The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

The Gothic Missal (Missale Gothicum)

MISSA IN NATALE SANCTI ANDREAE APOSTOLI

128. PRAEFATIO. Apostolicum et tot almum saeculo diem, quo retifex ille praeclarus Andreas post inluminatam praedicationem Achaiam delici martyrio decorauit uel proprii corporis hostiam crucis insigniam amplectendo gestauit, fratres karissimi, intentis sensibus et totis uisceribus excolamus, inclitam omnipotentis dei misericordiam dipraecantes uti hunc populum crucis suae signaculo praemonitum illuc iubeat adire adminculante fide, quo martyr praecessit impleto certaime. Quod ipse praestare dignetur, qui cum patre et spiritu sancto uiuit et regnat.

129. COLLECTIO SEQVITVR. Christe domine, crucifer gloriose, qui constantiam beati Andreae apostoli propter gloriam tui nominis crucifixi ita confortasti in proelio, ut extolleres in triumpho, exaudi hunc coetum supplicem ac praesentem et praesta ut qui hoc tempore eius sollempnitati debitum faenus exsoluimus, futuris temporibus modum uitae castissimae ipso opitulante seruemus. Per te Christe, saluator mundi, qui cum aeterno patre uiuis, dominaris et regnas deus in unitate spiritus sancti in saecula saeculorum.

130. COLLECTIO POST NOMINA. Omnipotentem deum ac dominum nostrum, fratres karissimi, depraecemur ut hodierna sollemnia, quae pro natalem beatissimi apostoli et martyris sui Andreae suscepimus, sibi ipse commendet ac sicut illi hodie ob praedicationem uerbi sui captum inter uincula carceris, flagella et crucis nece adfuit, et de triumpho nobili coronam dedit, ita interuentu eius nobis in se credentibus, qui praessuris huius mundi et insidiis aduersarii fatigamur, in omnibus temptationibus adesse ac misericordiam largire dignetur. Et offerentum ac pausantum, quae recitate sunt nomina, apostoli sui intercessione sanctificet. Per dominum nostrum Iesum Christum filium suum secum uiuentem.

131. COLLECTIO AD PACEM. Omnipotens sempiterne deus, qui tanta tibi caritate beatum, Andream apostolum uincxisti, ut tuo auxilio mundi uinceret fluctos, carnis contereret motus nitentisque gladii non paueret adsultos, quem crux eleuata suscepit humilem ut restitueret triumphantem, pacifica, quaesomus, hanc familiam eius sollemnitati collectam, ut dum praebet oscula proximis, indulgens laedentibus ueniam obteneat pro delictis. Per dominum nostrum Iesum Christum filium tuum, qui tecum.

132. CONTESTATIO. Dignum et iustum et, aequum et iustum est pietati tuae ineffabilis gratias referre, omnipotens sempiterne deus, et inaestambili gaudio passionem tuorum praedicare sanctorum per Christum dominum nostrum. Qui beato Andrea in prima uocatione dedit fidem et in passione donauit uicturiam. Aceeperat haec utraque beatus Andreas. Ideo habebat et in praedicatione constantiam et in passione tolerantiam. Qui in post iniqua uerbera, post carceris septa, alligatus suspendio se purum sacrificium tibi obtulit deo. Extendit mitissimus brachia ad caelos, amplectitur crucis uixillum, defigit in osculis ora, agni cognuscit archana. Denique dum ad patibulum duceretur, in cruce suspenderetur, carne patiebatur et spiritu loquebatur, obliuiscitur crucis tormenta dum de cruce Christum praconat. Quantum enim corpus eius in ligno extendebatur, tantum in lingua eius Christus exaltabatur, quia pendens in ligno sociari se ei gratulabatur. Absolui se non patitur a cruce ne tepiscat certamen in tempore. Turba circumspecit et lamentat, demitti a uinculo cupit quem reparatorem mentis intelligit, laxari postulat iustem ne pereat populus hoc delicto. Interea fundit martyr spiritum, possessurus sempiterni iudicis regnum. Per cuius meritis concide nobis, omnipotens deus, ut a malis omnibus tuti atque defensi tibi domino nostro, deo martyrum et principi apostulorum, laudes semper et gratias referamus, cum angelis et archangelis, qui gloriam tuam non cessant clamare dicentes.

