Semi-Double Feast of the Finding of the Body of Saint Stephen, Proto-Martyr

Red Vestments

Missa "Sederunt príncipes"

        The body of St. Stephen, the first martyr, with those of some other saints, was discovered near Jerusalem in the year 415. Later the body of the saint was taken to Constantinople and finally to Rome, where it now lies beside that of St. Lawrence. The many miracles that occurred on the finding of St. Stephen's body led to the institution of this festival, besides that of December 26th. A tradition states that Gamaliel, the teacher of St. Paul, had buried the body of St. Stephen at his country house; Nicodemus and Abibas, son of Gamaliel, and Gamaliel himself, were also buried there.

        We want to thank the Friends of Our Lady of Fatima for expediting these resources of the Propers. Sources: Saint Andrew Daily Missal and the Marian Missal , 1945 Bio: Catholic Encyclopedia 1913 edition


Missa "Sederunt príncipes"
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INTROIT: Psalm 118: 95-96
Sederunt príncipes, et advérsum me loquebántur: et iníqui persecúti sunt me: ádjuva me, Dómlne Deus meus, quia servus tuus exercebátur in tuis justificatiónibus. (Ps. 118: 1) Beáti immaculáti in via, qui ámbulant in lege Dómini. v. Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancti sicut erat in principio et nunc, et semper, et saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Repeat Sederunt príncipes...
Princes sat, and spoke against me; and the wicked persecuted me: help me, O Lord my God, for Thy servant was employed in Thy justifications. (Ps. 118: 1) Blessed are the undefiled in the way: who walk in the law of the Lord. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Repeat Princes sat...
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COLLECT
Dominus vobiscum. R. Et cum spiritu tuo.

Oremus. Da nobis, quæsumus, Dómine, imitári quod cólimus: ut discámus et inimícos dilígere; quia ejus Inventiónem celebrámus, qui novit étiam pro persecutóribus exoráre Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum Fílium tuum: Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spíritus Sancti, Deus,
Per omnia saecula saeculorum.
R. Amen.

The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit.

Let us pray. Grant us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, to imitate what we worship, that we may learn to love our enemies also; for we celebrate the finding of him who knew how to pray even for his persecutors to Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son. Who with Thee livest and reignest, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God,
Forever and ever.
R.Amen.


EPISTLE: Acts 6: 8-10; 7: 54-59
Léctio Actuum Apostólorum. In diébus illis: Stéphanus, plenus grátia et fortitúdine, faciébat prodígia, et signa magna in pópulo. Surrexérunt autem quidam de synagóga, quæ appellátur Libertinórum, et Cyrenénsium, et Alexandrinórum, et eórum qui erant a Cilícia, et Asia, disputántes cum Stéphano: et non póterant resístere sapiéntiæ et Spirítui, qui loquebátur. Audiéntes autem hæc, dissecabántur córdibus suis, et stridébant déntibus in eum. Cum autem esset Stéphanus plenus Spíritu Sancto, inténdens in cælum, vidit glóriam Del, et Jesum stantem a dextris Dei. Et ait: Ecce video cælos apértos, et Fílium hóminis stantem a dextris Dei. Exclamántes autem voce magna continuérunt aures suas, et ímpetum fecérunt unanímiter in eum. Et ejiciéntes eum extra civitátem lapidábant: et testes deposuérunt vestiménta sua secus pedes adolescéntis, qui vocabútur Saulus. Et lapidábant Stéphanum invocántem, et dicéntem: Dómine Jesu, súscipe spíritum meum. Pósitis autem génibus clamávit voce magna, dicens: Dómine, ne státuas illis hoc peccátum, Et cum hoc dixísset, óbdormivit in Dómino. Deo Gratias.
Lesson from the Acts of the Apostles. In those days, Stephen,, full of grace and fortitude, did great wonders and signs among the people. Now there arose some of that which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them that were of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit that spoke. Now hearing these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed with their teeth at him. But he being full of the Holy Ghost, looking up steadfastly to Heaven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. And he said, Behold I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. And they crying out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and with one accord ran violently upon him. And casting him forth without the city, they stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man whose name was Saul, And they stoned Stephen, invoking and saying; Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And falling on his knees, he cried with a loud voice, saying: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep in the Lord. Thanks be to God.

GRADUAL: Psalm 118: 23, 86, 117
Sedérunt príncipes, et adversum me loquebántur: et iníqui persecúti sunt me. V. Adjuva me, Dómine Deus meus: salvum me fac propter misericórdiam tuam. Allelúja, allelúja. V. (Act. 7, 56.) Video Cælos apertos, et Jesum stantem a dextris virtútis Del. Allelúja.
Princes sat, and spoke against me; and the wicked persecuted me. V. Help me, O Lord, my God: save me for Thy mercy's sake. Alleluia, Alleluia. V. (Acts 7: 56) I see the heavens opened, and Jesus standing at the right hand of the power of God. Alleluia.

GOSPEL:   Matthew 23: 34-39
Dominus vobiscum.
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Matthaeum
R.Gloria tibi, Domine

In illo témpore: Dicébat Jesus scribis et pharisæis: "Ecce ego mitto ad vos prophétas, et sapiéntes, et scribas, et ex illis occidétis, et crucifigétis, et ex eis flagellábitis in synagógis vestris, et persequémini de civitáte in civitátem: ut véniat super vos omnis sanguis justis, qui effúsus est super terram, a sánguine Abel justi usque ad sánguinem Zacharíæ, fílii Barachiæ, quem occidístis inter templum et altáre. Amen dico vobis, vénient hæc ómnia super generatiónem istam. Jerúsalem, Jerúsalem, quæ occídis prophétas, et lápidas eos, qui ad te missi sunt, quóties vólui congregáre fílios tuos, quemádmodum gallina cóngregat pullos suos sub alas, et noluísti? Ecce relinquétur vobis domus vestra desérta. Dico enim vobis, non me vidébitis ámodo, donec dicátis: Benedíctus, qui venít in nómine Dómini."
Laus tibi Christe.

The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
The continuation of the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
R. Glory to Thee, O Lord

At that time, Jesus said to the scribes and pharisees. "Behold I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of them you will put to death and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city: that upon you may come all the just blood that hath been shed upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the just, even unto the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachias, whom you killed between the temple and the altar. Amen I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered together thy children, as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and thou wouldest not? Behold, your house shall be left to you, desolate. For I say to you, you shall not see Me henceforth till you say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord."
Praise be to Christ


OFFERTORY:    Acts 6: 5; 7: 59
Dominus vobiscum.
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.

Elegérunt Apóstoli Stéphanum Levitam, plenum fide et Spíritu Sancto: quem lapidavérunt Judæi orántem, et dicéntem: Dómine Jesu, áccipe spíritum meum, allelúja.
The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.

The apostles chose Stephen, a levite, full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, whom the Jews stoned, praying and saying: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Alleluia.
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SECRET
Súscipe, Dómine, múnera pro tuórum commemoratióne Sanctórum: ut, sicut illis pássio gloriósos effécit; ita nos devótio reddat innócuos. Per Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus,
Per omnia saecula saeculorum.
R. Amen.
Receive our gifts, O Lord, for the commemoration of Thy saints, that, as suffering hath made them glorious, so devotion may render us blameless. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God,
Forever and ever.
R.Amen.

PREFACE   Common Preface
Dominus vobiscum.
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
Sursum corda.
R.Habemus ad Dominum.
Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
R. Dignum et justum est.

Vere dignum et justum est, aequum et salutare, nos Tibi simper, et ubique gratias agere: Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, aeterne Deus: per Christum Dominum nostrum. Per quem majestatem Tuam laudant Angeli, adorant Dominationes, tremunt Potestates, Coeli, Coelorumque Virtutes, ac beata Seraphim socia exultatione concelebrant. Cum quibus et nostras voces, ut admitti, jubeas, supplici confessione dicentes:
SANCTUS, SANCTUS, SANCTUS...
The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
R.We have lifted them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
R. It is meet and just.

It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation that we should at all times and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God: through Christ our Lord. Through Whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, the Dominations worship it, the Powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the Heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with them we entreat Thee, that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted, while we say in lowly praise:
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY...

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COMMUNION:    Acts 7: 56, 59, 60
Video Cælos apértos, et Jesum stantem a dextris virtútis Del: Dómine Jesu, áccipe spíritum meum, et ne státuas illis hoc peccátum.
I see the Heavens opened, and Jesus standing on the right hand of the power of God: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, and lay not this sin to their charge.

POSTCOMMUNION
Dominus vobiscum.
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
Oremus.
Auxiliéntur nobis, Dómine, sumpta mystéria: et intercedénte beáto Stéphano Mártyre tuo, sempitérna protectióne confírment. Per Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus,
Per omnia saecula saeculorum.
R. Amen.
The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
May the mysteries we have received aid us, O Lord; and by the intercession of blessed Stephen, Thy martyr, may they confirm us in Thine everlasting protection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God,
For ever and ever.
R. Amen.
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Feast of the Finding of the Body of St. Stephen