Octave Day of All Saints

the Person of Jesus Christ, our glorified human nature will enjoy for ever the honours of a bride.

Let us go in spirit to Rome, and direct our steps towards the ancient church on the Coelian Hill, which bears the name of the Four crowned Martyrs, There are few Saints whose Acts have been more disparaged "by a superficial criticism ignorant of " aroheological science," such as that of the 16 th , 17 th * and 18 th centuries. But now "the history and tra- " ditions relating to the august monument on the "Coelian have been restored to honour by learned " men and antiquaries, whom no one could accuse of " superstition, or of a blind credulity with regard to "mediaeval legends." 1 Such is the unanswerable decision of the Commandant de Rossi. Let us, then, with the holy Liturgy, offer our homage and prayers to the titular Saints of this venerable church, who once held offices of trust in the empire ; and let us not forget those other Martyrs, the five sculptors, who like the former preferred death to infidelity, and now share the glory of their tomb.

PRAYER.

Prsesta, quaesumus omnipotens Deus : ut, qui gloriobos Martyres fortes in sua oonfessione cognovimus, piconos apud te in nostra inter- fession cessione sentiamus. Per Dominum. terceding

Grant we beseech thee, 0 Almighty God, that we who know thy glorious Martyrs to have been strong in their of thee, may experience their compassion by their infor us with thee.

Through our Lord.

Let us honour all the Saints by a Sequence long sung on this Octave day by the church of Seville.

1 Db Rossi. Bullet: 1879.

Ad honorem Salvatoris, Intus corde, voce foris,

Concinat haec conoio ; Dulcis erit melodia Si conoordent ista tria :

Oor, os, operatic

Admirandus est in Sanctis Suis Deus ; sed cum tantis

Tandem bonis satiat, Cur dum spirant in hac vita Vix respirant, eos ita

Flagellat et cruciat ?

Numquid, Christe, pie odis Quos diversis poense modis

Dignum ducis affici, Et attritos in tormentis Ssepe sinis et consentis

Dirae neoi subjici P

Sed non odit, sed explorat Quo affectu quia laborat

In ejus obsequio ; Amat cunctos, probat tamen Per sudorem et certamen

Quanta sit devotio.

Oertant enim contra mundum,

Hostem nequam et immundum,

Carnis ^uoque vitia ; Hac imprimis confessores Martyresque formant mores

Virili constantia. Est certamen speciale Quod confligit capitale

Martyri supplicium ; Sed interdum confessori Litor deest in litori

To the honour of our Saviour, let this assembly sing, both with the inward music of the heart, and with the outward sound of the voice ; sweet will be the melody if these three be of one accord : heart, lips, and action.

God is wonderful in his Saints; but since at the last he satisfies them with such good things, wherefore, while they live this life, are they scarce able to breathe, he so scourges and torments them P

Is it, 0 Christ, that thou dost lovingly hate them, since thou judgest well that they should suiter in so many ways, and permittest them often to be crushed under tortures and subjected to a cruel death P

Nay, he hates them not, but seeks to know with how much love each one labours in his service ; he loves them all, yet he proves, by the toil and the strife, how great is their devotedness.

For they strive against the world, the wicked unclean foe, the vices of the flesh ; 'tis chiefly by this manly constancy that confessors and martyrs form themselves to virtue.

The special combat for the martyr is that which gives him the stroke of death ; but for the confessor the executioner is wanting; he must

Carnis optans gaudium.

Ob amorem ergo Christi Oertant illi, certant isti.

Tarn mares quam feminae : Qui plus sudat in agone Plus mercedis et coronas

Eefert pro oertamine.

Omnes Deo sunt electi : Velit Deus horum flecti

Mentis et precibus, Ut quum dies erit dira Non nos sua subdat ira

Tartari tortoribus.

Sed hunc nostra laudet lyra Oum coslorum civibus. Amen. choose the struggle against the pleasures of the flesh.

'Tis therefore for the love of Christ that strive the former and the latter, whether men or women; and he that labours most in the strife, carries off a higher prize, a brighter crown for his combat.

All are elected by God : may God allow himself to be moved by their merits and prayers, that when the terrible day shall come, he may not in his wrath hand us over to the infernal torturers.

But rather may our lyre be permitted to praise him in the company of the heavenly citizens. Amen.

Let us next pray for our dear departed ones. The Missals of several churches furnish us with this earnest supplication.

SEQUENCE.