133. COLLECTIO POST SANCTVS. Osianna in excelsis, uere sanctus, uere bendictus, uere gloriosus dominus noster Iesus Christus filius tuus, qui beatum Andream apostulum primum electione, exinde certamine consecrauit. Ipse enim pridie quam.

134. COLLECTIO POST SECRETA. Recolimus te, domine, passum pro mundi salute humilem, sed credimus subsistere semper in genitore potentem. Praecamur ut qui de altario tup participamur, cum beatis apostolis in caelestibus gloriemur. Praesta saluator mundi, qui cum aeterno patre et spiritu sancto uiuis.

135. COLLECTIO ANTE ORATIONEM DOMINICAM. Deus, qui sanctos apostulos tuos exemptos ab huius saeculi fluctibus angelicis iusisti coetibus adgregare, quos etiam tuis praeceptionibus inhaerentis, qualiter te depraecarentur exhortator piissimus informasti, supplices quaesomus ut qui illos hilare affatu salubriter imbuisti, nobis ipsam praecem cum fiducia permittas clamare uel dicere: PATER NOSTER.

136. COLLECTIO POST ORATIONEM DOMINICAM. Ab omni malo nos eripe, omnipotens deus, et praesta ut iubar apostolici luminis circumdatione naeuum criminis cum pompis saeculi respuamus. Per dominum nostrum Iesum Christum filium tuum.

137. BENEDICTIO POPVLI. Domine deus omnipotens, qui gloriosus super sidere sedens, almum nobis sidus neatos apostulos reliquisti, quprum speciosam cohortem felici claritate pollentem prius praeelegisti merito, ut praedistenaris in regno. AMEN. Concide propicius circumstantem plebem crucis tuae muneri signaculo, ut uniuersum superit aduersae potestatis incursum. AMEN. Infunde sensibus eius apostolica dogmata qua te contempletur mente serena. AMEN. Vt in illo tremendo discussionis tempore eorum defensetur praesidium, quorum est secuta praeceptum. AMEN. Quod ipse praestare digneris, qui cum patre et spiritu sancto uiuis et regnas deus.


'Mass for the Feast of the Holy Apostle Andrew

128. Preface. Most beloved brothers, let us honour with eager awareness and with our entire heart the day of the apostle, so invigorating for the world, on which the so famous fisher Andrew, after the illumination of Achaea through his preaching, has honoured that land with his blessed martyrdom and has brought the sacrifice of his own body by embracing the sign of the cross, while we pray for the renowned mercy of almighty God, that he command this people, forewarned by the sign of His cross and supported by the faith, to go where the martyr went before when he had completed combat. May he deign to grant this, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns.

129. Collect follows. Lord Christ, glorious cross-bearer, who in battle so fortified the steadfastness of the blessed apostle Andrew, crucified on account of the glory of your name, that you exalted him through his martydom: hear this humble company of faithful present here and grant that we, who now pay the due interest to his solemn feast, preserve in the coming time, with his help, the manner of a most chaste life. Through you, O Christ, Saviour of the world, who lives, rules and reigns with the eternal Father, God in the unity of the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever.

130. Collect after the names. Let us pray to the almighty God and our Lord, most beloved brothers, that he commends to himself the solemn ceremony of this day, which we have undertaken for the feast of his most blessed apostle and martyr Andrew. And that, as he has protected Andrew, taken prisoner for preaching his Word, in the bonds of the dungeon and during scourging and crucifixion, and he has given him the crown because of his noble martyrdom, he deigns through Andrew's intervention also in all temptations to protect us who believe in Him, who are wearied by the oppressions of this world and the snares of the adversary, and to give bountifully of His mercy. And that through the intercession of his apostle he sanctifies the names that have been recited of those who offer and of those who have passed away. Through our Lord Jesus Christ his Son, who lives with him [...]

