St. John Damascene on the Dormition of Our Lady

St. John Damascene on the Dormition of Our Lady

From Matins of the Feast of Our Lady's Assumption (Aug. 15)

Online Source: www.breviary.net

Lesson iv
Sermo sancti Joánnis Damascéni	The Lesson is taken from a Sermon by St. John of Damascus
Oratio 2 de Dormitione B.M.V. post initium
Final home and shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary, near Ephesus, Turkey
Hódie sacra et animáta arca Dei vivéntis, quæ suum in útero concépit Creatórem, requiéscit in templo Dómini, quod nullis est exstrúctum mánibus.  Et David exsúltat ejus parens, et cum eo choros ducunt Angeli, célebrant Archángeli, Virtútes gloríficant, Principátus exsúltant, Potestátes  collætántur, gaudent Dominatiónes, Throni festum diem agunt, laudant Chérubim, glóriam ejus prædicant Séraphim.  Hódie Eden novi Adam paradísum súscipit animátum, in quo solúta est condemnátio, in quo plantátum est lignum vitæ, in quo opérta fuit nostra núditas.	This day the holy and animated Ark of the living God, which had held within it its own Maker, is borne to rest in that Temple of the Lord, which is not made with hands.  David, whence it sprang, leapeth before it, and in company with him the Angels dance, the Archangels sing aloud, the Virtues ascribe glory, the Principalities shout for joy, the Powers make merry, the Dominions rejoice, the Thrones keep holiday, the Cherubim utter praise, and the Seraphim proclaim its glory.  This day the Eden of the new Adam receiveth the living garden of delight, wherein the condemnation was annulled, wherein the Tree of Life was planted, wherein our nakedness was covered.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
R.  Ornátam monílibus filiam Jerúsalem Dóminus concupívit : * Et vidéntes eam fíliæ Sion, beatíssimam prædicavérunt, dicéntes : Unguéntum effúsum nomen tuum.V.  Astitit regína a dextris tuis in vestítu deauráto, circúmdata varietáte. R.  Et vidéntes eam fíliæ Sion, beatíssimam prædicavérunt, dicéntes : Unguéntum effúsum nomen tuum.	R.  When the Lord beheld the daughter of Jerusalem adorned with her jewels, he greatly desired her beauty ; * And when the daughters of Sion saw her, they cried out that she was most blessed, and they said : Thy name is as ointment poured forth. V.  O Lord, upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in a vesture of gold, wrought about with divers colours. R.  And when the daughters of Sion saw her, they cried out that she was most blessed, and they said : Thy name is as ointment poured forth.
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
Hódie Virgo immaculáta, quæ nullis terrénis inquináta est afféctibus, sed cæléstibus educáta cogitatiónibus, non in terram revérsa est ; sed, cum esset animátum cælum, in cæléstibus tabernáculis collocátur.  Ex qua enim ómnibus vera vita manávit, quómodo illa mortem gustáret?  Sed cedit legi latæ ab eo quem génuit ; et, ut fília véteris Adam, véterem senténtiam súbiit (et ejus Fílius, qui est vita ipsa, eam non recusávit); ut autem Dei vivéntis Mater, ad illum ipsum digne assúmitur.	This day the stainless maiden, who had been defiled by no earthly lust, but ennobled by heavenly desires, returned not to dust, but, being herself a living heaven, took her place among the heavenly mansions.  From her true life had flowed for all men, and how should she taste of death?  But she yielded obedience to the law established by him to whom she had given birth, and, as the daughter of the old Adam, underwent the old sentence, which even her Son, who is the very Life Itself, had not refused ; but, as the Mother of the living God, she was worthily taken by him unto himself.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
R.  Beátam me dicent omnes generatiónes, * Quia fecit mihi Dóminus magna qui potens est, et sanctum nomen ejus.V.  Et misericórdia ejus a progénie in progénies timéntibus eum. R.  Quia fecit mihi Dóminus magna qui potens est, et sanctum nomen ejus.	R.  All generations shall call me blessed, * For the Lord that is mighty hath magnified me, and holy is his Name.V.  And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations. R.  For the Lord that is mighty hath magnified me, and holy is his Name.
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
Ex Actis Pii Papæ duodécimi	The Lesson is taken from the Acts of Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII solemnly declares the dogma of the Assumption of Mary Most Holy, November 1, 1950
Quóniam vero univérsa Ecclésia fidem in corpóream beátæ Maríæ Vírginis Assumptiónem per sæculórum decúrsum manifestávit, et totíus orbis Epíscopi prope unánimi consensióne petiérunt ut hæc véritas, quæ Sacris Lítteris innítitur, Christifidélium ánimis pénitus est ínsita, ceterísque revelátis veritátibus plane cónsona, tamquam divínæ et cathólicæ fídei dogma definirétur, Pius duodécimus Póntifex Máximus, totíus Ecclésiæ votis ánnuens, státuit hoc Beátæ Maríæ Vírginis privilégium solémniter renuntiáre.  Itaque die prima Novémbris anni máximi Jubilæi millésimi nongentésimi quinquagésimi, Romæ ad foro ad sancti Petri Basílicam paténte, plurimórum Sanctæ Románæ Ecclésiæ Cardinálium atque Episcopórum ex díssitis étiam regiónibus astánte cœtu, coram ingénti Christifidélium multitúdine, univérso cathólico orbe plaudénte, corpóream Beátæ Maríæ Vírginis Assumptiónem in cælum infallíbili oráculo in hæc verba proclamávit : Postquam súpplices étiam atque étiam ad Deum admóvimus preces, ac Veritátis Spíritus lumen invocávimus, ad Omnipoténtis Dei glóriam, qui peculiárem benevoléntiam suam Maríæ Vírgini dilargítus est, ad sui Fílii honórem, immortális sæculórum Regis ac peccáti mortísque victóris, ad ejúsdem augústæ Matris augéndam glóriam et ad totíus Ecclésiæ gáudium exsultationémque, auctoritáte Dómini Nostri Jesu Christi, Beatórum Apostolórum Petri et Pauli ac Nostra pronuntiámus, declarámus et definímus revelátum dogma esse : Immaculátam Deíparam semper Vírginem Maríam, expléto terréstris vitæ cursu, fuísse córpore et ánima ad cæléstem glóriam assúmptam.	Since indeed the universal Church hath at all times and throughout the ages manifested faith in the bodily Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and since the Bishops of the whole world by an almost unanimous agreement have petitioned that this truth, which is enshrined in Sacred Scripture and deeply rooted in the souls of Christ's faithful, and is also truly in accord with other revealed truths, should be defined as a dogma of the divine and Catholick Faith, Pope Pius XII, acceding to the requests of the whole Church, decreed that this privilege of the Blessed Virgin Mary be solemnly proclaimed, and thus, on the first day of November of the year of the Great Jubilee, nineteen hundred and fifty, at Rome, in the open square before the Basilica of St. Peter, surrounded by a throng of many Cardinals and Bishops of the Holy Roman Church who had come from distant parts of the earth, and before a great multitude of the faithful, with the whole Catholick world rejoicing, proclaimed in these words and with infallible statement the bodily Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven : Wherefore, having offered to God continual prayers of supplication, and having invoked the light of the Spirit of Truth, to the glory of Almighty God who hath enriched the Virgin Mary with his special favour ; in honour of his Son, the immortal King of ages and victor over sin and death ; for the increase of the glory of the same august Mother, and for the joy and exultation of the whole Church, by the authority of Our Lord Jesus Christ, of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma that : The Immaculate Mother of God, Mary ever Virgin, was, at the end of her earthly life, assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
R.  Beáta es, Virgo María, quæ Dóminum portásti, Creatórem mundi : * Genuísti qui te fecit, et inætérnum pérmanes Virgo.V.  Ave, María, grátia plena ; Dóminus tecum. R.  Genuísti qui te fecit, et in ætérnum pérmanes Virgo. V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto. R.  Genuísti qui te fecit, et in ætérnum pérmanes Virgo.	R.  Blessed art thou, O Virgin Mary, who didst bear the Creator of all things : * Thou didst give birth to thy Maker, and forever remainedst a Virgin. V.  Hail Mary, full of grace : the Lord is with thee. R.  Thou didst give birth to thy Maker, and forever remainedst a Virgin. V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. R.  Thou didst give birth to thy Maker, and forever remainedst a Virgin.