PSALM 121.

I rejoiced at the things that Lætatus sum in his quæ were said to me : We shall go dicta sunt mihi : * In dointo the house of the Lord. mum Domini ibimus.

Our feet were standing in Stantes erant pedes nosthy courts, O Jerusalem ! Our tri : * in atriis tuis Jerusaheart loves and confides in thee, lem. O Mary.

Mary is like to Jerusalem Jerusalem quæ ædificatur that is built as a City; which ut civitas : * cujus particiis compact together.

patio ejus in idipsum. For thither did the tribes go Illuc enim ascenderunt up, the tribes of the Lord: the tribus, tribus Domini : * testestimony of Israel, to praise timonium Israel ad confitenthe Name of the Lord.

dum Nomini Domini. Because seats sat there in Quia illic sederunt sedes judgment; seats upon the in judicio : sedes super house of David ; and Mary is domum David. of a kingly race.

Pray ye, through Mary, for Rogate quæ ad pacem sunt the things that are for the Jerusalem : * et abundantia peace of Jerusalem : and may diligentibus te. abundance be on them that love thee, O Church of our God!

The voice of Mary: Let Fiat pax in virtute tua : peace be in thy strength, O * et abundantia in turribus thou new Sion! and abundance tuis. in thy towers.

I, a daughter of Israel, for Propter fratres meos et the sake of my brethren and proximos meos : loquebar of my neighbours, spoke peace pacem de te. of thee.

Because of the house of Propter domum Domini the Lord our God, I have Dei nostri : * quæsivi bona sought good things for thee. tibi.

Ant. In the Bush seen by ANT. Rubum, quem videMoses as burning yet uncon- rat Moyses incombustum, sumed, we recognise the pre- conservatam agnovimus tuservation of thy glorious vir- am laudabilem virginitatem: ginity. O Mother of God! Dei Genitrix, intercede pro intercede for us.

*

rem : te laudamus, Deus hath brought forth the Sanoster.

viour. O Lord our God! we praise thee.

:

*

PSALM 126. Nisi Dominus ædificaverit Unless the Lord build the domum : * in vanum labora- House, they labour in vain verunt qui ædificant eam. that build it.

Nisi Dominus custodierit Unless the Lord keep the civitatem : * frustra vigilat City, he watcheth in vain that qui custodit eam.

keepeth it. Vanum est vobis ante lu- It is vain for you to rise becem surgere : * surgite post- fore light; rise ye after you quam sederitis, qui mandu- have sitten, you that eat of the catis panem doloris.

bread of sorrow. Cum dederit dilectis suis When he shall give sleep to somnum : ecce hæreditas his beloved : behold the inDomini, filii: merces, fructus heritance of the Lord are chilventris.

dren ; the reward, the fruit of

the womb. Sicut sagittæ in manu po

As arrows in the hand of the tentis : * ita filii excusso- mighty, so the children of

them that have been shaken. Beatus vir, qui implevit Blessed is the man that hath desiderium suum ex ipsis : filled his desire with them; he * non confundetur cum lo- shall not be confounded when quetur inimicis suis in porta. he shall speak to his enemies

in the gate. ANT. Germinavit radix Ant. The Root of Jesse hath Jesse ; orta est stella ex Ja- budded; the Star hath risen cob; Virgo peperit Salvato- out of Jacob; a Virgin hath rem : te laudamus, Deus brought forth the Saviour. O noster.

Lord our God ! we praise thee. Ant. Ecce Maria genuit Ant. Lo! Mary hath brought nobis Salvatorem, quem forth a Saviour unto us, whom Joannes videns exclamavit, John seeing exclaimed : Bedicens : Ecce Agnus Dei, hold the Lamb of God! Beecce qui tollit peccata mundi, hold him that taketh away the alleluia.

sins of the world, alleluia.

rum.

:

a

PSALM 147.
Lauda, Jerusalem, Domi- Praise the Lord, O Mary,
num: * lauda Deum tuum, thou true Jerusalem : 0 Mary,
Sion.

O Sion ever holy, praise thy
God.

:

*

nam :

Because he hath strength- Quoniam confortavit seened against sin the bolts of ras portarum tuarum : * bethy gates : he hath blessed thy nedixit filiis tuis in te. children within thee.

Who hath placed peace in Qui posuit fines tuos pathy borders, and filleth thee cem, et adipe frumenti with the fat of corn, with satiat te. Jesus, who is the Bread of life.

Who sendeth forth by thee Qui emittit eloquium suhis Word to the earth ; his um terræ : * velociter curWord runneth swiftly.

rit sermo ejus. Who giveth snow like wool; Qui dat nivem sicut lascattereth mists like ashes.

