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Above: The Immaculate Conception by Francisco Rizi (1614–1685)
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May God the Father Omnipotent, be to us merciful and clement.
℟. Amen.
Reading 4
From the Dogmatic Bull of Pope Pius IX.
From of old time continual prayers have been offered to this Apostolic See not only by Bishops, Churchmen, and the Regular Orders, but also by Emperors and Kings, beseeching that the sinlessness of the Conception of the Mother of God might be made the subject of a Dogmatic Definition. These prayers have been still more urgently addressed in recent times to Our Predecessor, of happy memory, Gregory XVI., and to Ourselves, by the Bishops, by the Secular Clergy, by the Regular Orders, and by the most eminent Christian Princes and nations. The knowledge of these things hath caused Our heart to rejoice, and they have been the serious occupation of Our thoughts ever since, in spite of our unworthiness, the inscrutable Providence of God was pleased to set Us in this supreme Chair of Peter, and to put His Church into Our hands, for Us to govern. Since then, We have had nothing so much at heart as to yield to the desires of the Church in this matter, to the increasing of the veneration of which the most holy Virgin is already the object, and to the setting in a clearer light the singular graces with which God hath adorned her, being Ourselves especially drawn to the same by the reverence, love, and affection with which We have been from Our childhood animated towards the same most holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
t High, the first-begotten before every creature. I made the unfading light to arise in the heavens.
* When there were no depths I was conceived.
℣. For the Lord hath created me in righteousness, and hath held mine hand, and hath kept me.
℟. When there were no depths I was conceived.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May Christ to all His people give, for ever in His sight to live.
℟. Amen.
Reading 5
And now We trust in the Lord that the time is come to define as a truth of faith the doctrine of the stainless Conception of the most holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God, that doctrine already set forth by Holy Scripture, by the ancient tradition, by the unbroken belief of the Universal Church, by the one common opinion of the Catholic Episcopate and laity, and by the marked acts and decrees of Our Predecessors. We have weighed everything in Our mind, and We have without ceasing implored the help and light of God’s Holy Spirit by earnest prayer, and We are of opinion that it is Our duty no longer to delay, but by Our Supreme Decision to settle and declare that the Virgin was conceived without sin, and thus to satisfy the godly cravings of the whole Christian world, as well as the instinct of Our own love for the said most holy Virgin, and, above all, because she is His Mother, to glorify our Lord Jesus Christ by this act, since whatever we do rightly to honour the Mother must redound to the glory of the Son.℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. No defiled thing can fall into her;
* She is the brightness of the everlasting light, and the unspotted mirror of the power of God.
℣. For she is more beautiful than the sun, and being compared with the light, she is found before it.
℟. She is the brightness of the everlasting light, and the unspotted mirror of the power of God.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May the Spirit’s fire Divine in our hearts enkindled shine.
℟. Amen.
Reading 6
Therefore, having in all fasting and humbleness of heart continually implored God the Father through His Blessed Son, to hear Our own prayers and those of His whole Church, and to teach and strengthen Our mind by the power of His Holy Spirit, having begged the intercession of the Church Triumphant, and, above all, with groans called on the Holy Ghost the Comforter, We now, moved by Him, for the honour of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, for the greater praise and exaltation of the Virgin Mother of God, the glory of the Catholic Faith, and the good of Christianity, in the name and authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and in Our own, declare and define that That doctrine which declareth that the most blessed Virgin Mary was, in the first instant of her Conception, preserved, by a special grace and privilege granted to her by Almighty God, through the merits of Christ Jesus, Saviour of mankind, which He foreknew, from any stain of original sin, is a doctrine taught and revealed by God, and therefore from this time forward must be held by all faithful Christians firmly and constantly. Wherefore if any one, which God forbid, shall at any time think in his heart any thing contrary to this Our definition, let him know that he is condemned by his own judgment, that he hath made shipwreck of the faith, and that he hath cut himself off from the body of the Church.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. There appeared a great wonder in heaven; a Woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet
* And upon her head a crown of twelve stars.
℣. The Lord hath clothed her with the garments of salvation, and hath covered her with the robe of righteousness, yea, as a bride He hath adorned her with jewels.
℟. And upon her head a crown of twelve stars.
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. And upon her head a crown of twelve stars.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May the Gospel’s holy lection Be our safety and protection.
℟. Amen.
Reading 7
From the Holy Gospel according to Luke
Luke 1:26-28
In that time the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And so on.
Homily by St. Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamis-in-Cyprus.
Discourse in praise of the Blessed Virgin.
I am at a loss what words or terms I ought to employ in speaking of this illustrious and holy Virgin. She is raised above all things except God; she was made much higher than the Cherubim and Seraphim, and the whole host of heaven; neither the voices of heaven nor of earth are full enough to set forth her majesty, no, not the voices of Angels. O blessed Virgin! O pure dove and Bride of heaven! O Mary! At once the heaven, the temple, and the throne of God! Mother of the Sun that shineth both on heaven and on earth, even Christ! Bright cloud, through which the Son of Man hath come as the lightning, that lighteneth from the East even unto the West! Hail, gate of heaven, full of grace, of whom the Prophet in the Song of Songs openly speaketh in the course of his prayer, saying, A garden enclosed is My sister, My Spouse, a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed (iv. 12).
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse, a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed.
* O Mary, thy perfumes are a garden of delights.
℣. Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled.
℟. O Mary, thy perfumes are a garden of delights.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. She whose feast-day we are keeping, Mary, blessed Maid of Maidens, be our Advocate with God.
℟. Amen.
Reading 8
The Virgin is that stainless lily whence hath sprung the Rose that fadeth not, even Christ. O Holy Mother of God! Ewe without spot, that hast borne the Lamb That took flesh of thee, even Christ! O Maiden whose holiness hath dazzled the heavenly armies! There hath appeared a great sign in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and with the Light in her arms; a great sign in heaven, the Virgin’s womb the chamber of the Son of God; a great sign in heaven, the Lord of angels made the Virgin’s child. The angels accused Eve, but now they praise Mary, who hath raised Eve fallen, and restored to heaven Adam banished from Paradise. For Mary is the bridge between heaven and earth, the ambassadress who hath reconciled them in her womb.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. My soul doth magnify the Lord;
* For He That is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is His name.
℣. For, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
℟. For He That is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is His name.
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. For He That is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is His name.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May He that is the Angels’ King to that high realm His people bring.
℟. Amen.
Reading 9
We cannot measure the grace bestowed upon this holy Virgin. Hence the salutation addressed to her by Gabriel, Hail, thou glorious heaven, full of grace. Hail, Virgin adorned with many graces, yea, full of grace. Hail, thou vessel of gold that holdest the manna that came down from heaven, full of grace. Hail, thou unfailing fountain, that satisfiest the thirsty soul with sweet waters, full of grace. Hail, holy, sinless Mother of Him That was before thee, even Christ. Hail, thou Queenly purple, mantle of the King of heaven and earth. Hail, thou Book that no man can understand, and yet which the Eternal Word, the Son of the Father, hath opened for earth to read.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
Te Deum