IN PASSIONE S. IOANNIS BAPTISTÆ

Ad Officium lectionis & Ad Vesperas: Beda Venerabilis



Præcéssor almus grátiæ

et veritátis ángelus,

lucérna Christi et pérpetis

evangelísta lúminis,



Prophetíæ præcónia,

quæ voce, vita et áctibus

cantáverat, hæc ástruit

mortis sacræ signáculo.



Nam nascitúrum sæculis,

nascéndo quem prævénerat,

sed et datórem próprii

monstráverat baptísmatis,



Huiúsce mortem innóxiam,

qua vita mundo est réddita,

signat sui præságio

baptísta martyr sánguinis.



Præsta, Pater piíssime,

sequi Ioánnis sémitas,

metámus ut pleníssime

ætérna Christi múnera. Amen.

Loving forerunner of grace and angel of truth, lamp of Christ and preacher of perpetual light, the proclamation of prophecy, which he sang in voice, life and deeds, he confirmed by the sign of a holy death. For he was to be born to the world John preceded in birth and also revealed as the giver of   his own baptism. The martyr Baptist  by his blood prefigures the innocent death  by which life is restored to the world. Grant us , O Father most holy, to follow the path of John, that we may reap fully the eternal gifts of Christ. Amen.

Ad Laudes matutinas: Paulus Diaconus

O nimis felix meritíque celsi,

nésciens labem nívei pudóris,

præpotens martyr eremíque cultor,

  máxime vatum.

Nunc potens nostri méritis opímis

péctoris duros lápides repélle,

ásperum planans iter, et refléxos

  dírige calles,

Ut pius mundi sator et redémptor,

méntibus pulsa mácula polítis,

rite dignétur véniens sacrátos

  pónere gressus.

Láudibus cives célebrant supérni

te, Deus simplex paritérque trine;

súpplices ac nos véniam precámur:

  parce redémptis. Amen.

O mighty martyr, cultivator of solitude, greatest of the prophets, exceedingly blessed and worthy of heaven, knowing no fall from your snow-white purity. Now powerful in your great merits, drive away the hard stones of our hearts, making its way smooth and its crooked paths straight.  That when the holy Creator and Redeemer of the world comes, in souls polished and with stains removed, he might make his holy way rightly and worthily.   May the citizens of heaven praise you, God simple and equally three; but we humbly pray pardon: spare the redeemed. Amen