In those places where this Memorial is observed as a Solemnity or Feast, please use the texts found in the Common of Several Martyrs with the proper texts below.
INVITATORY
The Invitatory is said when this is the first ‘hour’ of the day.
Lord, + open my lips.
— And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
The antiphon is repeated. In individual recitation, the antiphon may be said only at the beginning of the psalm; it need not be repeated after each strophe.
Psalm 95
A call to praise God
Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).
Come, let us sing to the Lord *
and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
and sing joyful songs to the Lord.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
the flock he shepherds.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
“They shall not enter into my rest.”
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:
God, + come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
HYMN
O Christ, the Martyrs’ glorious King,
the crown of those who praise your name,
you guide and lead to heaven’s heights
all those who spurn the things of earth.
Make haste, incline your gracious ear,
forgive our failings when we stray,
and heed our voices as we sing
of solemn vict’ries on this feast.
You triumph in your Martyrs’ death
and spare those who confess your name;
now triumph over all our sins
by granting us your pardon, Lord.
Most loving Father, hear our prayer,
and you, O Christ, coequal Son,
who with the Spirit Paraclete
now reign for all eternity. Amen.
Tune: HEREFORD, 8 8 8 8
Music: Samuel Sebastian Wesley, 1810-1876
or Mode IV, melody 78; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983*
Text: Rex gloriose martyrum, 6th c., © 2023 ICEL
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Bow down and hear me, Lord; come to my rescue.
Psalm 31:1-17, 20-25
A troubled person’s confident appeal to God
Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit (Luke 23:46).
I
In you, O Lord, I take refuge. *
Let me never be put to shame.
In your justice, set me free, *
hear me and speedily rescue me.
Be a rock of refuge for me, *
a mighty stronghold to save me,
for you are my rock, my stronghold. *
For your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.
Release me from the snares they have hidden *
for you are my refuge, Lord.
Into your hands I commend my spirit. *
It is you who will redeem me, Lord.
O God of truth, you detest *
those who worship false and empty gods.
As for me, I trust in the Lord: *
let me be glad and rejoice in your love.
You have seen my affliction *
and taken heed of my soul’s distress,
have not handed me over to the enemy, *
but set my feet at large.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Bow down and hear me, Lord; come to my rescue.
Ant. 2 Lord, let the light of your countenance shine on your servant.
II
Have mercy on me, O Lord, *
for I am in distress.
Tears have wasted my eyes, *
my throat and my heart.
For my life is spent with sorrow *
and my years with sighs.
Affliction has broken down my strength *
and my bones waste away.
In the face of all my foes *
I am a reproach,
an object of scorn to my neighbors *
and of fear to my friends.
Those who see me in the street *
run far away from me.
I am like a dead man, forgotten, *
like a thing thrown away.
I have heard the slander of the crowd, *
fear is all around me,
as they plot together against me, *
as they plan to take my life.
But as for me, I trust in you, Lord, *
I say: “You are my God.
My life is in your hands, deliver me *
from the hands of those who hate me.
Let your face shine on your servant. *
Save me in your love.”
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Lord, let the light of your countenance shine on your servant.
Ant. 3 Blessed be the Lord, for he has poured out his mercy upon me.
III
How great is the goodness, Lord, *
that you keep for those who fear you,
that you show to those who trust you *
in the sight of men.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence *
from the plotting of men:
you keep them safe within your tent *
from disputing tongues.
Blessed be the Lord who has shown me †
the wonders of his love *
in a fortified city.
“I am far removed from your sight,” *
I said in my alarm.
Yet you heard the voice of my plea *
when I cried for help.
Love the Lord, all you saints. *
He guards his faithful
but the Lord will repay to the full *
those who act with pride.
Be strong, let your heart take courage, *
all who hope in the Lord.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm Prayer
God of kindness and truth, you saved your Chosen One, Jesus Christ, and you gave your martyrs strength. Watch over your people who come to you here and strengthen the hearts of those who hope in you, that they may proclaim your saving acts of kindness in the eternal city.
Ant. Blessed be the Lord, for he has poured out his mercy upon me.
Guide me in the way of your truth and teach me.
— For you are my saving God.
READINGS
FIRST READING
From the beginning of the second letter of the apostle Peter
1:1-11
An exhortation concerning the way of salvation
Simeon Peter, servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have been given a faith like ours in the justifying power of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: may grace be yours and peace in abundance through your knowledge of God and of Jesus, our Lord.
That divine power of his has freely bestowed on us everything necessary for a life of genuine piety, through knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and power. By virtue of them he has bestowed on us the great and precious things he promised, so that through these you who have fled a world corrupted by lust might become sharers of the divine nature.
This is reason enough for you to make every effort to undergird your virtue with faith, your discernment with virtue, and your self-control with discernment; this self-control, in turn, should lead to perseverance, and perseverance to piety, and piety to care for your brother, and care for your brother, to love.
Qualities like these, made increasingly your own, are by no means ineffectual; they bear fruit in true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Any man who lacks these qualities is shortsighted to the point of blindness. He forgets the cleansing of his long-past sins.
Be solicitous to make your call and election permanent, brothers; surely those who do so will never be lost. On the contrary, your entry into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for.
RESPONSORY
2 Peter 1:3,4; Galatians 3:27
The Lord has called you to his own glory and power,
and he has given you all the very great and precious things he had promised,
— that you might become sharers in the divine nature.
All of you who have been baptized into Christ,
have put on Christ.
— That you might become sharers in the divine nature.
