In those places where this Memorial is observed as a Solemnity or Feast, please use the texts found in the Common of Several Martyrs or the Common of Pastors: For Several Pastors with the proper texts below.
INTRODUCTION
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
[Martyrs]
Come, friends, praise noble deeds, valiant and resolute,
and all those wondrous joys merited by the Saints,
for our hearts fill with zeal, striving to celebrate
peerless victors of great renown.
These were feared by the world, though they were held in chains,
for they spurned all its pomp, fruitless and arid waste;
ardent in their resolve, they followed after you,
Christ, good King of the heav’nly court.
For your sake, they endured rage and brutality;
no murmur or complaint uttered in suffering,
but their heart was at peace born of a quiet mind,
they were patient and persevered.
Whose tongue could ever say, who has the voice to tell
what things you have prepared, gifts for your Martyr Saints?
Their blood shed for your name, crimson in flowing tides,
brought them bright and unfading crowns.
O Godhead, Three in One, hear us, we beg of you,
cleanse all sin from our hearts, save us from hidden snares;
bless your servants with peace; let us with all the saints
sing your glory from age to age. Amen.
Tune: CHORIAMBUS, 12 12 12 8
Music: ICEL, 2021
or Mode II, melody 37; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983*
Text: Sanctorum meritis inclita gaudia, attributed to Rabanus Maurus, O.S.B., ca. 780-856, © 2023 ICEL
[Pastors]
This yearly feast brings solemn joy,
the day on which we celebrate
with fitting worship and due praise
the holy shepherds of the sheep.
See how they guard and tend their flocks:
they work and toil without reprieve
to keep them safe with watchful care
and nourish them with wholesome food.
They fend off wolves from their domains
and drive the robbers far away;
with richest food they fill the sheep
and never once forsake the flock.
Most holy Pastors of the flocks,
who now possess abundant joy,
implore the Judge to pardon us
when we appear before his throne.
Eternal glory, equal praise
to you, O Christ, High Priest and Lord,
with God the Father, ever blest,
and loving Spirit, ever one. Amen.
Tune: MELCOMBE, 8 8 8 8
Music: Samle Webbe the elder, 1740-1816
or Mode IV, melody 84; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983
Text: Sacrata nobis gaudia, Pietro Piacenza. d. 1919, © 2023 ICEL
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Lord, how wonderful is your wisdom, so far beyond my understanding.
Psalm 139:1-18, 23-24
God sees all that is
Who has known the mind of God, who has been his counselor? (Romans 11:34).
I
O Lord, you search me and you know me, †
you know my resting and my rising, *
you discern my purpose from afar.
You mark when I walk or lie down, *
all my ways lie open to you.
Before ever a word is on my tongue *
you know it, O Lord, through and through.
Behind and before you besiege me, *
your hand ever laid upon me.
Too wonderful for me, this knowledge, *
too high, beyond my reach.
O where can I go from your spirit, *
or where can I flee from your face?
If I climb the heavens, you are there. *
If I lie in the grave, you are there.
If I take the wings of the dawn *
and dwell at the sea’s furthest end,
even there your hand would lead me, *
your right hand would hold me fast.
If I say: “Let the darkness hide me *
and the light around me be night,”
even darkness is not dark for you *
and the night is as clear as the day.
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, how wonderful is your wisdom, so far beyond my understanding.
Ant. 2 I am the Lord: I search the mind and probe the heart; I give to each one as his deeds deserve.
II
For it was you who created my being, *
knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I thank you for the wonder of my being, *
for the wonders of all your creation.
Already you knew my soul, *
my body held no secret from you
when I was being fashioned in secret *
and molded in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw all my actions, *
they were all of them written in your book;
every one of my days was decreed *
before one of them came into being.
To me, how mysterious your thoughts, *
the sum of them not to be numbered!
If I count them, they are more than the sand; *
to finish, I must be eternal, like you.
O search me, God, and know my heart. *
O test me and know my thoughts.
See that I follow not the wrong path *
and lead me in the path of life eternal.
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
You watch over heaven and earth, Lord Jesus. Your death brought light to the dead; your resurrection gave joy to the saints; your ascension made the angels rejoice. Your power exceeds all power. Lead us to life eternal, and watch over us with your love. May your friends be filled with honor and join you in heaven.
Ant. I am the Lord: I search the mind and probe the heart; I give to each one as his deeds deserve.
Ant. 3 Through him all things were made; he holds all creation together in himself.
Canticle: Colossians 1:12-20
Christ the first-born of all creation and the first-born from the dead
Let us give thanks to the Father *
for having made you worthy
to share the lot of the saints *
in light.
He rescued us *
from the power of darkness
and brought us *
into the kingdom of his beloved Son.
Through him we have redemption, *
the forgiveness of our sins.
He is the image of the invisible God, *
the first-born of all creatures.
In him everything in heaven and on earth was created, *
things visible and invisible.
All were created through him; *
all were created for him.
He is before all else that is. *
In him everything continues in being.
It is he who is head of the body, the church! *
he who is the beginning,
the first-born of the dead, *
so that primacy may be his in everything.
It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in him *
and, by means of him, to reconcile everything in his person,
both on earth and in the heavens, *
making peace through the blood of his cross.
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. Through him all things were made; he holds all creation together in himself.
READING
[Martyrs] 1 Peter 4:13-14
Rejoice, beloved, in the measure that you share Christ’s sufferings. When his glory is revealed, you will rejoice exultantly. Happy are you when you are insulted for the sake of Christ, for then God’s Spirit in its glory has come to rest on you.
RESPONSORY
Let the just rejoice and sing for joy in the Lord.
— Let the just rejoice and sing for joy in the Lord.
Delight in his love, you pure of heart,
— and sing for joy in the Lord.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Let the just rejoice and sing for joy in the Lord.
Or:
READING
[Pastors] 1 Peter 5:1-4
To the elders among you, I, a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and sharer in the glory that is to be revealed, make this appeal. God’s flock is in your midst; give it a shepherd’s care. Watch over it willingly, as God would have you do, not under constraint, and not for shameful profit, either, but generously. Be examples to the flock, not lording it over those assigned to you, so that when the chief Shepherd appears, you will win for yourselves the unfading crown of glory.
RESPONSORY
These are men who loved their brethren and ever prayed for them.
— These are men who loved their brethren and ever prayed for them.
They spent themselves in their service,
— and ever prayed for them.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
— These are men who loved their brethren and ever prayed for them.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. O blessed Church, the blood of martyrs has made you glorious.
Canticle of Mary
Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord
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.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: †
the Almighty has done great things for me, *
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel *
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.
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. O blessed Church, the blood of martyrs has made you glorious.
INTERCESSIONS
[Martyrs]
This is the hour when the King of martyrs offered his life in the upper room and laid it down on the cross. Let us thank him and say:
We praise you, O Lord.
We praise you, O Lord, our Savior, inspiration and example for every martyr, for loving us to the end:
We praise you, O Lord.
For calling all repentant sinners to the rewards of life:
We praise you, O Lord.
For entrusting to your Church the blood of the new and everlasting covenant poured out for the remission of sin:
We praise you, O Lord.
For our perseverance in your grace today:
We praise you, O Lord.
For incorporating our dead brothers and sisters into your own death today:
We praise you, O Lord.
[Pastors]
Jesus Christ is worthy of all praise, for he was appointed high priest among men and their representative before God. We honor him and in our weakness we pray:
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
You marvelously illuminated your Church through distinguished leaders and holy men and women,
— let Christians rejoice always in such splendor.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
You forgave the sins of your people when their holy leaders like Moses sought your compassion,
— through their intercession continue to purify and sanctify your holy people.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
In the midst of their brothers and sisters you anointed your holy ones and filled them with the Holy Spirit,
— fill all the leaders of your people with the same Spirit.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
You yourself are the only visible possession of our holy pastors,
— let none of them, won at the price of your blood, remain far from you.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
The shepherds of your Church keep your flock from being snatched out of your hand. Through them you give your flock eternal life,
— save those who have died, those for whom you gave up your life.
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
(Gathering our prayer and praises into one, let us offer the prayer Christ himself taught us:)
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.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
God our Father,
in Saints Cornelius and Cyprian
you have given your people an inspiring example
of dedication to the pastoral ministry
and constant witness to Christ in their suffering.
May their prayers and faith give us courage
to work for the unity of your Church.
Grant 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, who gave Saints Cornelius and Cyprian to your people
as diligent shepherds and valiant Martyrs,
grant that through their intercession
we may be strengthened in faith and constancy
and spend ourselves without reserve
for the unity of the Church.
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.
DISMISSAL
If a priest or deacon presides, he dismisses the people:
The Lord be with you.
— And with your spirit.
May almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
— Amen.
Another form of the blessing may be used, as at Mass.
Then he adds:
Go in peace.
— Thanks be to God.
In the absence of a priest or deacon and in individual recitation, Evening Prayer concludes:
May the Lord + bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.
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