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Ember
PT

Ember Days

Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, four times a year

5 min
Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.

Advent Ember Days: Wednesday, December 16; Friday, December 18; Saturday, December 19.

The Ember Days of Advent fall in its third week, as the Church waits for the coming of the Lord.

Drop down dew, you heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just. (Introit of Ember Wednesday)

The fast

By the discipline of the 1962 missal these are days of fast: one full meal, with meat at that meal only on Wednesday and Saturday, and none on Friday. The Church's present law binds no one to this fast; it is kept freely, and never against health or duty.

For good ministers

The fast of the Ember Days was instituted to consecrate every season of the year by penance on some days; to ask God for the preservation of the fruits of the earth; to thank Him for the fruits already given; and to pray Him to give His Church good ministers, whose ordination is performed on the Saturdays of the Ember Days.

(Catechism of St. Pius X)

Pray for those God is calling to Holy Orders, and for the pastors of His Church.

Our Father

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.

Pater noster, qui es in cælis,

sanctificétur nomen tuum.

Advéniat regnum tuum.

Fiat volúntas tua, sicut in cælo et in terra.

Panem nostrum quotidiánum da nobis hódie,

et dimítte nobis débita nostra,

sicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris.

Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem,

sed líbera nos a malo.

Amen.

Hail Mary

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.

Ave María, grátia plena, Dóminus tecum.

Benedícta tu in muliéribus,

et benedíctus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.

Sancta María, Mater Dei,

ora pro nobis peccatóribus,

nunc et in hora mortis nostræ.

Amen.

Glory Be

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper,

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.

About this prayer

Three days of fast and prayer — Wednesday, Friday and Saturday — kept four times a year: in the first week of Lent, the week of Pentecost, September and the third week of Advent. Joined once, they come round on their own days.

History

*The fast of the Ember Days was instituted to consecrate every season of the year by penance on some days; to ask God for the preservation of the fruits of the earth; to thank Him for the fruits already given; and to pray Him to give His Church good ministers, whose ordination is performed on the Saturdays of the Ember Days.* (Catechism of St. Pius X, part III, ch. IV, q. 23.) The 1962 Roman Missal gives each of the twelve days a Mass of its own. The calendar of 1969 left the Ember Days to the bishops' conferences to arrange, so they have no universal dates in the newer form; this practice keeps the dates of the 1962 missal for everyone.

How to pray it

On each of the three days, fast as you are able, pray the collect and Gospel of the day's Mass (its lessons are there to open), and pray for the Church's ministers. A week kept whole, each day on its own date, gives that season's holy card.

Catechism of St. Pius X, part III, ch. IV, q. 23 (the ends of the Ember fast). The day's collect, lessons and Gospel are read from the 1962 Roman Missal as Divinum Officium gives it.