[Rank]
S. Elisabeth viduae;;Duplex;;3;;vide C7a

[Rule]
vide C7a;
9 lectiones
CPapaM=Pontianus;

[Oratio]
Enlighten, O God of mercy, the hearts of thy faithful people, and by the~
glorious prayers of thy blessed handmaid Elizabeth, make us to set little store~
by the good things of this world, and to rejoice ever in thy heavenly comfort.
$Per Dominum

[Commemoratio]
!Commemoratio S. Pontiani Papae Martyris
@Commune/C2:Oratio proper
$Oremus
Mercifully consider our weakness, O Almighty God, and whereas by the burden of
our sins we are sore let Pontian your Martyr be mercifully pleased to deliver us
from all things which may hurt our bodies, and from all evil thoughts which may
defile our souls
$Per Dominum

[Invit]
For the confession of Blessed Elisabeth * let us praise our God.

[Lectio4]
Elisabeth, daughter of Andrew II., King of Hungary, (was born in the year 1207.)~
She began to fear God even from a little child, and grew in grace as she grew in~
years. (In her fourteenth year) she was married to Lewis, Landgrave of Hesse and~
Thuringia, and thenceforth gave herself up to the things of her husband, with as~
much zeal as to the things of God. She rose in the night to make long prayers.~
She consecrated herself to works of mercy. She waited continually on widows and~
orphans, the sick and the needy. When a sore famine came (in the year 1225,) she~
provided corn bountifully from her own house. She founded an house of refuge for~
lepers, and would even kiss their hands and feet. She built also a great~
hospital for the suffering and starving poor.

[Lectio5]
After husband died (on his way to the Holy War, on the eleventh day of September,~
1227.) Then Elizabeth, more utterly to be God's only, laid aside all the~
garments of earthly state, clad herself in mean raiment, and entered the Third~
Order of St Francis, wherein she was a burning and shining light of~
longsuffering and lowliness. (Her brotherin-law) stripped her (and her three~
little children) of all their goods, and turned them out of their own house. She~
was deserted by all, and assailed with insults, gibes, and calumnies, but she~
bore it all with patience, yea, even rejoicing that she suffered such things for~
God's sake. She gave herself to the meanest services toward the poor and sick,~
and sought for them the needfuls of life, while she lived herself only on~
potherbs and vegetables.

[Lectio6]
In these and many other holy works she prayerfully passed the rest of her life,~
till (in the twenty-fourth year of her age,) the end of her earthly pilgrimage~
came, as she had already foretold to her servants. With her eyes fixed on heaven,~
absorbed in the thought of God, by Him wondrously comforted, and strengthened by~
the Sacraments, she fell asleep in the Lord, (upon the 19th day of November, in~
the year of salvation 1231. ) Forthwith many miracles were wrought at her grave,~
which being known and duly proved, Gregory IX. numbered her name among those of~
the Saints.

[Lectio93]
!Commemoration S. Pontianae Pope and Martyr
Pontian was a Roman, who ruled the Church in the reign of the Emperor Alexander.~
This Emperor banished him into the Island of Sardinia, along with the Priest~
Hippolytus, on account of their profession of the Christian faith. There he.~
endured many hardships because of his belief in Christ, and departed this life~
upon the 19th day of November, (in the year of our Lord 235.) His body was~
brought to Rome by Pope Fabian and his clergy, and buried in the cemetery of~
Kallistus, upon the Appian Way. He sat in the seat of Peter four years, four~
months, and twentyfive days. He held two Ordinations in the month of December,~
wherein he made six Priests, five Deacons, and six Bishops for divers places. At~
Lauds a Commemoration is made of the holy Martyr.
&teDeum

[Lectio94]
From her childhood Elizabeth, daughter of Andrew, king of Hungary, began to fear God; and she grew in holiness as she grew in age. When she was married to Ludwig, Landgrave of Hesse and Thuringia, she devoted herself no less to the service of God than to the welfare of her husband. She was constant in prayer and in the works of mercy, zealously serving widows, orphans, the sick and the needy, for whom she built a fine hospital. When her husband died, she put on a coarse~
garment and, in order to serve God more freely, entered the Order of Penitents~
of St. Francis, where she shone most especially with the virtues of patience and~
humility. These virtues she showed when she was despoiled of her possessions,~
driven from her home and abandoned by all. With unconquered spirit she endured~
insults, derision and detractions, even rejoicing greatly that she could suffer~
such things for God. Having passed her life most religiously in holy works, she~
fell asleep in the Lord. Famous for miracles, she was enrolled among the Saints~
by Gregory IX.
&teDeum