131. Collect at the kiss of peace. Almighty and everlasting God, who have bound to you the blessed apostle Andrew through such great love, that through your help he defeated the storms of this world, crushed the afflictions of the flesh and did not fear the assaults of the shining sword, whom the cross received as a humble man to give him back as victor: give peace, so we ask, to these servants gathered for his solemn celebration, that, while they give a kiss to their neighbours, they are lenient to those by whom they have been offended and obtain forgiveness for their sins. Through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who with you [...]

132. Prayer of sacrifice. It is worthy and just, fair and just to bring thanks to you for your ineffable love, almighty, everlasting God, and to proclaim with inestimable joy the passion of your saints, through Christ our Lord. For he has given faith to the blessed Andrew in his first calling, and has granted him victory in his martyrdom. The blessed Andrew had received these two matters. He therefore had perserverance in his preaching and endurance in his martyrdom. For after the unjust lashes, after the enclosure of the dungeon, he offered himself, bound to the cross, as a pure sacrifice to you, God. Most meekly, he stretched out his arms to the heavens, he embraced the banner of the cross, he kissed the cross, he became acquainted with the secrets of the Lamb. And then, when he was led to the cross [and] was crucified, he suffered in the flesh and spoke in the spirit, he forgot the torments of the cross, while from that cross he preached Christ. As indeed his body was stretched on the wood, so Christ was glorified by his tongue, for hanging on the cross he gave thanks that he was united with Christ. He did not allow himself to be freed from the cross, lest his struggle waned as time passed. The crowd looks on and laments for him, and demands that he whom they know as the saviour of their heart be released from his bonds, and calls for the just one to be freed, lest the people be destroyed by this sin. Meanwhile the martyr gives up the spirit in order to gain possession of the kingdom of the eternal Judge. Grant us through his merits, almighty God, that, safe and protected against all evil, we will bring praise and thanks to you, our Lord, God of the martys and Prince of the apostles, with the angels and archangels who do not cease to proclaim your glory, saying [...]

133. Collect after the sanctus. Hosanna in the highest (Matth. 21, 9), truly holy, truly blessed, truly glorious is our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who consecrated the blessed apostle Andrew first through his election and then through his strife. For he, on the day before [...]

134. Collect after the consecration. We worship you, Lord, who humbly underwent your Passion for the salvation of the world, but we believe that in the father you always remain powerful. We pray that we who participate at your altar will glory in God with the blessed apostles. Grant this, Saviour of the world, who lives with the eternal Father and Holy Spirit.

135. Collect before the Lord's prayer. God, you who have commanded that your holy apostles, taken away from the storms of this world, would be attached to the company of angels, whom you as most loving exhorter have also taught how they should pray to you, adhering to your instructions: we humbly ask that you, who have nourished them to their salvation with a joyful address, permit us with full trust to proclaim that same prayer and say: OUR FATHER.

136. Collect after the Lord's prayer. Rescue us from all evil, almighty God, and grant that, because the radiant light of the apostles surrounds us, we reject the mole of sin and the vanity of the world. Through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son.

137. Blessing of the people. Lord, almighty God, who, seated in glory above the stars, have bequeathed to us your blessed apostle as a caring star, of whom you beforehand first elected on their merit a splendid cohort, strong through a happy light, to predestine them for your kingdom. AMEN. Give mercifully that the people gathered here are protected by the sign of your cross, so that they overcome each attack of the enemy power. AMEN. Let the doctrine of the apostle pour into their senses, so that they contemplate you with a serene heart. AMEN. So that in that terrifying time of judgement they are defended by the help of those whose teaching they have followed. AMEN. May you deign to grant us this, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, God [...]'


Text: Rose 2005, 402-5.
Translation: Rose 2017, 171-5.

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