In Festo Sancti Petri Chrysologi (Dec. 4), Acta

In Festo Sancti Petri Chrysologi (Dec. 4), Acta

From Matins of the feast of St. Peter Chrysologus, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church
Source: www.breviary.net

Second Nocturn
Absolutio: Ipsíus píetas et misericórdia nos ádjuvet, qui cum Patre et Spíritu Sancto vivit et regnat in sæcula sæculórum. R.  Amen.	Absolution:  May his loving-kindness and mercy assist us.  Who, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, for ever and ever. R.  Amen.
V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.	V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.
Benedíctio 4: Deus Pater omnípotens sit nobis propítius et clemens. R.  Amen.	Benediction 4:  May God the Father Almighty shew us his mercy and pity. R.  Amen.
Lesson iv
The Rocca Sforzesca at Imola
Petrus, qui ob áuream ejus eloquéntiam Chrysólogi cognómen adéptus est, Foro Cornélii in Æmília honéstis paréntibus natus, a prima ætáte ánimum ad religiónem adjíciens, Cornélio Románo, tunc ejúsdem urbis Corneliénsis epíscopo, óperam dedit : a quo étiam, sciéntia et vitæ sanctitáte cum brevi profecísset, diáconus creátus est.  Póstmodum cóntigit, ut Ravennátes ob mortem archipræsulis sui álium (ut moris erat) ab eis eléctum Romam ad sanctum Xystum Papam tértium pro confirmatióne míserint una cum legátis suis et cum prædícto Cornélio, qui eúmdem levítam secum perdúxit.  Interim sanctus Petrus Apóstolus, et Martyr Apollináris summo Pontífici in somnis apparuérunt, mediúmque habéntes hunc júvenem, jussérunt, ut illum, et non álium, in archiepíscopum Ravénnæ creáret.  Hinc Póntifex, mox ut vidit Petrum, cognóvit eum a Dómino Deo præeléctum : proptérea, rejécto illo quem ipsi offerébant, hunc solum, anno Christi quadringentésimo trigésimo tértio, illi metropolitánæ præfécit ecclésiæ.  Quod cum legáti Ravennaténses ægre ferrent, audíta visióne, divínæ voluntáti libénter acquiescéntes, novum archiepíscopum máxima cum reveréntia suscepérunt.	Peter, called in Greek Chrysologus, or Of the Golden Words, on account of his wonderful eloquence, was born of respectable parents at Imola, near Ravenna.  He displayed a very early leaning to godliness, and became a disciple of Cornelius of Rome, Bishop of Imola.  This Prelate, having experience of his learning and holiness of life, soon ordained him Deacon.  On the death of the Archbishop of Ravenna, the people of that place elected a successor, and sent him, according to custom, to Rome, to be confirmed in his appointment by Pope Sixtus III.  The Archbishop elect accordingly set forth, along with the ambassadors of the people of Ravenna and Cornelius, Bishop of Imola, attended by Peter the Deacon.  While they were yet on the way, the holy Apostle Peter and Apollinaris the Martyr appeared to the Supreme Pontiff in a dream, leading a young man between them, whom they commanded him to make Archbishop.  As soon as the embassy arrived at Rome the Pope knew in Peter the young man of his dream, chosen of God to the Archbishoprick.  Wherefore he set aside him that the people of Ravenna had presented, and preferred Peter to that Metropolitan Church, in the year of our Lord, 433.  The ambassadors of the people of Ravenna took it ill, till they heard the vision : then they gave themselves up to the will of God, and received the new Archbishop with great reverence.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
Ravenna Cathedral
R.  Invéni David servum meum, óleo sancto meo unxi eum : * Manus enim mea auxiliábitur ei. V.  Nihil profíciet inimícus in eo, et fílius iniquitátis non nocébit ei. R.  Manus enim mea auxiliábitur ei.	R.  I have found David my servant, with my holy oil have I anointed him. * My hand shall hold him fast. V.  The enemy shall not be able to do him violence ; the son of wickedness shall not hurt him. R.  My hand shall hold him fast.
V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.	V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.
Benedíctio 5: Christus perpétuæ det nobis gáudia vitæ. R.  Amen.	Benediction 5: May Christ bestow upon us the joys of life eternal. R.  Amen.
Lesson v
Mosaic of the Good Shepherd in the Mausoleum of the Empress Galla Placidia in Ravenna
Petrus ígitur, licet invítus, in archipræsulem consecrátus, Ravénnam dedúcitur ; ubi a Valentiniáno imperatóre, et a Galla Placídia ejus matre, ac ab univérso pópulo máxima lætítia excéptus est.  Et ille ab eis id unum pétere dixit, ut quando tantum óneris pro ipsórum salúte subíre non recusávit, studérent ipsi mónitis suis obtemperáre, divinísque præcéptis non obsístere.  Duórum Sanctórum tunc ibi defunctórum córpora óptimis unguéntis condíta sepelívit, Barbatiáni vidélicet presbyteri, et Germáni Antisiodorénsis epíscopi ; cujus étiam cucúllam et cilícium sibi vindicávit in hereditátem.  Projéctum et Marcellínum in epíscopos ordinávit.  In Classe fontem exstrúxit magnitúdinis vere admirábilis, et templa quædam magnífica ædificávit tum beáto Andréæ Apóstolo, tum áliis Sanctis.  Ludos ab homínibus personátis cum váriis saltatiónibus Kaléndis Januárii fíeri sólitos concióne cohíbuit acérrima ; ubi inter ália illud præcláre dixit : Qui jocári volúerit cum diábolo, non póterit gaudére cum Christo.  Jussu sancti Leónis Papæ primi scripsit póstea ad Chalcedonénse Concílium advérsus hæresim Eutychétis.  Respóndit prætérea ad Eutychen ipsum et ália epístola, quæ eídem concílio in novis editiónibus præfíxa, et in annáles ecclesiásticos reláta fuit.	Peter being against his will consecrated Archbishop, arrived at Ravenna, where he was received with great joy by the Emperor Valentinian, the Empress-Mother Galla Placidia, and all the people.  And this one thing he asked of them, that, as he, for the saving of their souls, had not refused to bear the heavy weight of the Archbishoprick, so they would strive to follow his warnings, and live in submission to the law of God.  He took the bodies of the two Saints, namely, Barbatian the Priest, and German, Bishop of Auxerre, and caused them to be embalmed with rich ointments and honourably buried, and he kept the cowl and haircloth shirt of German for a legacy for himself.  At Classis, three miles from Ravenna, he built a Baptistery of extraordinary size, and several splendid churches, in honour of the blessed Apostle Andrew and other Saints.  He preached a most severe sermon against the acting and dancing of guisards about New Year time, in which discourse he said among other things, He that jesteth with the devil will never rejoice with Christ.  By command of Pope Leo I he addressed an Epistle to the Council of Chalcedon against the heretic Eutyches.  He also confuted Eutyches himself in another letter, which is likewise published in the new editions of the Acts of the Council, and is matter of Church History.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
The Baptistery at Ravenna Cathedral
R.  Pósui adjutórium super poténtem, et exaltávi eléctum de plebe mea : * Manus enim mea auxiliábitur ei. V.  Invéni David servum meum, óleo sancto meo unxi eum. R.  Manus enim mea auxiliábitur ei.	R.  I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people. * My hand shall hold him fast. V.  I have found David, my servant, with my holy oil have I anointed him. R.  My hand shall hold him fast.
V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.	V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.
Benedíctio 6: Ignem sui amóris accéndat Deus in córdibus nostris. R.  Amen.	Benediction 6: May God enkindle in our hearts the fire of his holy love. R.  Amen.
Lesson vi
The Cathedral Church of San Cassiano, Imola Site of the Tomb of St. Peter Chrysologus
Dum públice sermónes habéret ad pópulum, ádeo véhemens erat in dicéndo, ut præ nímio ardóre vox illi intérdum defécerit, sicut cóntigit in concióne mulíeris hæmorrhoíssæ.  Unde Ravennátes commóti, tot lácrimis, clamóribus et oratiónibus locum replevérunt, ut póstea ipse grátias ágeret Deo, quod in lucrum amóris vérterit damnum ejúsdem sermónis.  Cum tandem annos círciter decem et octo eam ecclésiam sanctíssime rexísset, labórum suórum finem adésse divínitus prænóscens, in pátriam se cóntulit ; ubi sancti Cassiáni templum ingréssus, magnum diadéma áureum gemmis distínctum pretiosíssimis ófferens, super altáre majus pósuit, necnon áureum cratérem, et paténam argénteam, quam tum rábidi canis morsus, tum febres sanáre sæpius expértum est, aqua inde demíssa.  Ex tunc Ravennátes, qui eúmdem secúti fúerant, dimísit, ádmonens, ut in eligéndo óptimo pastóre invigilárent atténte.  Mox Deum humíliter precátus et sanctum Cassiánum patrónum, ut benígne ánimam ejus excíperet, quarto Nonas Decémbris plácide ex hac vita migrávit, anno Dómini círciter quadringentésimo quinquagésimo.  Sacrum illíus corpus, commúni totíus civitátis fletu ac pietáte prope corpus ejúsdem sancti Cassiáni honorífice cónditum, nostris étiam tempóribus religióse cólitur : cujus tamen bráchium, auro et gemmis ornátum Ravénnam delátum, in Ursiána æde venerátur.	When he preached in public his vehemence was such that he sometimes became speechless from excitement.  This happened to him once when he was preaching on the subject of the woman who had an issue of blood.  The congregation on this occasion were so wrought up, that they filled the whole place with tears, cries, and prayers, and Peter afterwards thanked God, who had turned his failure to the profit of their souls.  When he had ruled the Church of Ravenna in holiness for about eighteen years, God gave him knowledge that the end of his labours was at hand, and he returned to his home at Imola, to die.  When he arrived at Imola, he entered the church of St. Cassian, and offered upon the High Altar a great circlet of gold, set with stones of great price, a golden chalice and a silver paten.  Water poured out of these vessels hath often healed hydrophobia and fevers.  Some of the people of Ravenna had followed the Archbishop, but he now dismissed them, with a charge to use great prudence in the choice of his successor.  Then he fell to prayer, that God would mercifully receive his spirit, asking the same likewise for the sake of his patron St. Cassian, and so he passed in peace to a better life, on a 2nd of December, about the year of our Lord 450.  His holy body was buried, amid the sorrow and veneration of the whole city, hard by the remains of St. Cassian, where it lieth even to this day, guarded with great reverence.  One arm was cut off and sent to Ravenna, where it is preserved in the Ursian Church, in a reliquary of gold and precious stones.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
The Crypt of Ravenna Cathedral
R.  Iste est, qui ante Deum magnas virtútes operátus est, et omnis terra doctrína ejus repléta est : * Ipse intercédat pro peccátis ómnium populórum. V.  Iste est, qui contémpsit vitam mundi, et pervénit ad cæléstia regna. R.  Ipse intercédat pro peccátis ómnium populórum. V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto. R.  Ipse intercédat pro peccátis ómnium populórum.	R.  This is he who wrought mighty deeds and valiant in the sight of God, and all the earth is filled with his doctrine: * May his intercession avail for the sins of all the people. V.  He was a man who despised the life of the world and attained unto the kingdom of heaven. R.  May his intercession avail for the sins of all the people. V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. R.  May his intercession avail for the sins of all the people.