Little Office of the
Blessed Virgin

Vespers

Office III (Christmas To Candlemas), 1910 Roman calendar

Prayers Before the Office

O Lord, open Thou my mouth, that it may bless Thy holy name; cleanse my heart, too, from all vain, evil, or wandering thoughts. Enlighten mine understanding, kindle mine affections, that I may be able to say this Office meetly with attention and devotion and may deserve to be heard before the presence of Thy divine Majesty. Through Christ our Lord.

℟ Amen.

O Lord, in union with that divine intention wherewith Thou Thyself, while on earth, didst offer praises unto God, I offer these Hours unto Thee.

Introduction

The Hail Mary is prayed silently.

Hail Mary, full of grace; The Lord is with thee; Blessed art thou amongst women, And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

℣ O God, ✠ come to my assistance;

℟ O Lord, make haste to help me.

℣ 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. (Outside Lent:) Alleluia. (from Septuagesima to Holy Saturday:) Praise be to Thee, O Lord, King of glory everlasting.

Psalms

Ant. O wondrous union.

Psalm 109

  • The Lord said to my Lord: Sit Thou at My right hand.
  • Until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.
  • The Lord will send forth the scepter of Thy power out of Sion: rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies.
  • Thine is dominion in the day of Thy power, amid the brightness of the saints: from the womb before the day-star have I begotten Thee.
  • The Lord hath sworn, and He will not repent: Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedech.
  • The Lord upon Thy right hand: hath overthrown kings in the day of His wrath.
  • He shall judge among the nations; He shall fill the land with the fallen. He shall smite in sunder the heads in the land of many.
  • He shall drink of a brook in the way: therefore shall He lift up His head.
  • 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.

Ant. O wondrous union! The Creator of mankind, taking a living body, vouchsafed to be born of a virgin, and becoming man, without man's concurrence, bestowed upon us His Godhead.

Ant. When thou wert wondrously born.

Psalm 112

  • Praise the Lord, ye servants: praise the name of the Lord.
  • Blessed be the name of the Lord, from this time forth for evermore.
  • From the rising of the sun unto its going down, the name of the Lord is worthy to be praised.
  • The Lord is high above all nations; and His glory is above the heavens.
  • Who is like unto the Lord our God, Who dwelleth on high, yet regardeth lowly things in heaven and on earth?
  • Who raiseth up the needy from the earth, and lifteth the poor out of the dunghill;
  • That He may set him with the princes, even with the princes of His people.
  • Who maketh the barren woman to dwell in her house, the joyful mother of children.
  • 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.

Ant. When thou wert wondrously born of a virgin, and becoming man without man's concurrence, bestowed upon us His Godhead.

Ant. The bush which Moses saw.

Psalm 121

  • I was glad at the things that were said unto me : We will go into the house of the Lord.
  • Our feet were standing within thy courts, O Jerusalem.
  • Jerusalem, which is built as a city, that is compact together.
  • For thither the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord : an ordinance for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
  • For there are setup thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
  • Pray ye for the things that are for the peace of Jerusalem; and plenty be to them that love Thee.
  • Let peace be in Thy stronghold, and plenty in Thy towers.
  • For my brethren and my neighbors' sake, I spake peace concerning thee.
  • For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I have sought good things for thee.
  • 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.

Ant. The bush which Moses saw unconsumed we acknowledge to be thine admirable virginity, which thou didst keep inviolate; Mother of God, plead for us.

Ant. The root of Jesse hath budded.

Psalm 126

  • Unless the Lord build a house, they labor in vain that build it.
  • Unless the Lord keep the city, he watcheth in vain that keepeth it.
  • In vain do ye rise before the light: rise not till ye have rested, O ye that eat the bread of sorrow.
  • When He giveth sleep to His beloved: lo, children are an heritage from the Lord, and the fruit of the womb a reward.
  • Like as arrows in the hand of the mighty One, so are the children of the outcast.
  • Blessed is the man whose desire is satisfied with them: he shall not be confounded when he speaketh with his enemies in the gate.
  • 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.

Ant. The root of Jesse hath budded, a star hath arisen out of Jacob; a virgin hath brought forth a Saviour; we give praise to Thee, Our God.

Ant. Behold, Mary.

Psalm 147

  • Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem: praise thy God, O Sion.
  • For He hath strengthened the bars of thy gates: He hath blessed thy children within thee.
  • Who maketh thy borders peaceful, and filleth thee with the fat of corn.
  • Who sendeth forth His decree upon earth: very swiftly runneth His word.
  • Who giveth snow like wool: He scattereth mist like ashes.
  • He sendeth His ice like morsels: who shall stand before the face of His cold?
  • He sendeth forth His word and melteth them; His wind bloweth, and the waters flow.
  • Who declareth His word unto Jacob : His justice and judgment to Israel.
  • He hath not done so to every nation; nor hath He shown them His judgments.
  • 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.

Ant. Behold, Mary, hath brought us forth a Saviour, Whom when John saw, he cried aloud, saying: Behold the Lamb of God! Behold Him Who taketh away the sins of the world, Alleluia.

Little Chapter

Sir 24:24

From the beginning, and before the world was I created, and unto the world to come I shall not cease to be, and in the holy dwelling-place have I ministered before Him.

℟ Thanks be to God.

Hymn

The first verse of the hymn is said kneeling.

Hail, thou star of ocean!
Portal of the sky!
Ever Virgin Mother
Of the Lord most high!

Oh! by Gabriel's Ave,
Uttered long ago,
Eva's name reversing,
Establish peace below.

Break the captives' fetters,
Light on blindness pour;
All our ills expelling,
Every bliss implore.

Show thyself a Mother;
Offer Him our sighs,
Who for us Incarnate
Did not thee despise.

Virgin of all virgins!
To thy shelter take us:
Gentlest of the gentle!
Chaste and gentle make us.

Still, as on we journey,
Help our weak endeavor,
Till with thee and Jesus
We rejoice for ever.

Through the highest heaven,
To the almighty Three,
Father, Son, and Spirit,
One same glory be.

Amen.

℣ Grace is poured forth on thy lips.

℟ Therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.

Canticle of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Ant. How great the mystery of our inheritance!

Luke 1

  • My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
  • For He hath regarded the lowliness of His handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
  • For He that is mighty hath done great things unto me; and holy is His name.
  • And His mercy is from generation to generation unto them that fear Him.
  • He hath showed strength with His arm: He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
  • He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble.
  • He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty away.
  • He hath upholden His servant Israel, being mindful of His mercy.
  • As He spake unto our fathers, unto Abraham and to his seed for ever.
  • 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.

Ant. How great the mystery of our inheritance! The womb of one that knoweth not man hath become the temple of God! He was not defiled in taking flesh of her. All nations shall come and shall say: Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Collect

℣ O Lord, hear my prayer.

℟ And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray.

O God, Who, by the fruitful virginity of blessed Mary, hast given to mankind the rewards of eternal salvation; grant, we beseech Thee, that we may experience her intercession for us, by whom we deserved to receive the Author of life, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.

℟ Amen.

Commemoration of the Saints

Ant. All ye saints of God, vouchsafe to plead for our salvation and for that of all mankind.

℣ Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye just.

℟ And be joyful, all ye that are of right heart.

Let us pray.

Shield, O Lord, Thy people, and ever keep them in Thy care, who put their trust in the pleading of Thine apostles Peter and Paul, and of the other apostles.

May all Thy saints, we beseech Thee, O Lord, everywhere come to our help, that while we do honor to their merits, we may also enjoy their intercession: grant Thine own peace unto our times, and drive away all wickedness from Thy Church; direct our way, our actions, and our wishes and those of all Thy servants in the way of salvation; to our benefactors render everlasting blessings, and to all the faithful departed grant eternal rest. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.

℟ Amen.

Conclusion

℣ O Lord, hear my prayer.

℟ And let my cry come unto Thee.

℣ Let us bless the Lord.

℟ Thanks be to God.

℣ May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

℟ Amen.

Prayers After the Office

To the most holy and undivided Trinity, to the manhood of our crucified Lord Jesus Christ, to the fruitful virginity of the most blessed and glorious Mary, ever a virgin, to the entire assembly of the saints, be ascribed everlasting praise, honor, power, and glory, by every creature; and to us be granted the remission of all our sins, world without end.

℟ Amen.

℣ Blessed is the Virgin Mary's womb, which bore the Son of the everlasting Father.

℟ And blessed are the breasts which nourished Christ our Lord.

Pater, Ave, and Credo, in silence.

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation: But deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace; The Lord is with thee; Blessed art thou amongst women, And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried: he descended into hell; the third day he arose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven; sitteth at the right hand of God the Father almighty: from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins. The resurrection of the body. And life everlasting. Amen.

Other Little Offices

Little Office of the Sacred Heart Little Office of Divine Wrath

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