De profundis exclamantes Audi, Christe, nostras voces

In coelesti curia : Pro defuncti fidelibus Orat nunc mater omnibus,

Te supplex Ecclesia. Fiant ergo intendentes Ut audiant tuse aures

Vocis haec suffragia : Vox haec orat, Rex glorias Fidelibus ut hodie

Concedas remedia. Peccatores quamvis simus, Sustinere nec possimus,

Si observes yitia ;

As we cry out from the depths, hear, O Christ, our voices from thy heavenly court : mother Church now suppliantly implores thee for all the faithful departed.

Let, then, thine ears be attentive to hear her prayerful voice : this voice that calls on thee, 0 King of glory, to grant this day some relief to the faithful.

Although we are sinners and unable to endure if thou consider our vices: still,; let

TIME AFTER PENTECOST.

Fiat tamen salutaris Quae offertur nunc a nobis

Pro def unctis hostia. Haec quam Patri obtulisti Offerimus et nos ipsi ;

Sit eis propitia : Propitius esto eis ; Solve vincla, Jesu, reis

In tua potentia.

Propter legem quam dedisti, Te sustinent quos f eoisti :

Averte supplicia : Te sustinent, eruantur ; In te sperant, educantur

Ad coeli palatia.

In te sperant, in te eredunt ; Ad te tendunt et suspirant

De feeds miseria : In te die, in te noote, In te mane et vespere

Sit eis fiducia.

Sit apud te quern rogamus, Pro qua tibi supplicamus,

Pietatis copia : Ut redimas eas, Christe, Supplex rogat coetus iste,

Ad omni nequitia. Eeginarum imperatrix, Tua roget te genitrix : Fiat horum impetratrix,

Quae rogamus, Maria. Bone Jesu Bex glorise, Omnes sancti praecipue Te rogantes sint hodie

Pro eorum venia. Qui per crucem exaltatus Peccatorum es misertus, Audi preces queis devotus Ad te clamat noster coetus

Cum misericordia, tbe victim now offered by us avail for the dead.

See, we offer the same as thou didst offer to the Father : may it be a succour to them ; yea, be thou propitious to them, and in thy might, O Jesus, loose the bonds of the guilty.

Because of the law which thou hast given, the creatures thou hast made wait for thee ; turn away the punishment: they wait for thee, may they be delivered; they trust in thee, lead them forth to the heavenly dwellings.

In thee they trust, in thee they believe, towards thee they yearn and sigh from their awful depth of misery ; in thee by day, in thee by night, in thee at morn and evening be their sure confidence.

With thee, we implore, be that abundant mercy for which we pray; that thou wouldst redeem them, O Christ, from all evil, this suppliant crowd beseeches thee.

Let the Queen of queens, thy Mother, intercede; may Mary obtain for us what we ask. 0 good Jesus, King of glory, let all thy Saints ask pardon for them, especially on this day.

O thou who, raised upon the cross, didst take pity on sinners, mercifully hear the prayers wherewith our assembly cries to thee. By thee

Per te vincla confringantur, may all bonds be broken, the

Port® mortis destruantur, gates of death destroyed, the

Diaboli confundantur, devils put to confusion, and

Et animse consequantur souls obtain possession of

Sempiterna gaudia. never-ending joys. Amen.

Amen.

TIME AFTER PENTEC08T.

SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF ALL SAINTS.

Domum Dei decet sanctitudo : Sponsum ejus Christum adoremus in ea. Such is the Invitatory Antiphon, which sums up the liturgical thought of the day: " Holiness beoometh the House of God : let us adore " therein Christ her Spouse." What is this mystery of a house that is at the same time a bride ? — Our churches are holy because they belong to God, and on account of the celebration of the holy Sacrifice therein, and the prayer and praise offered to the divine Guest who dwells there. More truly than the figurative tabernacle or the ancient temple, they are separated, solemnly and for ever by their dedication, from all the dwellings of men, and exalted far above all earthly palaces Still, notwithstanding the magnificent rites performed within them on the day they were oonsecrated to God, notwithstanding the holy oil with which their walls remain for ever impregnated, they themselves are devoid of feeling and life. What else, then, can be meant, but that the solemn

1 This is the day fixed for this solemnity in all the churches of France. Ireland observes a similar feast in October. We hare thought it well to insert the teaching here given, in the place assigned it in the original work, inasmuch as each of our consecrated churches in England, the number of which is now so happily increasing, has the privilege of celebrating the actual anniversary of its own dedication. Translator,