* nebulam sicut cine

rem spargit. He sendeth his crystal like Mittit crystallum suam morsels : who shall stand be- sicut buccellas : * ante fafore the face of his cold? ciem frigoris ejus quis sus

tinebit? He shall send forth his Word Emittet verbum suum, et by Mary, and shall melt them: liquefaciet ea :

* flabit spirihis spirit shall breathe, and the tus ejus, et fluent aquæ. waters shall run.

Who declareth his Word to Qui annuntiat verbum Jacob : his justices and judg- suum Jacob : * justitias, et ments to Israel.

judicia sua Israel. He hath not done in like Non fecit taliter omni manner to every nation; and nationi : * et judicia sua non

; his judgments he hath not manifestavit eis. made manifest to them.

Ant. Lo! Mary hath brought Ant. Ecce Maria genuit forth a Saviour unto us, whom nobis Salvatorem, quem JoJohn seeing exclaimed : Be- annes videns exclamavit, hold the Lamb of God! Be- dicens : Ecce Agnus Dei, hold him that taketh away the ecce qui tollit peccata munsins of the world, alleluia. di, alleluia.

a

CAPITULUM.

(Tit. II.) The grace of God our Sa- Apparuit gratia Dei Salviour hath appeared to all men, vatoris nostri omnibus hoinstructing us, that denying minibus, erudiens nos, ut ungodliness and worldly de- abnegantes impietatem et sires, we should live soberly, sæcularia desideria, sobrie, and justly, and godly, in this et juste, et pie vivamus in world.

Then is sung the Hymn of Christmas Day, Jesu, Redemptor omnium, as in page 130.

V. Verbum caro factum V. The Word was made est, alleluia.

flesh, alleluia. B. Et habitavit in nobis, R. And dwelt among us, alleluia.

alleluia.

ANTIPHON OF THE Magnificat. Ant. Propter nimiam Ant. By reason of the excharitatem suam qua di- ceeding charity wherewith lexit nos Deus, Filium suum God loved us, he sent us his misit in similitudinem car- Son in the likeness of sinful nis peccati. Alleluia. flesh. Alleluia.

OREMUS,

LET US PRAY.

Deus, qui salutis æternæ, O God, who by the fruitful beatæ Mariæ virginitate fee- Virginity of the Blessed Mary, cunda, humano generi præ- hast given to mankind the remia præstitisti : tribue, wards of eternal salvation ; quæsumus, ut ipsam pro grant, we beseech thee, that nobis intercedere sentiamus, we may experience Her interper quam meruimus aucto- cession, by whom we received rem vitæ suscipere, Domi- the Author of Life, our Lord num nostrum Jesum Chris- Jesus Christ, thy Son. Who tum," Filium tuum. Qui liveth, dic. tecum.

MASS.

This Station is at St. Mary's across the Tiber. It was but just, that this Basilica should receive such an honour, for it is the most ancient of all the Churches raised by the devotion of the Faithful of Rome, in honour of our Blessed Lady. It was consecrated in the 3rd century, by St. Callixtus, on the site of the ancient Taberna Meritoria, celebrated, even among the Pagans, for the fountain of Oil which sprang up in that spot, in the reign of Augustus, and flowed into the Tiber. The piety of the Christians interpreted this as a symbol of the Christ that was afterwards born ; and the Basilica is sometimes called, even to this day, Fons Olei.

The Introit is that of the Third Mass of Christmas Day, as are also most of the portions that are chanted by the Choir. It celebrates the Birth of the Child who is born unto us, and is to-day eight days old.

INTROIT.

A Child is born to us, and Puer natus est nobis, et a Son is given to us : and the Filius datus est nobis : cugovernment is upon his shoul- jus imperium super humeder; and his name shall be rum ejus; et vocabitur nocalled the Angel of the great men ejus magni Consilii Counsel.

Angelus. Ps. Sing to the Lord a new Ps. Cantate Domino cancanticle : for he hạth done ticum novum: quia mirawonderful things. N. Glory, bilia fecit. V. Gloria Patri. &c. A Child.

Puer. In the Collect, the Church celebrates the Fruitful Virginity of the Mother of God, and shows Mary to us as the source whence God poured out upon mankind the blessing of the Incarnation. She expresses to God himself the hopes we have in the intercession of this privileged creature.

COLLECT.

O God, who by the fruitful Deus, qui salutis æternæ, Virginity of Blessed Mary, beatæ Mariæ virginitate feehast given to mankind the re- cunda, humano generi præwards of eternal salvation ; mia præstitisti : tribue, grant, we beseech thee, that quæsumus, ut ipsam pro we may experience Her inter- nobis intercedere sentiamus, cession, by whom we received per quam meruimus auctothe Author of Life, our Lord rem vitæ suscipere DomiJesus Christ, thy Son. Who num nostrum Jesum Chrisliveth, &c.