SEVEN DOLORS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY - MASS PROPERS

              Regina Martyrum
              Queen of Martyrs 

In order to show us what the Martyrs suffered, they are represented with the instruments of their Martyrdom: St. Andrew with a cross; St. Paul with a sword. Mary is represented with her dead Son in her arms, for He alone was the cause of her Martyrdom; compassion for Him made her Queen of Martyrs.

St. Laurence Justinian considers Jesus on the road to Calvary with His Cross on His shoulders, turning to His Mother and saying: “Alas, My own dear Mother, whither goest thou?" What a scene thou art going to witness! Thou wilt be agonized by My sufferings, and I by thine.” But the loving Mother would follow Him all the same, though she knew that by being present at His death she should have to endure tortures greater than any death. She saw that her Son carried the Cross to be crucified on it, and she also took up the cross of her Dolours and followed her Son to be crucified with Him.

                St. Cyril of Jerusalem

Cyril of Jerusalem was given to the study of the Holy Scriptures from a child, and so learnt therein that he became an eminent champion of the orthodox faith. He embraced the monastic institute in perpetual continency, and all hardship of living. He was ordained Priest by holy Maximus, Patriarch of Jerusalem, and undertook with eminent success the task of preaching the word of God to the faithful and of instructing the catechumens. Thus did he compose those truly wonderful Catechesis, wherein he has embraced, clearly and fully, all the teaching of the Church, and stoutly defended every one of her doctrines against the enemies of the faith. His treatment of these subjects was such that he has overthrown therein, not only the heresies which had then come into being, but, by a kind of foreknowledge, even those which were to arise in later times. 

                            FRIDAY

                   IN PASSION WEEK

THE SEVEN DOLORS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN

       Greater double – White vestments

   Commemoration St. Cyril of Jerusalem 
  Commemoration of Passion Week Feria

The Station, at Rome, is in the Church of Saint Stephen, on Monte Celio. By a sort of prophetic presentiment, this Church of the great Proto-Martyr was chosen as the place where the Faithful were to assemble on the Friday of Passion Week, which was to be, at a future time, the Feast consecrated to the Queen of Martyrs.

      INTROIT - John 19: 25

There stood by the cross of Jesus, His mother, and His mother’s sister Mary of Cleophas, and Salome, and Mary Magdalen. Woman, behold thy son, said Jesus; and to the disciple, Behold thy mother. Glory be to the Father.

                  COLLECT

O God, in Whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, the sword of sorrow did pierce the most sweet soul of the glorious Mary, Virgin and Mother; mercifully grant that we who call to mind with veneration her anguish and suffering, may obtain the blessed fruit of Thy Passion through the glorious merits and prayers of all the Saints who have faithfully stood by the cross interceding for us: Who livest and reignest.

COLLECT – ST. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM

Grant us, we beseech Thee, O almighty God, by the intercession of the blessed bishop Cyril, so to know Thee, the one true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent that we may be accounted worthy to be numbered for evermore among the sheep who hearken to His voice. Through our Lord.

Third Collect of the Friday in Passion Week

We beseech thee, O Lord, mercifully to pour thy grace into our hearts: that we, who willingly by the chastisement of the flesh do refrain from sin, may in such wise mortify ourselves in this life, that we may be delivered in the end from everlasting damnation. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. R. Amen.

          EPISTLE - Judith 13: 22, 23-25

The Lord hath blessed thee by His power, who by thee hath brought our enemies to nought. Blessed art thou, O daughter, by the Lord the Most High God, above all women upon the earth. Blessed be the Lord Who made Heaven and earth, because He hath so magnified thy name this day, that thy praise shall not depart out of the mouth of men, who shall be mindful of the power of the Lord forever; for that thou hast not spared thy life by reason of the distress and tribulation of thy people, but hast prevented our ruin in the presence of our God.

        TRACT – Lamentations 1: 12

Holy Mary, the Queen of heaven and mistress of the world, stood by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, full of sorrows. O all ye that pass by the way, attend, and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow.

              SEQUENCE

At the Cross her station keeping,

stood the mournful Mother weeping,

close to her Son to the last.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,

all His bitter anguish bearing,

now at length the sword has passed.

