Vespers

KNEEL
(PRAYER BEFORE OFFICE)
Aperi, Domine

STAND and PROFOUND INCLINATION

STAND

And then the Psalms with Antiphon.  Always at Vespers are said five Psalms, with their Antiphons, according to the Office of the day, as given in the Psalter, or as prescribed in the Proper or in the Common.  The appropriate Antiphon is begun by the Officiant, whereupon the Psalm is intoned by the Precentor.  The choir remains seated from the end of the intonation of the first Psalm by the Precentor until the end of the last Antiphon.

On excepted Feasts, the Antiphon is taken from the Proper of the Feast or Common of the Saints, and the Psalms are said as indicated in the Proper of the Feast.

After each Psalm, its Antiphon is repeated entire by the Choir.  The Office of Vespers is then continued as follows according to the Office of the day, as prescribed in the Proper, or in the Common.

• The Little Chapter - said by the Officiant,   And after the Chapter the Choir answers: R.  Deo gratias.  And then is said:

• The Hymn with its appropriate Versicle and Respond.

• The Antiphon before the Magnificat.

STAND

CANTICUM BEATÆ MARIÆ VIRGINIS

Luc. 1. 46-55

MAGNIFICAT † : * ánima mea Dóminum.
2  Et exsultávit spíritus meus: * in Deo, salutári meo.
3  Quia respéxit humilitátem ancíllæ suæ: * ecce enim ex hoc beátam me dicent omnes generatiónes.
4  Quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est: * (Fit reverentia) et sanctum nomen ejus.
5  Et misericórdia ejus, a progénie in progénies: * timéntibus eum.
6  Fecit poténtiam in bráchio suo: * dispérsit supérbos mente cordis sui.
7  Depósuit poténtes de sede: * et exaltávit húmiles.
8  Esuriéntes implévit bonis: * et dívites dimísit inánes.
9  Suscépit Israël púerum suum: * recordátus misericórdiæ suæ.
10  Sicut locútus est ad patres nostros: * Abraham, et sémini ejus in sæcula.
11  Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.
12  Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper,  *  et in sæcula sæculórum.  Amen.

CANTICLE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Luc. 1. 46-55

My soul † * doth magnify the Lord.
2  And my spirit hath rejoiced * in God my Saviour.
3  For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden : * for behold, from henceforth * all generations shall call me blessed.
4  For he that is mighty hath magnified me; * (Here all make a profound reverence) and holy is his Name.
5  And his mercy is on them that fear him * throughout all generations.
6  He hath shewed strength with his arm; * he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
7  He hath put down the mighty from their seat, * and hath exalted the humble and meek.
8  He hath filled the hungry with good things; * and the rich he hath sent empty away.
9  He remembering his mercy * hath holpen his servant Israel.
10  As he promised to our forefathers, * Abraham and his seed for ever.
11  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
12  As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end.  Amen.

• The Antiphon after the Magnificat

After the Antiphon, if the Preces be omitted, at once, the Salutation is said, with the Collect of the Day, as indicated below.

The Preces
On certain greater Ferias (sometimes called Kneeling Days, ie. the Ferias of Advent, Lent, and Passiontide through Wednesday of Holy Week; on the Wednesday and Friday of the September Ember Days; and on Tuesday after Quinquagesima when a Vigil happens to be kept on that day), if the Office be of the Feria, (even though a simplified Double or Semidouble be commemorated thereon;) the Preces are said kneeling; at all other times they are omitted at Vespers.

KNEEL

Preces

V.  Kyrie, eléison.
R.  Christe, eléison.  Kyrie, eléison.

Pater noster. 
quod dicitur a solo Hebdomadario totum clara voce, usque ad:
V.  Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem.
R.  Sed líbera nos a malo.

V.  Ego dixi : Dómine, miserére mei.
R.  Sana ánimam meam quia peccávi tibi.

V.  Convértere, Dómine, úsquequo?
R.  Et deprecábilis esto super servos tuos.

V.  Fiat misericórdia tua, Dómine, super nos.
R.  Quemádmodum sperávimus in te.

V.  Sacerdótes tui induántur justítiam.
R.  Et sancti tui exsúltent.

V.  Orémus pro beatíssimo Papa nostro N.
R.  Dóminus consérvet eum, et vivíficet eum, et beátum fáciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in ánimam inimicórum ejus.

V.  Orémus et pro Antístite nostro N.
R.  Stet et pascat in fortitúdine tua, Dómine, in sublimitáte nóminis tui.

Romæ præcedens Versus cum suo Responsorio omittitur; alibi vero ad litteram N. ab omnibus nomen diœcesani Epíscopi exprimatur, Vacante Apostolica vel Episcopali Sede, alteruter vel uterque respectivus Versus cum suo Responsorio præteritur.

V.  Dómine, salvum fac regem.
R.  Et exáudi nos in die, qua invocavérimus te.

V.  Salvum fac pópulum tuum, Dómine, et bénedic hereditáti tuæ.
R.  Et rege eos, et extólle illos usque in ætérnum.

V.  Meménto Congregatiónis tuæ.
R.  Quam possedísti ab inítio.

V.  Fiat pax in virtúte tua.
R.  Et abundántia in túrribus tuis.

V.  Orémus pro benefactóribus nostris.
R.  Retribúere dignáre, Dómine, ómnibus, nobis bona faciéntibus propter nomen tuum, vitam ætérnam.  Amen.

V.  Orémus pro fidélibus defúnctis.
R.  Réquiem ætérnam dona eis, Dómine, et lux perpétua lúceat eis.

V.  Requiéscant in pace.
R.  Amen.

V.  Pro frátribus nostris abséntibus.
R.  Salvos fac servos tuos, Deus meus, sperántes in te.

V.  Pro afflíctis et captívis.
R.  Líbera eos, Deus Israël, ex ómnibus tribulatiónibus suis.

V.  Mitte eis, Dómine, auxílium de sancto.
R.  Et de Sion tuére eos.

V.  Dómine, Deus virtútum, convérte nos.
R.  Et osténde fáciem tuam, et salvi érimus.

V.  Exsúrge, Christe, ádjuva nos.
R.  Et líbera nos propter nomen tuum.

V.  Dómine, exáudi oratiónem meam.
R.  Et clamor meus ad te véniat.

V.  Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Christ, have mercy upon us.  Lord have mercy upon us.

Our Father. 
And the whole is said aloud by the Officiant through the V:
V.  And lead us not into temptation.
R.  But deliver us from evil.

V.  I said : Lord, be merciful unto me.
R.  Heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.

V.  Turn thee again, O Lord, at the last.
R.  And be gracious unto thy servants.

V.  Let thy merciful kindness, O Lord, be upon us.
R.  Like as we do put our trust in thee.

V.  Endue thy ministers with righteousness.
R.  And make thy chosen people joyful.

V.  Let us pray for our most blessed Pope N.
R.  The Lord preserve him and keep him alive, that he may be blessed upon earth ; and deliver not thou him into the will of his enemies.

V.  Let us pray for our Bishop N.
R.  May he stand firm, and feed his flock ; in thy strength, O Lord, and in the majesty of thy Name.

In Rome, the preceding Versicle and its Response are omitted.  Elsewhere, the name of the local Ordinary is inserted at the letter N.  If the Holy See or the See of the local Bishop is vacant, the appropriate V. and R., either or both as the case may be, is omitted.

V.  O Lord, save the king.
R.  And mercifully hear us, when we call upon thee.

V.  O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine inheritance.
R.  Govern them, and lift them up for ever.

V.  O think upon thy congregation.
R.  Whom thou hast purchased, and redeemed of old.

V.  Peace be within thy walls.
R.  And plenteousness within thy palaces.

V.  Let us pray for our benefactors.
R.  Vouchsafe, O Lord, for thy Name's sake, to reward with eternal life all them that do us good.  Amen.

V.  Let us pray for the faithful departed.
R.  Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord ; and let perpetual light shine upon them.

V.  May they rest in peace.
R.  Amen.

V.  Let us pray for our absent brethren.
R.  Save thy servants, O my God, that put their trust in thee.

V.  Let us pray for the afflicted and captives.
R.  Deliver them, O God of Israel, out of all their tribulations.

V.  Send them help, O Lord, from thy sanctuary.
R.  And strengthen them out of Sion.

V.  Turn us again, O Lord God of Hosts.
R.  Shew the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.

V.  O Christ, arise, and help us.
R.  And deliver us for thy Name's sake.

V.  O Lord, hear my prayer.
R.  And let my cry come unto thee.

After the Preces, or if they be omitted, after the Brief Respond, is said at once the Salutation with the Collect of the Day as follows:

V.  Dóminus vobíscum.
R.  Et cum spíritu tuo.

Orémus.
Oratio conveniens
R.  Amen.

Let us pray.
Collect of the Day
R.  Amen.

Commemorations

Here are to be said any Commemorations of Concurrences or Occurences which must be made, according to the Rubrics; and also the Common Commemoration, when and as prescribed in Common Forms.  After which is said the Closing Versicles:

V.  Dóminus vobíscum.
R.  Et cum spíritu tuo.

V.  Benedicámus Dómino.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  Fidélium ánimæ † per misericórdiam Dei requiéscant in pace.
R.  Amen.

Then is said secretly the final Pater, unless Compline immediately follow; in which case the Opening thereof is immediately said, as is prescribed in Common Forms.

KNEEL (weekdays) or STAND (Sundays)

From Vespers of the Saturday before the I Sunday in Advent through II Vespers of the Purification; or if this Feast be transferred, through Vespers on February 2nd:

Alma Redemptoris Mater

Ave, Regina cælorum

Regina cæli lætare

Salve Regina

KNEEL
(PRAYER AFTER OFFICE)
Sacrosanctæ