St. Stanislas

Bishop and Martyr

Double

Common

Matins

Lauds

COLLECT OF THE DAY

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH
 

At Second Vespers of St. John Before the Latin Gate

Ant:  Light perpetual shall shine upon thy Saints, O Lord, and an ageless eternity, alleluia.

V.  Sancti et justi, in Dómino gaudéte, allelúja.
R.  Vos elégit Deus in hereditátem sibi, allelúja.

V.  O ye holy and righteous, rejoice in the Lord, alleluia.
R.  For God hath chosen you as his inheritance, alleluia.

Oremus.
Deus, pro cujus honóre gloriósus Póntifex Stanisláus gládiis impiórum occúbuit : præsta, quæsumus ; ut omnes, qui ejus implórant auxílium, petitiónis suæ salutárem consequántur efféctum.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
O God, who for thy sake didst suffer thy Bishop Saint Stanislas gloriously to be slain by the swords of wicked men : grant, we beseech thee ; that all they who call upon him for succour may be profited by the obtaining of all that they desire.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH

Sunday Compline
 

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 the Common of Several Martyrs outside Eastertide, Fratres : Debitores, with Responds from the Common of Martyrs in Eastertide, as therein given.

Scripture Lessons

Lessons from Common of 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.

Stanisláus Polónus, apud Cracóviam nóbili génere natus et piis paréntibus, qui ántea per annos trigínta stériles, illum a Deo précibus impetrárunt, ab ineúnte ætáte futúræ sanctitátis spécimen dedit.  Adoléscens bonis ártibus óperam navávit, multúmque in sacra cánonum et theologíæ doctrína profécit.  Paréntibus mórtuis, amplum patrimónium paupéribus distríbuit, vitæ monásticæ desidério.  Sed Dei providéntia canónicus Cracoviénsis et concionátor factus a Lampérto epíscopo, in ejus póstea locum, quamvis invítus, suffícitur.  Quo in múnere, ómnium pastorálium virtútum laude, et præcípue misericórdia in páuperes, enítuit.

Stanislas was a Pole, and was born of a noble family at Krakow.  His godly parents, who had been childless for thirty years, obtained him from God by prayer, and from his earliest years he gave token of the holiness of life which afterwards marked him.  When he was a young man he applied himself heartily to all useful learning, and was deeply read in the sacred teaching of the Canons and of Theological science.  After the death of his parents he inherited great possessions, but he sold them, and distributed the price to the poor, purposing himself to become a monk.  However, by the Providence of God, Lampert, Bishop of Krakow, named him Canon of the Cathedral Church of that diocese, and Preacher in the same : and afterwards, he was elected, against his own will, to succeed to Lampert's place.  In this office he was a bright and shining light of all virtues that become a shepherd of souls, especially of tenderness towards the poor.

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

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

R.  Lux perpétua lucébit Sanctis tuis, Dómine, * Et ætérnitas témporum, allelúja, allelúja.
V.  Lætítia sempitérna erit super cápita eórum : gáudium et exsultatiónem obtinébunt.
R.  Et ætérnitas témporum, allelúja, allelúja.

R.  Light perpetual shall shine upon thy Saints, *  And an ageless eternity, alleluia, alleluia.
V.  Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads : they shall obtain joy and gladness.
R.  And an ageless eternity, alleluia, alleluia.

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.

Erat tum Polóniæ rex Bolesláus, quem gráviter offéndit, quod illíus notam libídinem públice arguébat.  Quare in solémni regni convéntu Stanisláum per calúmniam in judícium coram se vocári curat, tamquam pagum occupáret, quem ecclésiæ suæ nómine coémerat.  Quod cum neque tábulis probáre posset, et testes veritátem cídere timérent, spondet epíscopus, se Petrum pagi venditórem, qui triénnio ante obíerat, intra dies tres in judícium adductúrum.  Conditióne cum risu accépta, vir Dei toto tríduo jejúniis et oratióni incúmbit ; ipso sponsiónis die, post oblátum Missæ sacrifícium, Petrum e sepúlcro súrgere jubet ; qui statim redivívus, epíscopum ad régium tribúnal eúntem séquitur, ibíque, rege et céteris stupóre attónitis, de agro a se véndito et prétio rite sibi ab epíscopo persolúto testimónium dicit, atque íterum in Dómino obdormívit.

At that time Boleslas II was King of Poland, and him Stanislas grievously offended, because he openly rebuked him for his shameless lust.  Wherefore, in a solemn Parliament of his kingdom, he made Stanislas to be brought before him on a false accusation of having taken wrongfully a certain village, which he had bought in the name of the Church.  The Bishop could not rebut this charge by documents, and the witnesses were in too great fear to speak the truth.  Stanislas therefore said that in three days he would produce before the judgment-seat one Peter, from whom he had bought the village, and who had been dead three years.  His enemies laughed thereat, and closed with his proposal, and the man of God gave himself up to fasting and prayer for three days.  On the day which he had promised, after he had offered up the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, he commanded Peter to rise from the grave.  Peter then immediately came to life, arose, and followed Stanislas to the King's judgment-seat, where before the King and all others, who were struck dumb with amazement, he bore witness of the sale of the village, and the honest payment of the price by the Bishop, and then again fell asleep in the Lord.

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

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

R.  In servis suis, allelúja, * Consolábitur Deus, allelúja.
V.  Judicábit Dóminus pópulum suum, et in servis suis.
R.  Consolábitur Deus, allelúja.

R.  God shall be comforted, alleluia, * In his servants, alleluia.
V.  For the Lord will avenge his people, and be gracious unto his servants.
R.  In his servants, alleluia.

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.

At Bolesláum, frustra sæpe admónitum, Stanisláus tandem a fidélium communióne rémovet.  Ille, iracúndia furens, mílites in ecclésiam immíttit, ut sanctum epíscopum confódiant ; qui, ter conáti, occúlta vi, tértio divínitus sunt depúlsi.  Postrémo ímpius rex sacerdótem Dei, Hóstiam immaculátam ad altáre offeréntem, sua manu obtrúncat.  Corpus, membrátim concísum et per agros projéctum, áquilæ a feris mirabíliter deféndunt.  Mox canónici Cracoviénses sparsa membra, noctúrni de cælo splendóris indício cólligunt, et suis locis apte dispónunt ; quæ súbito ita inter se copuláta sunt, ut nulla vúlnerum vestígia exstárent.  Multis prætérea miráculis servi sui sanctitátem Deus declarávit post ejus mortem : quibus permótus Innocéntius quartus, summus Póntifex, illum in Sanctórum númerum rétulit.  Clemens vero octávus, Póntifex máximus, sancti Stanislái festo die in Románum Breviárium reláto, gloriósi Mártyris memóriam dúplici Offício ubíque celebrári jussit.

Stanislas often rebuked Boleslas, but when he found it was in vain, he at last cut him off from the communion of Christ's faithful people.  Thereupon Boleslas became frenzied with rage, and sent soldiers to the Church to murder the holy Bishop.  This they thrice essayed to do, but God was pleased that they should be held back by some unseen power.  In the end, the ungodly King with his own hand cut off the head of the Priest of God as he was standing at the Altar offering up the Sacrifice without spot.  His body was hewn into pieces and strewn about the fields, but the eagles strangely kept the beasts of prey off it.  The Canons of the Cathedral of Krakow soon gathered together the mutilated and scattered limbs, which they were enabled to see by a lightness which overspread the sky at night ; and they fitted them together each into his place.  The relicks immediately so joined themselves one to the other, that no marks of wounds remained.  Moreover, God was pleased to manifest the holiness of his servant by many wonders after his death, by the which being moved, Pope Innocent IV added his name to those of the Saints, and the Supreme Pontiff Clement VIII gave his Feast a place in the Service Book of the Church of Rome, commanding that the memory of so glorious a Martyr should be everywhere celebrated under the Double rite.

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

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

R.  Fíliæ Jerúsalem, veníte et vidéte Mártyres cum corónis, quibus coronávit eos Dóminus * In die solemnitátis et lætítiæ, allelúja.
V.  Quóniam confortávit seras portárum tuárum, benedíxit fílios tuos in te.
R.  In die solemnitátis et lætítiæ, allelúja.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  In die solemnitátis et lætítiæ, allelúja.

