Ant:  Sacérdos et Póntifex, * et virtútum ópifex, pastor bone in pópulo, ora pro nobis Dóminum.

Ant. on Magnif:  O holy Priest and Bishop, * thou worker of so many mighty works, and good shepherd to Christ's flock, pray for us unto the Lord our God.

MAGNIFICAT

THE MAGNIFICAT

Oremus.
Deus, qui ad prædicándam géntibus glóriam tuam beátum Patrícium Confessórem atque Pontíficem míttere dignátus es : ejus méritis et intercessióne concéde ; ut, quæ nobis agénda præcipis, te miseránte, adimplére possímus.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
O God, who didst send forth blessed Patrick, thy Confessor and Bishop, to preach unto the Gentiles the glory of thy Name : grant that by his merits and intercession ; we may of thy mercy be enabled to fulfil all such things as thou commandest.  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 Common of a Bishop Confessor, Series 1,  Fidelis sermo.

Lessons from Common of a Bishop Confessor


St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin

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.

Patrícius, Hibérniæ dictus Apóstolus, Calphúrnio patre, matre Conchéssa, sancti Martíni Turonénsis epíscopi, ut pérhibent, consanguínea, majóri in Británnia natus, puer in barbarórum sæpius íncidit captivitátem.  Eo in statu pascéndis grégibus præpósitus, jam tum futúræ sanctitátis spécimen præbuit : fídei namque diviníque timóris et amóris spíritu replétus, antelucáno témpore per nives, gelu ac plúvias ad preces Deo fundéndas, ímpiger consurgébat ; sólitus cénties intérdiu, centiésque noctu Deum oráre.  A servitúte tértio exémptus et inter cléricos relátus, in divínis lectiónibus longo se témpore exércuit.  Gálliis, Itália insulísque Tyrrhéni maris labóre summo peragrátis, divíno tandem mónitu ad Hibernórum salútem advocátur ; et, facta a beáto Cælestíno Papa Evangélii nuntiándi potestáte, consecratúsque epíscopus, in Hibérniam perréxit.

Patrick, called the Apostle of Ireland, was born in Great Britain.  The name of his father was Calphurnius, and that of his mother Conchessa.  She is said to have been a relation of St. Martin, Bishop of Tours.  When Patrick was a youth, he was several times taken prisoner by savages, and while being in their hands he was employed as a shepherd, he already shewed marks of his saintliness to come.  His spirit was filled with faith, and love, and fear of God, so that he would rise before the light, in snow, and frost, and rain, to make his prayers to God, being accustomed to address God in prayer an hundred times every day, and an hundred times every night.  After being rescued from his third captivity, he was placed among the clergy, and for a long time exercised himself in sacred learning.  To this end, he travelled with much labour, through Gaul, Italy, and the islands of the Tyrrhenian Sea, but at last being called of God to work for the salvation of the Irish, and having received from the Blessed Pope Celestine a commission to preach the Gospel, and likewise being consecrated a Bishop, he betook himself to Ireland.

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

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

R.  Invéni David servum meum, óleo sancto meo unxi eum : * Manus enim mea auxiliábitur ei.
V.  Nihil profíciet inimícus in eo, et fílius iniquitátis non nocébit ei.
R.  Manus enim mea auxiliábitur ei.

R.  I have found David my servant, with my holy oil have I anointed him. * My hand shall hold him fast.
V.  The enemy shall not be able to do him violence ; the son of wickedness shall not hurt him.
R.  My hand shall hold him fast.

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.

Eo in múnere mirum quot vir apostólicus mala, quot ærúmnas et labóres, quot pertúlerit adversários.  Verum Dei afflánte benignitáte, terra illa, idolórum ántea cultrix, eum mox prædicánte Patrício fructum dedit, ut Sanctórum ínsula deínde fúerit appelláta.  Frequentíssimi ab eo pópuli sacro sunt regeneráti lavácro : epíscopi, clericíque plúrimi ordináti : vírgines ac víduæ ad continéntiæ leges institútæ.  Armachánam sedem, Románi Pontíficis auctoritáte, totíus ínsulæ príncipem metrópolim constítuit, Sanctorúmque relíquiis ab Urbe relátis decorávit.  Supérnis visiónibus, prophetíæ dono, ingentibúsque signis et prodígiis a Deo exornátus ádeo refúlsit, ut longe latéque celébrior Patrícii se fama diffúderit.

In the discharge of his calling it is a marvel with how many evils, with how many sufferings and labours, and with how many adversaries the Apostolic Patrick had to bear.  Nevertheless, by the goodness of God, that island, which had up to that time been given over to the serving of idols, was, through the preaching of Patrick, so wrought on that she soon brought the fruit which won her the name of the Island of Saints.  Patrick caused many of her people to be born again by the washing of regeneration ; he ordained many Bishops and clerks ; he decreed rules for virgins and widows living in continency.  By the authority of the Bishop of Rome he established the See of Armagh as the Primatial See of all Ireland, and enriched the Church with relicks of the Saints brought from Rome.  Patrick, moreover, was so eminently adored with heavenly visions, with the gift of prophecy, and with great signs and wonders from God, that the fame of him spread itself abroad more and more, day by day.

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

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

R.  Pósui adjutórium super poténtem, et exaltávi eléctum de plebe mea : * Manus enim mea auxiliábitur ei.
V.  Invéni David servum meum, óleo sancto meo unxi eum.
R.  Manus enim mea auxiliábitur ei.

R.  I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people. * My hand shall hold him fast.
V.  I have found David, my servant, with my holy oil have I anointed him.
R.  My hand shall hold him fast.

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.

Præter quotidiánam ecclesiárum sollicitúdinem, invíctum ab oratióne spíritum numquam relaxábat.  Ajunt enim, íntegrum quotídie Psaltérium, una cum Cánticis et Hymnis ducentísque oratiónibus, consuevísse recitáre, tercénties per dies síngulos fléxis génibus Deum adoráre, ac in quálibet Hora diéi canónica cénties se crucis signo muníre.  Noctem tria in spátia distríbuens, primum in centum Psalmis percurréndis, et bis cénties genuflecténdo ; álterum in réliquis quinquagínta Psalmis, álgidis aquis immérsus, ac corde, óculis manibúsque ad cælum eréctus, absolvéndis insumébat ; tértium vero super nudum lápidem stratus ténui dabat quiéti.  Humilitátis exímius cultor, apostólico more a mánuum suárum labóre non abstínuit.  Assíduis tandem curis pro Ecclésia consúmptus, verbo et ópere clarus, in extréma senectúte divínis mystériis reféctus, obdormívit in Dómino, sepultúsque est apud Dunum in Ultónia, a christiána salúte sæculo quinto.

Besides that which came upon him daily, the care of all the Churches of Ireland, he never suffered his spirit to weary in constant prayer.  They say that it was his custom to repeat every day the whole Book of Psalms, together with Songs and Hymns, and two hundred Prayers ; that he bent his knees to God in worship three hundred times every day, and that he made on himself the sign of the Cross an hundred times at each of the Seven Hours of the Church Service.  He divided the night into three portions ; during the first he repeated the first hundred Psalms, and bent his knees two hundred times ; during the second he remained plunged in cold water, with heart, eyes, and hands lifted up to heaven, and in that state repeated the remaining fifty Psalms ; during the third he took his short rest, lying upon a bare stone.  He was a great practiser of lowliness, and, after the pattern of the Apostle, he always continued to work with his own hands.  At last he fell asleep in the Lord in extreme old age, refreshed with the Divine Mysteries, worn out with unceasing care for the Churches, and glorious both in word and work.  His body is buried in Down in Ulster.  He passed away in the fifth century after the giving of salvation by Christ.

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

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

R.  Iste est, qui ante Deum magnas virtútes operátus est, et omnis terra doctrína ejus repléta est : * Ipse intercédat pro peccátis ómnium populórum.
V.  Iste est, qui contémpsit vitam mundi, et pervénit ad cæléstia regna.
R.  Ipse intercédat pro peccátis ómnium populórum.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Ipse intercédat pro peccátis ómnium populórum.

R.  This is he who wrought mighty deeds and valiant in the sight of God, and all the earth is filled with his doctrine: * May his intercession avail for the sins of all the people.
V.  He was a man who despised the life of the world and attained unto the kingdom of heaven.
R.  May his intercession avail for the sins of all the people.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  May his intercession avail for the sins of all the people.

The Tomb of St. Patrick, Down Cathedral, Ireland

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 Homo peregre is read from the Common of a Bishop Confessor, Series 1.

Gospel Homily from Common of a Bishop Confessor

Lesson IX is from the Homily of the occurring weekday

Lauds

St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York

V.  Justum dedúxit Dóminus per vias rectas.
R.  Et osténdit illi regnum Dei.

V.  The Lord guided the righteous in right paths.
R.  And shewed him the kingdom of God.

Ad Bened. Ant:  Euge, serve bone * et fidélis, quia in pauca fuísti fidélis, supra multa te constítuam, dicit Dóminus.

Ant. on Bened:  Well done, good and faithful servant: * thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, saith the Lord.

BENEDICTUS

Oremus.
Deus, qui ad prædicándam géntibus glóriam tuam beátum Patrícium Confessórem atque Pontíficem míttere dignátus es : ejus méritis et intercessióne concéde ; ut, quæ nobis agénda præcipis, te miseránte, adimplére possímus.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
O God, who didst send forth blessed Patrick, thy Confessor and Bishop, to preach unto the Gentiles the glory of thy Name : grant that by his merits and intercession ; we may of thy mercy be enabled to fulfil all such things as thou commandest.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH
 

The St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York as Irish immigrants
in the United States celebrate the Feast of their Patron Saint