Confessor

Double

Common

Matins

Lauds

COLLECT OF THE DAY

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH
 

First Vespers

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

V.  The Lord loved him, and adorned him.
R.  He clothed him with a robe of glory.

Ad Magnif. Ant:  Similábo eum * viro sapiénti, qui ædificávit domum suam supra petram.

Ant. on Magnif:  I will liken him * unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock.

MAGNIFICAT

THE MAGNIFICAT

Oremus.
Adésto, Dómine, supplicatiónibus nostris, quas in beáti Nicolái Confessóris tui solemnitáte deférimus : ut, qui nostræ justítiæ fidúciam non habémus, ejus qui tibi plácuit, précibus adjuvémur.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
Assist us mercifully, O Lord, in these our supplications which we make before thee on the feast of blessed Nicholas, thy holy Confessor : that we, who put not our trust in our own righteousness, may be succoured by the prayers of him that found 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 a Confessor not a Bishop, Series 1,  Beatus vir.

Scripture Lessons

Lessons from Common of Confessors
 

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.

Nicoláus, Tolentínas a diutúrno illíus civitátis domicílio appellátus, in óppido sancti Angeli in Picéno est natus piis paréntibus ; qui, liberórum desidério Bárium voti causa profécti, ibíque a sancto Nicoláo de futúra prole confirmáti, quem suscepérunt fílium de illíus nómine appellárunt.  Is ab infántia multárum virtútum, sed abstinéntiæ in primis, spécimen dedit.  Nam anno vix séptimo, beátum ipsum Nicoláum imitátus, complúres hebdómadæ dies jejunáre cœpit ; eámque póstea consuetúdinem retínuit, solo pane et aqua conténtus.

Nicholas is called of Tolentino, because he lived in that town for most part of his life.  He was born at Sant'Angelo, in the March of Ancona.  His parents were godly people, and in their desire to have children, vowed and made a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Nicholas at Bari, where they were assured of their wish, and therefore gave the name of Nicholas to the son whom they received.  From his childhood the boy gave many good signs, but especially as regarded abstinence.  In his seventh year, in imitation of his blessed name-sake, he began to fast upon several days in the week, which custom he always kept, and was content with only bread and water.

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

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

R.  Honéstum fecit illum Dóminus, et custodívit eum ab inimícis, et a seductóribus tutávit illum : * Et dedit illi claritátem ætérnam.
V.  Justum dedúxit Dóminus per vias rectas, et osténdit illi regnum Dei.
R.  Et dedit illi claritátem ætérnam.

R.  The Lord multiplied the fruit of his labours and defended him from his enemies, and kept him safe from those that lay in wait. * And gave him perpetual glory.
V.  The Lord guided the righteous in right paths, and shewed him the kingdom of God.
R.  And gave him perpetual glory.

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.

Adúlta ætáte, jam clericáli milítiæ adscríptus et canónicus factus, cum quodam die concionatórem órdinis Eremitárum sancti Augustíni de mundi contémptu dicéntem audísset, eo sermóne inflammátus, statim eúmdem órdinem est ingréssus.  In quo tam exáctam religiósæ vitæ ratiónem cóluit, ut áspero vestítu, verbéribus et férrea caténa corpus domans, atque a carne et omni fere obsónio ábstinens, caritáte, humilitáte, patiéntia ceterísque virtútibus, áliis prælucéret.

After he reached man's estate, he enlisted himself in the army of the clergy, and was preferred to a Canonry.  One day he chanced to hear a sermon upon contempt of the world delivered by a preacher of the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine, and was so moved by it that he forthwith entered that Order.  As a Friar he was most strictly observant of that way of life.  He subdued his body with rough clothing, stripes, and an iron chain.  He never ate meat, and seldom any relish to his meals.  And he was a burning and shining light of love, lowliness, long-suffering, and all other graces.

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

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

R.  Amávit eum Dóminus, et ornávit eum : stolam glóriæ índuit eum, * Et ad portas paradísi coronávit eum.
V.  Induit eum Dóminus lorícam fídei, et ornávit eum.
R.  Et ad portas paradísi coronávit eum.

R.  The Lord loved him and adorned him; he clothed him with a robe of glory : * And crowned him at the gates of Paradise.
V.  The Lord hath put on him the breast-plate of faith, and hath adorned him.
R.  And crowned him at the gates of Paradise.

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.

Orándi assíduum stúdium, quamvis sátanæ insídiis várie vexátus et flagéllis intérdum cæsus, non intermittébat.  Demum, sex ante óbitum ménsibus, síngulis nóctibus angélicum concéntum audívit ; cujus suavitáte cum jam paradísi gáudia prægustáret, crebro illud Apóstoli repetébat : Cúpio dissólvi, et esse cum Christo.  Dénique óbitus sui diem frátribus prædíxit, qui fuit quarto Idus Septémbris.  Miráculis multis étiam post mortem cláruit ; quibus rite et órdine cógnitis, ab Eugénio Papa quarto in Sanctórum númerum est relátus.

He persisted in constant and earnest prayer, notwithstanding many troubles from the assaults of Satan, who sometimes even flogged him.  Every night for six months before his death he heard Angels singing with such sweetness, that it was a foretaste of the happiness of heaven, and he would often repeat the words of the Apostle : I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ.  Lastly, he foretold to his brethren the day of his death, which was the 10th day of September.  After his death also he was famous for miracles, and when due investigation had been made thereof, Pope Eugene IV enrolled his name among those of 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.

R.  Iste homo perfécit ómnia quæ locútus est ei Deus, et dixit ad eum : Ingrédere in réquiem meam : * Quia te vidi justum coram me ex ómnibus géntibus.
V.  Iste est, qui contémpsit vitam mundi, et pervénit ad cæléstia regna.
R.  Quia te vidi justum coram me ex ómnibus géntibus.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Quia te vidi justum coram me ex ómnibus géntibus.

R.  This is he which did according to all that God commanded him ; and God said unto him : Enter thou into my rest : * For thee have I seen righteous before me among all people.
V.  This is he which despised his life in this world, and is come unto an everlasting kingdom.
R.  For thee have I seen righteous before me among all people.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  For thee have I seen righteous before me among all people.

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.

Nicoláus, Tolentínas a diutúrno illíus civitátis domicílio appellátus, in óppido sancti Angeli in Picéno natus est piis paréntibus, qui illum ex voto, sancti Nicolái intercessióne, a Deo impetrárunt.  Puer, multárum virtútum, abstinéntiæ in primis, spécimen dedit.  Clericáli milítiæ dein adscríptus et canónicus factus, cum quodam die concionatórem órdinis Eremitárum sancti Augustíni de mundi contémptu dicéntem audísset, eo sermóne inflammátus, statim eúmdem órdinem est ingréssus ; in quo tam exáctam religiósæ vitæ ratiónem cóluit, ut jejúnio, rudi vestítu, verbéribus et áspera caténa corpus domáret, atque ómnibus áliis virtútibus prælucéret.  Orándi assíduum stúdium, quamvis sátanæ insídiis várie vexátus et flagéllis intérdum cæsus, non intermittébat.  Sex ante óbitum ménsibus, síngulis nóctibus angélicum concéntum audívit, et tandem, óbitus die prænuntiáto, obdormívit in Dómino.  Miráculis in vita et post mortem clarus, ab Eugénio quarto in Sanctórum númerum relátus est.

Nicholas, called of Tolentino because he lived for a long time in that city, was born in the town of Sant'Angelo in Ancona of devout parents who obtained him from God by prayer and the intercession of St. Nicholas.  The boy gave evidence of many virtues, especially of abstinence.  He was enrolled in the ranks of the clergy and was made a canon.  One day he heard a preacher of the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine preaching on the contempt of the world, and, fired by this sermon, he at once entered the same Order.  Here he carried out the rule of the religious life so strictly that by fasting, rough clothing, scourging and chains he conquered his body and was outstanding in all other virtues.  He never slackened in his constant zeal for prayer, even though he was tormented in various ways by the wiles of the devil, who sometimes even dealt him blows.  Each night for six months before his death, he heard angelic melodies ; and at length, having foretold the day of his death, he fell asleep in the Lord.  He was famous for miracles both before and after his death, and was enrolled among the Saints by Eugene IV.

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 Nolíte timere is read from the Common of a Confessor not a Bishop, Series 2.

Gospel Homily from Common of Confessors
 

Lauds

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, intra in gáudium Dómini tui.

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: enter into the joy of thy Lord.

BENEDICTUS

Oremus.
Adésto, Dómine, supplicatiónibus nostris, quas in beáti Nicolái Confessóris tui solemnitáte deférimus : ut, qui nostræ justítiæ fidúciam non habémus, ejus qui tibi plácuit, précibus adjuvémur.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
Assist us mercifully, O Lord, in these our supplications which we make before thee on the feast of blessed Nicholas, thy holy Confessor : that we, who put not our trust in our own righteousness, may be succoured by the prayers of him that found favour in thy sight.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH
 

Second Vespers

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 Magnif. Ant:  Hic vir, despíciens mundum * et terréna, triúmphans, divítias cælo cóndidit ore, manu.

Ant. on Magnif:  Lo, a servant of God, * who esteemed as naught all things earthly, and by word and work laid him up treasures in heaven.

Oremus.
Adésto, Dómine, supplicatiónibus nostris, quas in beáti Nicolái Confessóris tui solemnitáte deférimus : ut, qui nostræ justítiæ fidúciam non habémus, ejus qui tibi plácuit, précibus adjuvémur.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
Assist us mercifully, O Lord, in these our supplications which we make before thee on the feast of blessed Nicholas, thy holy Confessor : that we, who put not our trust in our own righteousness, may be succoured by the prayers of him that found favour in thy sight.  Through.