R.  Go forth, O ye daughters of Sion, and behold the King of Martyrs with the crown wherewith the Lord hath crowned him * In the day of his espousals, and in the day of gladness, alleluia.
V.  For he hath made fast the bars of thy gates, and hath blessed thy children within thee.
R.  In the day of his espousals, and in the day of gladness, alleluia.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  In the day of his espousals, and in the day of gladness, alleluia.

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.

Stanisláus, apud Cracóviam nóbili génere natus, quem piis paréntibus, per trigínta annos stériles, a Deo précibus impetrárunt, ab ineúnte ætáte futúræ sanctitátis spécimen dedit.  Adoléscens in sacra cánonum et theologíæ doctrína multum profécit.  Paréntibus mórtuis, amplum patrimónium paupéribus distríbuit, vitæ monásticæ desidério.  Sed, Deo áliter disponénte, canónicus Cracoviénsis et concionátor factus a Lampérto epíscopo, in ejus póstea locum, quamvis invítus, sufféctus est.  Quo in múnere ómnium pastorálium virtútum laude, et præcípue misericórdia in páuperes enítuit.  Bolesláum Polóniæ regem, sæpius ob mores corrúptos frustra admónitum, a fidélium communióne remóvit.  Qui idcírco iracúndia furens, mílites in ecclésiam immíttit, ut sanctum epíscopum confódiant ; sed cum divínitus fuíssent depúlsi, ímpius rex sacerdótem Dei, Hóstiam immaculátam ad altáre offeréntem, sua manu obtrúncat.  Multis miráculis Servi sui sanctitátem Deus declarávit post ejus mortem, quibus permótus Innocéntius quartus illum in Sanctórum númerum rétulit.

Stanislas was born of a noble family at Krakow.  His birth was God's answer to the devout prayers of his parents, who in thirty years of marriage had remained childless.  From his earliest days, he gave tokens of future holiness, and, as a young man, made great progress in the study of canon law and theology.  When his parents died, he distríbued his large inheritance to the poor, intending to embrace the monastic life.  But God arranged otherwise, and he was made Canon and Preacher in Krakow by Bishop Lampert.  Against his wishes, he later became Bishop Lampert's successor, and in this office he was a shining example of every pastoral virtue, especially of kindness to the poor.  He excommunicated Boleslas, King of Poland, whom he had often rebuked in vain for his corrupt way of life.  In a violent rage the King sent soldiers to the church to kill the holy Bishop.  But when these were driven off by the power of God, the King with his own hand beheaded Bishop Stanislas as he was offering the immaculate Victim on the altar.  God proclaimed the holiness of his servant by many miracles after his death ; and on the strength of them Innocent IV enrolled him among the Saints.

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

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

The Cathedral Church of St. Stanislas, Krakow

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 Ego sum vitis vera is read from the same Common of Martyrs in Eastertide, Series 1.

Gospel Homily from Common of Martyrs

If this day should be Rogation Monday or the Vigil of the Ascension, Lesson ix is to be taken from the Homily of that day, with a Commemoration at Lauds, as is noted below.

Ninth Lesson of Rogation Monday

Ninth Lesson of the Vigil of the Ascension
 

Lauds

Krakow Cathedral

V.  Right dear in the sight of the Lord, alleluia.
R.  Is the death of his Saints, alleluia.

Ad Bened. Ant:  Fíliæ Jerúsalem, * veníte et vidéte Mártyres cum corónis, quibus coronávit eos Dóminus in die solemnitátis et lætítiæ, allelúja, allelúja.

Ant. on Bened:  Go forth, O ye daughters of Sion, * and behold the Martyrs with their crowns, with which the Lord hath crowned them in the day of solemnity and rejoicing, alleluia, alleluia.

BENEDICTUS

Oremus.
Deus, pro cujus honóre gloriósus Póntifex Stanisláus gládiis impiórum occúbuit : præsta, quæsumus ; ut omnes, qui ejus implórant auxílium, petitiónis suæ salutárem consequántur efféctum.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
O God, who for thy sake didst suffer thy Bishop Saint Stanislas gloriously to be slain by the swords of wicked men : grant, we beseech thee ; that all they who call upon him for succour may be profited by the obtaining of all that they desire.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH