The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

The Gothic Missal (Missale Gothicum)

MISSA SANCTI SATVRNINI EPISCOPI ET MARTYRIS

123. <PRAEFATIO.> Deum, qui inmortales gloriosorum martyrum palmas triumphali cruore perfudit et beatam diei huius sollemnitatem suis pro se uicentibus dedicauit, fratres karissimi, suppliciter oremus ut qui dedit diei huius sollemnitatem, det plenum sollemnitatis effectum. Qui dedit hoc, quod cultus festiuitatis amplectitur, det ut affectu deuotionis imitemur. Et quicquid sancto uiro ac beatissimo martyri suo Saturnino hodierno die profuit ad gloriam, nobis proficiat ad salutem. Per dominum nostrum Iesum Christum filium suum, qui secum et cum spiritu sancto.

124. COLLECTIO SEQVITVR. Debitas, omnipotens, sempiterne deus, referimus gratias Iesu Christo domino nostro, in cuius similitudinem beatissimus Saturninus, dum offerret uictimam ipse fit uictima, dum sacerdotium electum agit martyrium deuotus impleuit, ut per eminentiam iustitiae atque uicturiae et testis fuerit et antestis. In quo proficiens fidei latitudo, dum cathedram suscipit sanctitatis coronam rapuit passionis. Ita maiestatem tuam domine, supplices exoramus, ut qui ei tanta pro nomine tuo praestetisti tolerentiam, per eius intercessionem tribuas pro delicitis plebi huic ueniam. Per dominum nostrum Iesum Christum filum tuum.

125. COLLECTIO POST NOMINA. Magnum nobis est semperque festiuum, fratres karissimi, summi pontificis et martyris Saturnini meritis depensis fideliter praecibus exorare. Qui saluatoris nostri praecepta custodiens non solum sacerdotium ac uitae beatitudinem meruit, sed etiam tanti honoris officium felici martyrio consecrauit. Per cuius meritis depraecemur omnipotentem deum ut illic defunctorum animas transferat a tartaro, quo illum causa amoris sui adumere dignatus est post triumphum. Per dominum nostrum Iesum Christum filium suum secum.

126. COLLECTIO AD PACEM. Deus, qui uiscera misericordiae atque uberi multiplici sic sancto tuos coronas pro meritis, ut discordantium animos eorum intercessione pacifices, quaesomus per interuentum sancti Saturnini antestitis et martyris tui ut pacificatam plebem huius festiuitati collectam sic ab omni simultate separes, ut perfectm tuo conspectui habere digneris. Per dominum nostrum Iesum Christum filium tuum.

127. CONTESTATIO. Dignum est iustum est, optimum sane est nobique speciale deuotione praecipuum omnipotentiam tuam, trinitas deus, pro cunctorum triumphalibus poenis seruitio linguae supplicantis extollere, sed praecipue hoc tempore beatum Saturninum tremendi nominis tui conclamantissimum testem debito honore suscipere, quem turba gentilium cum impulit e fano intulit caelo. Siquidem ipse pontifex tuus ab orientis partibus in urbem Tolosatium distinatus Roma, Garonnae inuicem Petri tui tam cathedram quam martyrium consummauit. Vnde benedicimus te domine, in operibus euis et supplices dipraecamur ut spiritalia christiani populi desideria sollemniter impleantur et misericordia a te petita per sancti tui Saturnini suffragia celeriter impetretur, ut cum tuae maiestatis super nos apperuerit gloria, meritorum nostrorum tribuas indulgentiam. Per Christum dominum nostrum, cui merito omnes angeli atque archangeli, cherubin et seraphin sine intermissione proclamant dicentes: SANCTVS, SANCTVS, SANCTVS.


'Mass for the Feast of the Holy Bishop and Martyr Saturninus

123. [Preface.] Let us humbly pray to God, most beloved brothers, who has steeped the imperishable palms of the glorious martyrs with the blood of victory and has dedicated the blessed celebration of this day to those of his who has claimed victory for him: that he who has given the celebration of this day will also give the full accomplishment of this feast. And let he who has given that which the celebration of the feast encompasses grant that we follow this with the affection of devotion. And may that which benefited on this day the glory of his holy man and blessed martyr Saturninus be of service to our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ his Son, who with him and the Holy Spirit.

124. Collect follows. Almighty and everlasting God, we bring due thanks to Jesus Christ our Lord, in whose likeness the most blessed Saturninus, while he offered his sacrifice, himself became the sacrifice, and, while exercising the office of bishop to which he was elected, fulfilled his martyrdom full of devotion, so that through the eminence of his righteousness and his victory he became both martyr and bishop. And when the magnitude of his faith increased, while he accepted the holy chair he seized the crown of martyrdom. We therefore humbly pray to your majesty. Lord, that you who gave him such great endurance in your name grant this congregation, through his intercession, forgiveness of its sins. Through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son.

125. Collect after the names. It is a great and always festive [good] to us, most beloved brothers, to faithfully pray with supplications for which remuneration has already been made through the merits of the bishop and martyr Saturninus. For by observing the precepts of our Savour he not only merited the episcopate and a blessed life, but also consecrated this such honourable service through his blessed martyrdom. And let us pray through his merits to the almighty God, that he transfer the souls of the deceased from hell to there where, by reason of his love, he has deigned to take him up after his victory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ his Son [who lives] with him [...]

126. Collect at the kiss of peace. God, who crowns your saints in exchange for their merits with the tenderness of your mercy (Luc. 1, 78) and with your abundant richness, such that your bring wranglers' souls to peace through their intercession: we ask that you separate the appeased people, gathered for his feast, from all rivalry, so that you deign to consider them as perfect before your countenance. Through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son.

127. Prayer of sacrifice. It is worthy and just, it is very good and it is a privilege for us to extol with particular devotion your omnipotence, Trinity God, through the service of the supplicant tongue, in exchange for the triumphant martyrdom of all, but particularly at this time to greet with due honour the blessed Saturninus, the illustrious witness of your awe-inspiring name. For when the crowd of gentiles drove him out of the temple they brought him to heaven. Indeed, this your bishop, from eastern parts, was sent from Rome to the town of Toulouse, and, as a substitute for your Peter, he has in turn accomplished both the office of bishop and martyrdom on the Garonne. We therefore bless you, O Lord, in all your works and we implore that the spiritual desires of the Christian people will be solemnly fulfilled, and that the mercy [which we] ask of you will be quickly obtained through the supplications of your holy Saturninus, so that you will grant the reward of our merits when the glory of your majesty will have appeared over us. Through Christ our Lord, to whom all angels and archangels and also the cherubim and seraphim rightly proclaim unceasingly, saying: HOLY, HOLY, HOLY.'


Text: Rose 2005, 400-402.
Translation: Rose 2017, 168-70.

Service for the saint
Eucharist associated with cult
Liturgical invocation
Chant and religious singing
Other liturgical acts and ceremonies

Saint’s feast

Place of martyrdom of a saint

Prayer/supplication/invocation
Transmission, copying and reading saint-related texts

Ecclesiastics - bishops
Pagans
Crowds
Angels

Source

Discussion

Bibliography