ST. NICHOLAS
Bishop and Confessor
Nicholas, the patron Saint of Russia,
was born toward the end of the third century. His uncle, the Archbishop of Myra
in Lycia, ordained him priest, and appointed him abbot of a monastery; and on
the death of the archbishop he was elected to the vacant see. Throughout his
life he retained the bright and guileless manners of his early years, and
showed himself the special protector of the innocent and the wronged. Nicholas
once heard that a person who had fallen into poverty intended to abandon his
three daughters to a life of sin. Determined, if possible, to save their
innocence, the Saint went out by night, and, taking with him a bag of gold,
flung it into the window of the sleeping father and hurried off. He, on
awaking, deemed the gift a godsend, and with it dowered his eldest child. The
Saint, overjoyed at his success, made like venture for the second daughter; but
the third time as he stole away, the father, who was watching, overtook him and
kissed his feet, saying: “Nicholas, why dost thou conceal thyself from me? Thou
art my helper, and he who has delivered my soul and my daughters’ from hell.”
St. Nicholas is usually represented by the side of a vessel, wherein a certain
man had concealed the bodies of his three children whom he had killed, but who
were restored to life by the Saint. He died in 342. His relics were translated
in 1807, to Bari, Italy, and there, after fifteen centuries, “the manna of St.
Nicholas” still flows from his bones and heals all kinds of sick.
SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
STATION AT THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY
CROSS IN JERUSALEM
Privileged Sunday of the Second Class
- Semi-double
Violet
vestments
Missa – ‘Populus Sion’
INTROIT
Isaias (Isaiah) 30:30
Populus Sion, ecce Dóminus véniet ad salvándas gentes: et
audítam fáciet Dóminus glóriam vocis suæ in lætítia cordis vestri.
Psalm 79: 2 Qui regis Israel,
inténde: qui dedúcis, velut ovem, Joseph. Glória Patri.
People of Sion, behold the Lord shall come to save the
nations: and the Lord shall make the glory of His voice to be heard, in the joy of your heart.
Psalm 79: 2 Give ear, O Thou that rulest Israel: Thou
that leadest Joseph like a sheep. Glory be to the Father.
COLLECT – SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the ways of Thine
only-begotten Son; that through His coming we may attain to serve Thee with
purified minds. Who with Thee liveth and reigneth.
St. Nicholas providing dowries - Bicci di Lorenzo
COMMEMORATION FOR ST. NICHOLAS
O God, who didst adorn the blessed Bishop Nicholas with
countless miracles: grant, we beseech Thee, that by his merits and prayers we
may be delivered from the flames of hell. Through our Lord.
EPISTLE
Romans 15: 4-13
Brethren, what things soever were written, were written for
our learning: that, through patience and the comfort of the Scriptures, we
might have hope. Now the God of patience and of comfort grant you to be of one
mind one towards another, according to Jesus Christ; that with one mind and
with one mouth you may glorify God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Wherefore receive one another, as Christ also hath received you unto the honor
of God. For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the
truth of God, to con- firm the promises made unto the fathers but that the
Gentiles are to glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: Therefore will I
confess to Thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles and will sing to Thy name. And
again He saith: Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with His people. And again: Praise the
Lord, all ye Gentiles; and magnify Him, all ye people. And again, Isaias saith:
There shall be a root of Jesse; and He that shall rise up to rule the Gentiles,
in Him the Gentiles shall hope. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and
peace in believing: that you may abound in hope, and in the power of the Holy
Ghost.
GRADUAL
Psalm 49: 2, 3, 5
Out of Sion hath he appeared in perfect beauty. God shall
come plainly. Gather ye his saints together unto him; who ordained his covenant
above sacrifice.
ALLELUIA
Alleluia, alleluia.
Psalm 121: 1
I was glad when they said unto me, We will go into the
house of the Lord. Allelúia.
GOSPEL
Matthew 11. 2-10
At that time, when John had heard in prison the works of
Christ, sending two of his disciples, he said to Him: Art thou He that art to
come, or look we for another? And Jesus making answer, said to them: Go and
relate to John what you have heard and seen. The blind see, the lame walk, the
lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the
gospel preached to them: and blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in Me.
And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning
John: What went you out into the desert to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
But what went you out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Behold they that
are clothed in soft garments are in the houses of kings. But what went you out
to see? A prophet? Yea I tell you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of
whom it is written: Behold I send My angel before Thy face, who shall prepare
Thy way before Thee.
OFFERTORY
Psalm 84: 7-8
Thou wilt turn, O God, and bring us to life, and Thy people
shall rejoice in Thee: show us, O Lord, Thy mercy, and grant us Thy salvation.
SECRET
Be appeased, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by the prayers and
offerings of our humility: and where we have no merits to plead for us, do Thou
help us with Thine aid. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord.
SECRET FOR ST. NICHOLAS
O Lord God, sanctify, we beseech Thee, these gifts which we
offer up on the festival of Thy holy Bishop Nicholas: that by means of them our
life may ever be directed both in adversity and in prosperity. Through our
Lord.
PREFACE OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY
It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation,
that we should at all times and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy
Lord, Father almighty, ever-lasting God: Who, together with Thine only-begotten
Son, and the Holy Ghost, are one God, one Lord: not in the oneness of a single
Person, but in the Trinity of one substance. For what we believe by Thy
revelation of Thy glory, the same do we believe of Thy Son, the same of the
Holy Ghost, without difference or separation. So that in confessing the true
and everlasting Godhead, distinction in persons, unity in essence, and equality
in majesty may be adored. Which the Angels and Archangels, the Cherubim also
and Seraphim do praise: who cease not daily to cry out with one voice saying:
THE SANCTUS
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dóminus Deus Sábaoth. Pleni sunt
cæli et terra glória tua. Hosánna in excélsis. Benedíctus qui venit in nómine
Dómini. Hosánna in excélsis.
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are
full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he that cometh in the
Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
COMMUNION
Baruch 5: 5; 4: 36
Arise, O Jerusalem, and stand on high, and behold the joy
that cometh to thee from thy God.
POSTCOMMUNION
Filled with the food of this spiritual nourishment, we
suppliantly entreat Thee, O Lord, that through our participation in this
Mystery Thou wouldst teach us to despise earthly things and to love heavenly
ones. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord.
St. Nicholas giving alms to
the poor and needy
POSTCOMMUNION FOR ST. NICHOLAS
May the Sacrifice which we have received, O Lord, on the
festival of Thy holy Bishop Nicholas, preserve and protect us for ever- more.
Through our Lord
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