SECOND READING
From a letter of Saint Paul Le-Bao-Tinh sent to students of the Seminary of Ke-Vinh in 1843
(A. Launay, Le clergé tonkinois et ses prêtres martyrs [Paris Foreign Mission Society, Paris, 1925], pp. 80-83)
The martyrs’ share in Christ’s victory
I, Paul, in chains for the name of Christ, wish to relate to you the trials besetting me daily, in order that you may be inflamed with love for God and join with me in his praises, for his mercy is for ever. The prison here is a true image of everlasting hell: to cruel tortures of every kind—shackles, iron chains, manacles—are added hatred, vengeance, calumnies, obscene speech, quarrels, evil acts, swearing, curses, as well as anguish and grief. But the God who once freed the three children from the fiery furnace is with me always; he has delivered me from these tribulations and made them sweet, for his mercy is for ever.
In the midst of these torments, which usually terrify others, I am, by the grace of God, full of joy and gladness, because I am not alone—Christ is with me.
Our Master bears the whole weight of the cross, leaving me only the tiniest, last bit. He is not a mere onlooker in my struggle, but a contestant and the victor and champion in the whole battle. Therefore upon his head is placed the crown of victory, and his members also share in his glory.
How am I to bear with the spectacle, as each day I see emperors, mandarins, and their retinue blaspheming your holy name, O Lord, who are enthroned above the Cherubim and Seraphim? Behold, the pagans have trodden your cross underfoot! Where is your glory? As I see all this, I would, in the ardent love I have for you, prefer to be torn limb from limb and to die as a witness to your love.
O Lord, show your power, save me, sustain me, that in my infirmity your power may be shown and may be glorified before the nations; grant that I may not grow weak along the way, and so allow your enemies to hold their heads up in pride.
Beloved brothers, as you hear all these things may you give endless thanks in joy to God, from whom every good proceeds; bless the Lord with me, for his mercy is for ever. My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant and from this day all generations will call me blessed, for his mercy is for ever.
O praise the Lord, all you nations, acclaim him all you peoples, for God chose what is weak in the world to confound the strong, God chose what is low and despised to confound the noble. Through my mouth he has confused the philosophers who are disciples of the wise of this world, for his mercy is for ever.
I write these things to you in order that your faith and mine may be united. In the midst of this storm I cast my anchor toward the throne of God, the anchor that is the lively home in my heart.
Beloved brothers, for your part so run that you may attain the crown, put on the breastplate of faith and take up the weapons of Christ for the right hand and for the left, as my patron Saint Paul has taught us. It is better for you to enter life with one eye or crippled than, with all your members intact, to be cast away.
Come to my aid with your prayers, that I may have the strength to fight according to the law, and indeed to fight the good fight and to fight until the end and so finish the race. We may not again see each other in this life, but we will have the happiness of seeing each other again in the world to come, when, standing at the throne of the spotless Lamb, we will together join in singing his praises and exult for ever in the joy of our triumph. Amen.
RESPONSORY
Hebrews 12:1c-2a. 3
Through patience let us run the race that is set before us.
— Looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.
Consider him who from sinners endured such hostility against himself,
so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
— Looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Let us pray.
O God,
the source and origin of all fatherhood,
you kept the blessed martyrs Andrew and his companions
faithful to the cross of your Son
even to the shedding of their blood.
Through their intercession
enable us to spread your love
among our brothers and sisters,
that we may be called and may truly be your children.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
Or:
O God, source and origin of all fatherhood,
who kept the Martyrs Saint Andrew Dũng-Lac and his companions
faithful to the Cross of your Son,
even to the shedding of their blood,
grant, through their intercession,
that, spreading your love among our brothers and sisters,
we may be your children both in name and in truth.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
ACCLAMATION
Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.
******
Psalm 24
The Lord’s entry into his temple
Christ opened heaven for us in the manhood he assumed (Saint Irenaeus).
The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, *
the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas; *
on the waters he made it firm.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? *
Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart, †
who desires not worthless things, *
who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbor.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
He shall receive blessings from the Lord *
and reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the men who seek him, *
seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
O gates, lift high your heads; †
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Who is the king of glory? †
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant, *
the Lord, the valiant in war.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
O gates, lift high your heads; †
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Who is he, the king of glory? †
He, the Lord of armies, *
he is the king of glory.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Psalm 67
People of all nations will worship the Lord
You must know that God is offering his salvation to all the world (Acts 28:28).
O God, be gracious and bless us *
and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth *
and all nations learn your saving help.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Let the nations be glad and exult *
for you rule the world with justice.
With fairness you rule the peoples, *
you guide the nations on earth.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
The earth has yielded its fruit *
for God, our God, has blessed us.
May God still give us his blessing *
till the ends of the earth revere him.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Psalm 100
The joyful song of those entering God’s temple
The Lord calls his ransomed people to sing songs of victory (Saint Athanasius).
Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. †
Serve the Lord with gladness. *
Come before him, singing for joy.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Know that he, the Lord, is God. †
He made us, we belong to him, *
we are his people, the sheep of his flock.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Go within his gates, giving thanks. †
Enter his courts with songs of praise. *
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Indeed, how good is the Lord, †
eternal his merciful love. *
He is faithful from age to age.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Faith of our fathers, living still
In spite of dungeon, fire and sword,
O how our hearts beat high with joy
Whene’er we hear that glorious word!
Refrain: Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death.
Our fathers, chained in prisons dark,
Were still in heart and conscience free;
And blest would be their children’s fate,
If they, like them should die for thee:
Refrain: Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death.
Faith of our fathers! faith and prayer
shall win all nations unto thee;
and through the truth that comes from God,
mankind shall then indeed be free.
Refrain: Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death.
Faith of our fathers! we will love
both friend and foe in all our strife:
and preach thee, too, as love knows how,
by kindly deeds and virtuous life.
Refrain: Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death.
Tune: Saint Catherine L.M. with Refrain
Music: Henri F. Henry, 1818-1888 and James G. Walton, 1821-1905
Text: Frederick W. Faber, 1814-1864