[Rank]
S. Agnetis Virginis Martyris;;Duplex;;3.1;;vide C6

[Rule]
vide C6;
9 lectiones

[Ant Vespera]
Agnes entered * the place of shame, and found the Angel of the Lord ready;;109
For I have with me * an Angel of the Lord to keep my body;;110
My Lord Jesus Christ hath espoused me with His ring, * and hath set on my head a crown as the crown of a bride;;111
Rejoice with me * and make merry, because I also have received a throne in light among all these;;112

[Capitulum Vespera]
!Sir 51:1-3
v. I will give glory to thee, O Lord, O King, and I will praise thee, O God my~
Saviour.I will give glory to thy name: for thou best been a helper and protector~
to me. And hast preserved my body from destruction
$Deo gratias
_
R.br. God shall help her with His countenance.
R. God shall help her with His countenance.
V. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved.
R. With His countenance.
&Gloria
R. God shall help her with His countenance.

[Ant 1]
The blessed Agnes * stood in the midst of the fire, and stretched forth her~
hands, and prayed, saying O Father! Who Alone art Almighty! Who Alone art to be~
adored! Who Alone art to be worshipped! Who Alone art to be feared! I thank thee~
because that through thy Holy Son Thou hast delivered me from the threatenings~
of the godless tyrant, and hast made me to walk with clean feet over the filthy~
slough of fleshly sin and now, behold, I come unto thee, unto thee Whom I have~
loved, Whom I have sought, Whom I have ever desired.

[Oratio]
O Almighty and everlasting God, Who hast chosen the weak things of the world to~
confound the things which are mighty, mercifully grant unto us that we who keep~
the solemn feast of thy blessed Virgin and Martyr Agnes, may feel the power of~
her intercession with thee.
$Per Dominum

[Ant Matutinum]
I will none of thee, prey of death, for I am prevented by another Lover;;1
My right hand and my neck hath He clasped with precious stones, and put pearls beyond price in mine ears;;2
He hath sealed me in my forehead, that I may let in no other lover but Him.;;4
The Lord hath clothed me with a vesture of wrought gold, and adorned me with a necklace of great price;;5
I have sucked honey and milk out of His Mouth, and His Blood is red on my cheeks;;8
The Virgin of Christ * is not shaken by terror nor seduced by favours;;10
V. In thy comeliness and thy beauty.
R. Go forward, fare prosperously, and reign.
Christ hath crowned me with the bright and priceless blossoms of the eternal spring-time;;14
I am wedded to the Lord of Angels, at Whose beauty the sun and the moon do wonder;;44
His Holy body * is already united to me, and his blood is red upon my cheeks;;45
I plight my troth * to Him alone at whose beauty the sun and moon do wonder;;47
Stans a dexteris eius Agnus nive candidior Christus sibi sponsam et Martyrem consecravit;;84
I plight my troth to him alone, and committ myself altogether to Him;;86
V. God shall help her with his strength
R. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved.
Lord hath sent his angel, * and hath delivered me out of the fire I was not burnt;;249;250;251
V. God hath chosen her and fore-chosen her.
R. He hath made her to dwell in His tabernacle.

[Lectio1]
From the Book of Ecclesiasticus
!Sir 51:1-7
1 A PRAYER of Jesus the son of Sirach. I will give glory to thee, O Lord, O King,~
and I will praise thee, O God my Saviour.
2 I will give glory to thy name: for thou best been a helper and protector to~
me.
3 And hast preserved my body from destruction, from the snare of an unjust~
tongue, and from the lips of them that forge lies, and in the sight of them that~
stood by, thou hast been my helper.
4 And thou hast delivered me, according to the multitude of the mercy of thy~
name, from them that did roar, prepared to devour.
5 Out of the hands of them that sought my life, and from the gates of~
afflictions, which compassed me about:
6 From the oppression of the flame which surrounded me, and in the midst of the~
fire I was not burnt.
7 From the depth of the belly of hell, and from an unclean tongue, and from~
lying words, from an unjust king, and from a slanderous tongue:

[Responsory1]
R. Let us keep with joy and gladness the feast of this most saintly maiden, let~
us call to mind the holy passion of the blessed Agnes in her thirteenth year she~
conquered, losing death and finding life
* Because she loved the Only Giver of Life.
V. Reckoned but a child in this world, she understood more than the ancients.
R. Because she loved the Only Giver of Life.

[Lectio2]
!Sir 51:8-12
8 My soul shall praise the Lord even to death.
9 And my life was drawing near to hell beneath.
10 They compassed me on every side, and there was no one that would help me. I~
looked for the succour of men, and there was none.
11 I remembered thy mercy, O Lord, and thy works, which are from the beginning~
of the world.
12 How thou deliverest them that wait for thee, O Lord, and savest them out of~
the hands of the nations.

[Responsory2]
R. My right hand and my neck hath He clasped with precious stones, and put~
pearls beyond price in mine ears,
* And hath crowned me with the bright blossoms of the eternal spring-time.
V. He hath sealed me in my forehead, that I may let in no other lover but Him.
R. And hath crowned me with the bright blossoms of the eternal spring-time.

[Lectio3]
!Sir 51:13-17
13 Thou hast exalted my dwelling place upon the earth and I have prayed for~
death to pass away.
14 I called upon the Lord, the father of my Lord, that he would not leave me in~
the day of my trouble, and in the time of the proud without help.
15 I will praise thy name continually, and will praise it with thanksgiving, and~
my prayer was heard.
16 And thou hast saved me from destruction, and hast delivered me from the evil~
time.
17 Therefore I will give thanks, and praise thee, and bless the name of the~
Lord.

[Responsory3]
R. Christ is my Lover, and I am entering with Him into the marriagechamber. His~
Mother is a Virgin, and His Father knoweth not a woman. The instruments of His~
music sound sweetly together in my ears.
* If I love Him I shall be chaste, if I touch Him I shall be clean, if I embrace~
Him I shall be a virgin indeed.
V. He hath espoused me with a betrothal ring, and adorned me with a necklace of~
great price.
R. If I love Him I shall be chaste, if I touch Him I shall be clean, if I~
embrace Him I shall be a virgin indeed.
&Gloria
R. If I love Him, I shall be chaste, if I touch Him I shall be clean, if I~
embrace Him I shall be a virgin indeed.

[Lectio4]
From the Book of St Ambrose, Bishop (of Milan,) on Virgins.
!Bk. i. Chap. 2.
This is a virgin's birthday; let us then follow the example of her chastity. It~
is a Martyr's birthday; let us then offer sacrifices. It is the birthday of the~
holy Agnes; let men then be filled with wonder, little ones with hope, married~
women with awe, and the unmarried with emulation. But how shall I set forth the~
glory of her whose very name is an utterance of praise? It seemeth to me that~
this being, holy beyond her years, and strong beyond human nature, received the~
name of Agnes, not as an earthly designation, but as a revelation from God of~
what she was to be. For this name Agnes is from the Greek, and being interpreted,~
signifieth Pure. So that this saintly maiden is known by the very title of~
Chastity and when I have added thereto the word Martyr, I have said enough. She~
needeth not the praise which we could utter, but do not. None is more~
praiseworthy than she for whose praise all mouths are fitted. As many as name~
her, so many praise her, by the noble title of martyr.

[Lectio5]
We learn by tradition that this holy martyr testified in the thirteenth year of~
her age. We will pass by the foul cruelty which did not spare her tender years,~
to contemplate the great power of her faith, whereby she overcame the weakness~
of childhood, and witnessed a good confession. Her little body was hardly big~
enough to give play to the instruments of their cruelty, but if they could~
scarce sheathe their swords in her slight frame, they found in her that which~
laughed the power of the sword to scorn. She had no fear when she found herself~
grasped by the bloody hands of the executioners. She was unmoved when they~
dragged her with clanging chains. Hardly entered on life, she stood fully~
prepared to die. She quailed not when the weapons of the angry soldiery were~
pointed at her breast. If they forced her against her will to approach the~
altars of devils, she could stretch forth her hands to Christ amid the very~
flames which consumed the idolatrous offerings, and mark on the heathen shrine~
the victorious Cross of the Lord. She was ready to submit her neck and hands to~
the iron shackles, but they were too big to clasp her slender limbs. Behold a~
strange martyr! She is not grown of stature to fight the battle, but she is ripe~
for the triumph; too weak to run in the race, and yet clearly entitled to the~
prize; unable from her age to be aught but a learner, she is found a teacher.

[Lectio6]
She went to the place of execution a virgin, with more willing and joyful~
footsteps than she would have gone with to the nuptial chamber as a bride. The~
spectators were all in tears, and she alone did not weep. They beheld her with~
wonder, laying down that life of which she had hardly begun to taste the sweets,~
as freely as though she had drained it to the dregs and was weary of its burden.~
All men were amazed when they saw her whose years had not made her her own~
mistress, arise as a witness for the Deity. Consider how many threats her~
murderer used to excite her fears, how many arguments to shake her resolution,~
how many promises to bribe her to accept his offers of marriage. But she~
answered him It is an insult to Him Whom I have wedded to expect me to comply.~
He That first chose me, His will I be. Headsman, why waitest thou? Perish the~
body which draweth the admiration of eyes from which I would turn away. She~
stood, prayed, and then bent her neck for the stroke. Now mightest thou have~
seen the murderer trembling as though he himself were the criminal, the~
executioner's hand shake, and the faces of them that stood by turn white at the~
sight of her position, and all the while herself remain without fear. This one~
victim brought God a double offering, that of her purity, and that of her faith.~
She preserved virginity and achieved martyrdom.

[Responsory7]
R. I am wedded to the Lord of Angels, at Whose beauty the sun and the moon do~
wonder.
* I keep my troth to Him alone, and commit me altogether to Him.
V. My right hand and my neck hath He clasped with precious stones, and put~
pearls beyond price in mine ears.
R. I keep my troth to Him alone, and commit me altogether to Him.

[Responsory8]
R. O Thou Who Alone art Almighty! Who Alone art to be adored! Who Alone art to~
be worshipped! Who Alone art to be feared! I bless thee,
* Because that through thine Only-begotten Son Thou hast delivered me from the~
threatenings of wicked men, and hast made me to walk with clean feet through the~
filthy haunts of devils.
V. My lips praise thee, my heart and all that is within me do long after thee.
R. Because that through thine Only-begotten Son Thou hast delivered me from the~
threatenings of wicked men, and hast made me to walk with clean feet through the~
filthy haunts of devils.

[Responsory9]
R. Haec est virgo prudens
* Quae veniente sponso accepit oleum in vasis suis, et ornatis lampedibus~
introivit cum eo ad nuptias
V. Haec est virgo sapiens, et una de numero prudentum
R. Quae veniente sponso accepit oleum in vasis suis, et ornatis lampedibus~
introivit cum eo ad nuptias
&Gloria
R. Quae veniente sponso accepit oleum in vasis suis, et ornatis lampedibus~
introivit cum eo ad nuptias

[Ant Laudes]
Agnes entered * the place of shame, and found the Angel of the Lord ready
For I have with me * an Angel of the Lord to keep my body
My Lord Jesus Christ hath espoused me with His ring, * and hath set on my head a crown as the crown of a bride
I bless thee, O Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, because through thy Son the fire is quenched around me
Rejoice with me * and make merry, because I also have received a throne in light among all these

[Capitulum Laudes]
!Sir 51:1-3
v. I will give glory to thee, O Lord, O King, and I will praise thee, O God my~
Saviour.I will give glory to thy name: for thou best been a helper and protector~
to me. And hast preserved my body from destruction
$Deo gratias
_
R.br. In thy comeliness and * in thy beauty.
R. In thy comeliness and * in thy beauty.
V. Go forward, fare prosperously, and reign.
R. In thy beauty.
&Gloria
R. In thy comeliness and * in thy beauty.

[Ant 2]
Behold, now I see that * which I have desired; now I possess that for which I~
have hoped now am I united in heaven to Him Whom I loved with my whole heart~
upon earth.

[Capitulum Tertia]
!Sir 51:1-3
v. I will give glory to thee, O Lord, O King, and I will praise thee, O God my~
Saviour.I will give glory to thy name: for thou best been a helper and protector~
to me. And hast preserved my body from destruction
$Deo gratias

[Capitulum Sexta]
!Sir 51:4-5
v. And thou hast delivered me, according to the multitude of the mercy of thy~
name, from them that did roar, prepared to devour.Out of the hands of them that~
sought my life, and from the gates of afflictions, which compassed me about:
$Deo gratias

[Capitulum Nona]
!Sir 51:8; 51:12
v. My soul shall praise the Lord even to death. How thou deliverest them that~
wait for thee, O Lord, and savest them out of the hands of the nations.
$Deo gratias

[Ant 3]
The blessed Agnes stood in the midst of the fire * and stretched forth her hands~
unto the Lord, and prayed, saying O Thou Who Alone art Almighty! Who Alone art~
to be adored! Who Alone art to be worshipped! Who Alone art to be feared! I~
bless thee, and glorify thy Name for ever and ever!

[LectioE]
v. Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
!Matt 25:1-13
25:1 THEN shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride.
25:2 And five of them were foolish, and five wise.
25:3 But the five foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them:
25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps.
25:5 And the bridegroom tarrying, they all slumbered and slept.
25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made: Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye forth to meet him.
25:7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
25:8 And the foolish said to the wise: Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.
25:9 The wise answered, saying: Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you, go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
25:10 Now whilst they went to buy, the bridegroom came: and they that were ready, went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut.
25:11 But at last come also the other virgins, saying: Lord, Lord, open to us.
25:12 But he answering said: Amen I say to you, I know you not.
25:13 Watch ye therefore, because you know not the day nor the hour.
$Te decet
