The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

The Gothic Missal (Missale Gothicum)

MISSA SANCTI AC BEATISSIMI MAVRICII CVM SOCIIS SVIS

419. <PRAEFATIO.> Omnipotens domini misericordiam in huius diei sex milium sexcentorum martyrum sollemnitate, fratres karissimi, depraecemur ut qui tante plebi suae gloria martyrii contulit, ita nobis diei inmensa peccaminum misericordiae suae largitate laetefecit. Per dominum nostrum Iesum.

420. COLLECTIO SEQVITVR. Deus, qui sanctis tuis Acauninsebus pro tuicione christiani nominis persecutionis audaciam sustulisti eorumque animum adepiscendam dignetatis tuae martyria perfulgentem gratia incetasti, exaudi supplecis tuos et praesta ut sicut illi tuo munere meruerunt beatifece coronari, ita eorum suffragiis ab omni conluuione peccati te auxiliante reddamur innoxii. Per dominum.

421. COLLECTIO POST NOMINA. Auditis nominibus karorum nostrorum, omnipotentem dominum depraecamur ut plebis suae ministrorumque uota suscipiens oblationis nostras, quas in commemorationem sanctorum Acauninsium ac pro spiritebus karorum nostrorum offerimus, in odorem bonae suauetatis accepiat. Vnde supplecis simus, ut beatissimorum patriarcharum, prophetarum, apostolorum et martyrum omniumque sanctorum piis praecibus adiuuemur. Per.

422. COLLECTIO AD PACEM. Deus, cui acceptissimum ac iocundissimum sacrificium esse sanctorum tuorum fides atque deuocio, adesto familiae tuae tibi supplici misericordia tuam per sanctorum tuorum Acauninsium suffragia postolanti, et da ut qui te peccatorum suorum errore laeserunt, placere tibi per sanctorum tuorum intercessione mereantur. Per.

423. IMMOLATIO MISSAE. Dignum et iustum est, uere aequum et iustum est nos tibi gratias agere, domine, sancte pater, omnipotens aeternae deus. Tu enim, domine, Thebeorum exercitum ad populi tui supplicium distinatum ita subita iussionis tuae gratiam reuocasti, ut plus elegerent sedola deuocione interfice quam de christianorum sanguinem saciari, nec cum tantis ut te auxiliante persecucione sonus excepere ceruices suas persequentibus inclinare, et cum rabies inimici decernerit, ut dei populus denummerationis instantia deperirit, ille reptus est decemus, qui antecepacione martyrii fierit primitiuos. Clamur in castris oritur, uirtus demigandi contemnetur, de adsummatione martyrii contentio ardua commouetur. Dei populus ferro confodetur, sanguinis innocentum effundetur, fides inlibata seruatur. Sic, domine, militis proteges tuos, ut nec defuerit in passione pacientia nec infesione constantia. Inter beatorum bella et beata certamena plus metuit gloriosa confessio de cummiletonum consortio diuidi, quam mano carnefacis gloriari. Totus namque dei populus tante ardoris fidei alacretate flagrabat, ut se tardaretur persecutio corporis, praecederit deuocio passionis. Tanta enim fuit constantia populi et inimici, ut nec furor inuenirit postmodum quod occiderit, nec gloriosum remanserit quod peririt. Factus est sacer ille Agauninsium locus per suffragia martyrum salus praesentium praesidium futororum, quam sanguis unda perfudit, praeciosorum corporum societas consecrauit. Vnde merito tibi, domine, inter chorus martyrum et uocebus angelorum laudis tibi debitas agemus cum exultatione dicentis: Sanctus.

424. COLLECTIO POST SANCTVS. Oremus, fratres dilectissimi, ut dominus ac deus noster speciem istam suo ministerio consecrandam caelestis gratiae inspiratione sanctifecit et humanam benediccionem plenitudinem diuini fauoris adcomolit. Per dominum nostrum Iesum.


'Mass for the Holy and Most Blessed Maurice and his Companions

419. (Preface). Most beloved brothers, let us pay for the mercy of the almighty Lord during the solemn ceremony of this day of the six thousand and six hundred martyrs, that he conferred on his people such great glory of martyrdom also gladdens this day for us with the immeasurable mildness of his mercy towards our sins. Through.

420. Collect follows. God, who has given your holy men of Agaune interpidity against persecution to defend the name of Christ, and has urged their soul to acquire the resplendent grace of yur dignity through martyrdom, hear your supplicants, and grant that, as they were deemed worthy through your gift to be crowned with beatitude, so we also be made guiltless without any stain of sin through their advocacy and through your help. Through the Lord.

421. Prayer after the names. Now that the names of our beloved have been heard, let us pray to the almighty Lord that, while he accepts the prayers of his people and his ministers, he accepts our oblations, which we offer in commemoration of the saints of Agaune and for the souls of our beloved, to a good and sweet fragrance. Let us therefore be supplicants, that we are helped by the devout prayers of the most blessed patriarchs, prophets, apostles and martyrs and all the saints. Through.

422. Collect at the kiss of peace. God, for whom the faith and devotion of your saints is the most agreeable and delightful sacrifice, support your people, who as a supplicant before you request your mercy through the mediation of your saints of Agaune, and grant that those who have offended you through the error of their sins are deemed worthy to please you through the intercession of your saints. Through.

423. Prayer of sacrifice. It is worthy and just, truly fair and just that we bring thanks to you, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God. For you, O Lord, have called the army of the Thebans, destined to execute your people, so suddenly to you by the grace of your command that they preferred to be killed through their diligent devotion rather than to be saturated with the blood of Christians. And while they did not hesitate, with your help, to take upon themselves the burden of persecution, they include the head for the persecutors, and when the fury of the enemy, under the pressure of the number, decided that the people of God must perish, the tenth part was put to death that became the first in the vanguard of martyrdom. A loud clamour arose in the camp, the strength to die was scorned, the hard struggle over the acceptance of martyrdom was provoked. The people of God was pierced by the sword, the blood of the innocent was shed, faith was preserved unimpaired. You protected your soldiers, O Lord, such that patience was not wanting in suffering, neither steadfastness in confession. Amid the beautiful and blessed combats of the saints, the glorious faith was more fearful of being divided from the community of comrades in arms than of being glorified through the hand of the executioner. For all the people of God burned with the eagerness of such ardent faith, that if persecution of the body was delayed, devotion to the passion was at the forefront. For such was the steadfastness of the people and of the enemy, that rage later found nothing to kill, and nothing glorious remained that could be killed. Through the prayers of the martyrs this holy city of the men of Agaune has become the salvation of the present [and] aid of future times, for this place has been flooded by a wave of blood and consecrated by the community of precious bodies. We therefore rightly bring due praise to you, O Lord, amid the choirs of the martyrs and the voices of the angels, while we say with exultation: HOLY [...]

424. Collect after the sanctus. Let us pray, most beloved brothers, that, through the inspiration of heavenly grace, our Lord God sanctifies this outer appearance to be consecrated to his service, and showers the blessing of humanity with the fullness of divine favour. Through our Lord Jesus.'


Text: Rose 2005, 509-12.
Translation: Rose 2017, 276-8.

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

Soldiers
Angels

Source

Discussion

Bibliography