The Office of Readings: 6th
Century
Rex
glorióse mártyrum,
coróna
confiténtium,
qui
respuéntes térrea
perdúcis
ad cæléstia,
Aurem
benígnam prótinus
appóne
nostris vócibus;
tropæa
sacra pángimus,
ignósce
quod delíquimus.
Tu
vincis in martýribus
parcéndo
confessóribus;
tu
vince nostra crímina
donándo
indulgéntiam.
O glorious King of martyrs, Crown of those who
praise you, those who repudiate earthly things you lead to the things of
heaven. Quickly in your generosity lend your ear to our voices; we sing of holy
triumphs, forgive us the sins we have done. You are victorious in the martyrs
by sparing those who confess you; triumph over our offenses by granting pardon.
Lauds: 10th
Century: attributed to St. Ambrose
Ætérna
Christi múnera
et
mártyrum victórias,
laudes
feréntes débitas,
lætis
canámus méntibus.
Ecclesiárum
príncipes,
belli
triumpháles duces,
cæléstis
aulæ mílites
et
vera mundi lúmina.
Terróre
victo sæculi
pœnísque
spretis córporis,
mortis
sacræ compéndio
lucem
beátam póssident.
Tortóris
insáni manu
sanguis
sacrátus fúnditur,
sed
pérmanent immóbiles
vitæ
perénnis grátia.
Devóta
sanctórum fides,
invícta
spes credéntium,
perfécta
Christi cáritas
mundi
triúmphat príncipem.
In
his patérna glória,
in
his volúntas Spíritus,
exsúltat
in his Fílius,
cælum
replétur gáudio.
Te
nunc, Redémptor, quæsumus,
ut
mártyrum consórtio
iungas
precántes sérvulos
in
sempitérna sæcula. Amen.
The eternal gifts of Christ and victories of the
martyrs, bringing the praise we owe, let us sing with joyful minds. Princes of the churches, triumphant
commanders in the war, soldiers of the court of heaven and true lights of the
world. Conquering over the fear of the
world, spurning the punishments of the body, profiting from a holy death, they possess the blessed light. By the
hand of the mad executioner holy blood was spilled, but they remained unmoved
through the grace of eternal life. The devoted faith of the saints, the
invincible hope of those who believe, the charity of Christ perfected triumphs
over the prince of this world. In them the Father’s glory, in them the will of
the Spirit, in them the Son endlessly rejoices,
and heaven is filled with joy. To you now, O Redeemer, we beseech you
that the company of martyrs might be joined to your servants as we pray through
eternal ages. Amen.
Vespers: Rabanus Maurus
Magentius Rabanus Maurus
is the commanding figure among the ecclesiastics of his age, a great Churchman
and the first German theologian….In a world of change, it appeared to him that
the written word alone had a chance of survival, and that knowledge had an
abiding value not subect to vanity….His pupil Rudolf at any rate was admirer of
Raban’s verses for he describes him as ‘sui temporis poetarum nulli secundus’” F.J.E. Rabus
Sanctórum
méritis ínclita gáudia
pangámus,
sócii, géstaque fórtia;
nam
gliscit ánimus prómere cántibus
victórum genus óptimum.
Hi
sunt quos rétinens mundus inhórruit,
ipsum
nam stérili flore peráridum
sprevére
pénitus teque secúti sunt,
rex, Christe, bone cælitum.
Hi
pro te fúrias sævaque sústinent;
non
murmur résonat, non querimónia,
sed
corde tácito mens bene cónscia
consérvat patiéntiam.
Quæ
vox, quæ póterit lingua retéxere
quæ
tu martýribus múnera præparas?
Rubri
nam flúido sánguine láureis
ditántur bene fúlgidis.
Te,
trina Déitas únaque, póscimus,
ut
culpas ábluas, nóxia súbtrahas,
des
pacem fámulis, nos quoque glóriam
per cuncta tibi sæcula. Amen.
May we sing of the great happiness of the merits
of the saints, O friends, and of their brave deeds; for the soul is raised up
when we proclaim in song this model of
the greatest victory. These are those whom the world rejected and abhorred, for
they wholly despised the dry soil of the world with its sterile flower, and
followed you, O Christ the good King of the citizens of heaven. These are those
who for your sake endured anger and
savage punishments but they did not grumble
or sound a complaint, but with a
quiet hear and a good conscience persevered in patience. What voice, what
tongue can tell, Christ, the gifts you have prepared for the martyrs. for the flow of red blood is well enriched
with glimmering laurels. We pray you, O Godhead three and one, that you wash
away our faults, lead us away from all that is dangerous, grant peace to your
servants, and also that we give glory to
you through all ages. Amen.
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