St Thomas a Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury and Martyr; Within the Octave of the Nativity: Missa “Gaudeámus omnes” Saint Thomas a Becket, son of an English nobleman, Gilbert Becket, was born on the day consecrated to the memory of Saint Thomas the Apostle, December 21, 1117, in Southwark, England. He was endowed by both nature and grace…
Tag: Christ
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; St Stephen, First Martyr of the Church
St Stephen, Deacon & Protomartyr: Missa “Sederunt principes” Station for today’s Mass is at St. Stephen’s Church on the Cœlian Hill in Rome. The Jewish origin of Saint Stephen is universally acknowledged; he is known and loved everywhere as the first follower of Christ to give to his martyred God love for love, blood for…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; Third Mass [Day] of the Nativity of Our Lord
Third Mass of the Nativity of Our Lord: Missa “Puer natus” This third Mass during the day on Christmas Day returns to the major Station at St. Mary Major and we hear in the Epistle from St. Paul that it was by the Word that God made the world. Let the nations and kings come and…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; Second Mass [Dawn] of the Nativity of Our Lord
Second Mass of the Nativity of Our Lord: Missa “Lux fulgébit” This second Mass at Dawn often called “of the shepherds” used for its station the very ancient church of St. Anastasia whose name appears in the Canon of the Mass. She was burnt alive at Sirmium in Yuglosavia on Devcember 25th during the terrible Diocletian…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; First Mass [Midnight] of the Nativity of Our Lord
First Mass of the Nativity of Our Lord: Missa “Dóminus dixit” This first Mass at Midnight for the Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord, the Redeemer of mankind, has always been held at the Station of St. Mary Major where the relics of the Bethlehem crib are kept for it was at midnight that Our…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; Vigil of the Nativity of Our Lord
Vigil of the Nativity of Our Lord: Missa “Hodie sciétis” Station for Christmas Eve is at St. Mary Major in Rome with a Privileged Vigil of the First Class. It was only when Our Lord’s nativity was celebrated with increasing solemnity that a special Mass was said on this vigil. The actual solemnity of December 25,…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; Feria IV of Advent IV
Feria of the Fourth Sunday of Advent: Missa “Rorate, coeli,” Whereas the Church during the whole year offers her prayers to God the Father in union with Jesus Christ, during Advent she addresses herself directly to the Word, and not to the Word Incarnate, as is shown by today’s Collect. Only on the Second Sunday does…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; Feria III of Advent IV
Feria of the Fourth Sunday of Advent; Vigil of St Thomas, Apostle: Missa “Rorate, coeli,” Whereas the Church during the whole year offers her prayers to God the Father in union with Jesus Christ, during Advent she addresses herself directly to the Word, and not to the Word Incarnate, as is shown by today’s Collect. Only…
Carissimi: Sunday’s Mass; Advent IV
Fourth Sunday of Advent: Missa “Rorate, coeli,” Whereas the Church during the whole year offers her prayers to God the Father in union with Jesus Christ, during Advent she addresses herself directly to the Word, and not to the Word Incarnate, as is shown by today’s Collect. Only on the Second Sunday does she entreat God…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; S. Lucy, Virgin & Martyr
St Lucy, Virgin and Martyr; Commemoration of the feria in the Octave of the Conception of the BVM and of the Third Sunday of Advent: Missa “Dilexísti justítiam” Hagiography states that Saint Lucy was a Christian martyr during the Diocletian persecution. According to apocryphal texts, the beautiful Lucia was born to a prosperous family of nobility…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; St Ambrose, Bishop Confessor, Doctor of the Church
St Ambrose, Bishop Confessor & Doctor of the Church; Commemoration of the Advent Feria: Missa “In medio“ Our father among the saints Ambrose of Milan came to be bishop of Milan as the only competent candidate to succeed Auxentius, a bishop of Arian persuasion, in 374. A catechumen and trained as a lawyer, he learned…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; St Bibiana, Virgin Martyr
St Bibiana, Virgin Martyr: Missa “Me expectaverunt“ St. Bibiana, Virgin and Martyr (Feast day – December 2nd) Other than the name, nothing is known for certain about this saint. However, we have the following account from a later tradition. In the year 363, Julian the Apostate made Apronianus Governor of Rome. St. Bibiana suffered in the…