O how sad and sore distressed

was that Mother, highly blest,

of the sole-begotten One.

Christ above in torment hangs,

she beneath beholds the pangs

of her dying glorious Son.

Is there one who would not weep,

whelmed in miseries so deep,

Christ’s dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain

from partaking in her pain,

in that Mother’s pain untold?

For the sins of His own nation,

She saw Jesus wracked with torment,

All with scourges rent:

She beheld her tender Child,

Saw Him hang in desolation,

Till His spirit forth He sent.

O thou Mother! fount of love!

Touch my spirit from above,

make my heart with thine accord:

Make me feel as thou hast felt;

make my soul to glow and melt

with the love of Christ my Lord.

Holy Mother! pierce me through,

in my heart each wound renew

of my Savior crucified:

Let me share with thee His pain,

who for all my sins was slain,

who for me in torments died.

Let me mingle tears with thee,

mourning Him who mourned for me,

all the days that I may live:

By the Cross with thee to stay,

there with thee to weep and pray,

is all I ask of thee to give.

Virgin of all virgins blest!,

Listen to my fond request:

let me share thy grief divine;

Let me, to my latest breath,

in my body bear the death

of that dying Son of thine.

Wounded with His every wound,

steep my soul till it hath swooned,

in His very Blood away;

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,

lest in flames I burn and die,

in His awful Judgment Day.

Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,

be Thy Mother my defense,

be Thy Cross my victory;

While my body here decays,

may my soul Thy goodness praise,

Safe in Paradise with Thee.

GOSPEL - John 19: 25-27

At that time: There stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. When Jesus therefore had seen His mother and the disciple standing whom He loved, He saith to His mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, He saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own.

       OFFERTORY – Jeremias 18: 20

Remember, O Virgin Mother of God, when thou standest in the presence of the Lord, that thou speak good things for us and turn His wrath from us.

                   SECRET

We offer unto Thee our prayers and oblations, O Lord Jesus Christ, and humbly beseech Thee that, even as in our prayers we recall the piercing of the most sweet soul of Thy blessed Mother Mary, so through the merits of Thy death, and the repeated loving intercession of Thy Mother and her holy companions at the foot of the cross, we may share in the reward of the blessed: Who livest and reignest.

SECRET – ST. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM

Look down, O Lord, upon the spotless victim we offer to Thee: and grant that by the merits of blessed Cyril, Thy Confessor and Bishop, we may ever strive to receive it into a clean heart. Through our Lord.

Third Secret Prayer of the Friday in Passion Week

Grant, we beseech thee, merciful God: that we being ever found meet to do thee worthy service at thine holy altar, may continually be made partakers of the same unto our salvation. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God,

PREFACE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and in all places give thanks unto thee, O Lord holy Father almighty, everlasting God. And that on the Transfixion of the blessed Mary, ever a virgin, we should praise, bless and tell forth thy wonders; in that by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, she conceived thine only-begotten Son; and without let to the glory of her abiding maidenhood, brought forth for man the light eternal, even Jesus Christ our Lord. Through whom the angels praise, the dominations adore, the powers, trembling with awe, worship thy majesty: which the heavens, and the forces of heaven, together with the blessed seraphim, joyfully do magnify. And do thou command that it be permitted to our lowliness to join with them in confessing thee and unceasingly to say:

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis.

         COMMUNION

Happy the heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary who without death gained the palm of martyrdom beneath the Cross of the Lord.

     POSTCOMMUNION

Grant, we pray thee, O Lord Jesu Christ: that we who have here been partakers of this holy sacrifice in devout remembrance of the Piercing of the soul of thy Virgin Mother: may by the same obtain of thy mercy all such blessings as are necessary unto us for our salvation. Who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.

POSTCOMMUNION - ST. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM

O Lord Jesus Christ, may the sacrament of Thine own Body and Blood which we have received, sanctify our minds and hearts, through the prayers of the holy Bishop Cyril, and thereby make us worthy to become partakers of the divine nature. Who livest and reignest.

Third Postcommunion of Passion Week

We pray thee, O Lord, that this holy sacrifice whereof we have been made partakers, may never fail to succor and defend us, and evermore to drive far from us all things that may do us harm. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord.