[Rank]
S. Ceciliae Virginis Martyrum;;Duplex majus;;4;;vide C6

[Rule]
vide C6;
9 lectiones

[Ant Vespera]
The musicians played, and Cecily sang unto the Lord, * saying Let my heart be undented, that I be not ashamed;;109
Valerian found Cecily praying in her chamber, * and with her the Angel;;112
Busy like a bee, * O Lord, did thine handmaiden Cecily serve thee;;121
I have asked the Lord for three days, * that I may consecrate my house as a Church;;126

[Ant 1]
Valerian! there is a secret * which I wish to tell thee. I have an Angel of God~
for a lover, and he is very jealous to keep my body.

[Oratio]
O God, Who year by year dost gladden thy people by the solemn feast of thy~
blessed Virgin and Martyr Cecily, grant unto us, we beseech thee, not only~
devoutly to observe the same, but also to follow after the pattern of her godly~
conversation.
$Per Dominum

[Ant Matutinum]
The Maiden Cecily overcame Almachius, and called Tiburtius and Valerian to crowns;;8
She spread forth her hands and prayed unto the Lord, that He would deliver her from her enemies;;18
Cecily brought under her body with haircloth, and besought God with loud crying;;23
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who hast said of abstaining from marriage, He that is able to receive it, let him receive it, accept now the fruits from this seed, which Thou didst sow in the heart of Cecily;;44
Blessed Cecily said unto Tiburtius To-day I call thee my brother, for the love of God hath made thee to cast away idols;;45
Lord, let my heart and my body be undefiled, that I be not ashamed;;47
V. In thy comeliness and thy beauty
R. Go forward, fare prosperously, and reign.
Cecilia * me misit ad vos, ut ostendatis mihi sanctum Urbanum; quia ad ipsum habeo secreta, quae perferam.;;84
Triduanas * a Domino poposci inducias, ut domum meum Ecclesiam consecrarem.;;86
Christ, the Son of God, Who hath chosen unto Himself such an handmaiden, Him we believe to be the true God;;95
We that have known His Holy Name can by no means deny Him;;96
Then Valerian went his way, and found the holy Urban, by the sign which had been given him;;97
Accinxcit * fortitudine lumnos suos, et roboravit brachium suum; ideoque lucerna eius non exstinguetur in sempiternum.;;98
V. God shall help her with His countenance.
R. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved.
Virgo gloriosa * semper Evangelium Christi gerebat in pectore suo, et non diebus neque noctibus, a colloquiis divinis et oratione cessabat.;;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 first letter of blessed Apostle Paul to the Corinthians
!1 Cor 7:25-31
25 Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give~
counsel, as having obtained mercy of the Lord, to be faithful. 
26 I think~
therefore that this is good for the present necessity, that it is good for a man~
so to be. 
27 Art thou bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed~
from a wife? seek not a wife. 
28 But if thou take a wife, thou hast not~
sinned. And if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned: nevertheless, such shall~
have tribulation of the flesh. But I spare you. 
29 This therefore I say,~
brethren; the time is short; it remaineth, that they also who have wives, be as~
if they had none; 
30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they~
that rejoice, as if they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they~
possessed not; 
31 And they that use this world, as if they used it not: for~
the fashion of this world passeth away.

[Responsory1]
R. The musicians played, and the maiden Cecily sang in her heart unto the Lord~
alone, saying
* Lord, let my heart and my body be undefiled, that I be not ashamed.
V. She fasted and prayed for two days and three days together, committing the~
cause of her fear unto the Lord.
R. Lord, let my heart and my body be undefiled, that I be not ashamed.

[Lectio2]
!1 Cor 7:32-35
32 But I would have you to be without solicitude. He that is without a wife, is~
solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please God.
33 But he that is with a wife, is solicitous for the things of the world, how he~
may please his wife: and he is divided.
34 And the unmarried woman and the virgin thinketh on the things of the Lord,~
that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she that is married~
thinketh on the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
35 And this I speak for your profit: not to cast a snare upon you; but for that~
which is decent, and which may give you power to attend upon the Lord, without~
impediment.

[Responsory2]
R. O Blessed Cecily, thou didst convert the two brethren, but thou didst~
overcome Almachius the judge
* Thou didst point out Urban the Bishop, by this, that his face was as the face~
of an Angel.
V. Busy like a bee, thou didst serve the Lord.
R. Thou didst point out Urban the Bishop, by this, that his face was as the face~
of an Angel.

[Lectio3]
!1 Cor 7:36-40
36 But if any man think that he seemeth dishonoured, with regard to his virgin,~
for that she is above the age, and it must so be: let him do what he will; he~
sinneth not, if she marry.
37 For he that hath determined being steadfast in his heart, having no necessity,~
but having power of his own will; and hath judged this in his heart, to keep his~
virgin, doth well.
38 Therefore, both he that giveth his virgin in marriage, doth well; and he that~
giveth her not, doth better.
39 A woman is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband~
die, she is at liberty: let her marry to whom she will; only in the Lord.
40 But more blessed shall she be, if she so remain, according to my counsel; and I~
think that I also have the spirit of God.

[Responsory3]
R. The glorious maiden carried the Gospel of Christ always in her breast, and~
meditated therein day and night,
* Talking with God and praying.
V. She spread forth her hands and prayed unto the Lord, and her heart was~
enkindled with fire from heaven.
R. Talking with God and praying.
&Gloria
R. Talking with God and praying.

[Lectio4]
Cecily was a Roman maiden of noble birth, trained up from her earliest years in~
the teaching of the Christian faith, and who by vow consecrated her virginity to~
God. She was afterwards given in marriage, against her will, to Valerian. On the~
first night she said to him Valerian! I am under the wardship of an Angel, who~
keepeth me always a maiden. Therefore do nothing unto me, lest the anger of God~
should be aroused against thee. Valerian was moved at her words, and dared not~
to touch her. Also he added even this, that he would believe in Christ, if he~
could see the Angel. Cecily answered him that that could not be unless he were~
first baptized, and for the sake of seeing the Angel he was willing. So she bade~
him go unto Pope Urban, who was hiding in the sepulchre of the Martyrs on the~
Appian Way on account of the persecution. And he went unto him and was baptized.

[Responsory4]
R. Cecily brought her body under with haircloth, and besought God with loud~
crying
* And called Tiburtius and Valerian to crowns.
V. This is one of the wise virgins, one chosen out of the number of the prudent.
R. And called Tiburtius and Valerian to crowns.

[Lectio5]
Whence he came back to Cecily, and found her praying, and the Angel with her,~
shining from the glory of God. As soon as he had recovered from the shock of~
wonder and fear, he brought his brother Tiburtius, and Cecily taught him Christ,~
and he was baptized by the same Pope Urban, and he also was vouchsafed to see~
the Angel whom his brother had seen. A little while after, both of them bravely~
suffered martyrdom under the Praefect Almachius, who then caused Cecily to be~
taken, and asked of her, first of all, where was the property of Tiburtius and~
Valerian?

[Responsory5]
R. He found Cecily praying in her chamber, and standing by her the Angel of the~
Lord.
* And when Valerian saw him, he feared with a great fear.
V. The Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and a light shone in all the~
house.
R. And when Valerian saw him, he feared with a great fear.

[Lectio6]
To him the Virgin answered that all their goods had been given to the poor.~
Thereupon he was filled with fury, and commanded her to be taken home, and burnt~
in the bath. She was in that place a day and a night, but the fire had not~
harmed her. Then was sent the executioner, who gave her three strokes of the axe,~
and, as he could not cut off her head, left her half-dead. Three days thereafter,~
upon the 22nd day of November, in the reign of the Emperor Alexander Severus,~
she winged her flight for heaven, glorified with the two palms of virginity and~
martyrdom. Her body was buried in the cemetery of Kallistus by the aforenamed~
Pope Urban, who also consecrated a Church in her name in her own house. Her~
reliques were brought into the city by Pope Paschal I., along with those of~
Tiburtius, Valerian, and Maximus, and all laid together in the said Church of St~
Cecily.

[Responsory6]
R. O Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, Who hast said of abstaining from~
marriage, He that is able to receive it, let him receive it, accept now the~
fruits from this seed, which Thou didst sow in the heart of Cecily.
* Busy like a bee, thine handmaiden Cecily served thee.
V. For her husband, who was like a raging lion when she took him, she sent unto~
thee meek as the meekest of lambs.
R. Busy like a bee, thine handmaiden Cecily served thee.
&Gloria
R. Busy like a bee, thine handmaiden Cecily served thee.

[Lectio7]
From the Holy Gospel According to Matthew
!Matt 25:1-13
In that time Jezus said to his disciples: Then shall the kingdom of heaven be~
like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom and~
the bride. And so on.
_
Homily by St John Chrysostom, Patriarch (of Constantinople.)
!Hom 79 on Matth.
Wherefore doth the Lord set forth this parable under the figure of virgins, and~
not make it of acceptation for all men? He had spoken great things touching~
virginity, saying There be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the~
kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.~
(Matth. xix. 12.) He knew also that virginity is a thing which is held in great~
honour among men, being indeed a thing higher than nature, as is plain from this,~
that under the Old Testament even the Patriarchs and Saints did not practise it,~
and that under the New Testament it is not enjoined by any commandment of~
necessity; for the Lord did not make it binding, but left it open to the free~
choice of the faithful. Whence also Paul saith Concerning virgins I have no~
commandment of the Lord; yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy~
of the Lord to be faithful. I suppose therefore that this is good for the~
present distress, that it is good for a man so to be. But and if thou marry,~
thou hast not sinned, and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. (1 Cor. vii.~
25, 26, 28.)

[Responsory7]
R. Blessed Cecily said unto Tiburtius: To-day I call thee my brother, for the~
love of God hath made thee
* To cast away idols.
V. For even as the love of God hath made thy brother to be my husband, so the~
same hath made thee to be my brother, (and)
R. To cast away idols.

[Lectio8]
Virginity then, being a thing in itself so great and so much esteemed among many,~
lest any man having attained unto it, and kept it undefiled, should think that~
he hath done all, and so leave the rest undone, the Lord putteth forth this~
parable, in order to show that if virginity, though it have all else, lack mercy,~
its owner will but have his portion without among the fornicators, among whom~
Christ doth justly place the heartless and pitiless celibate. The fornicator is~
entangled in lust after bodies, the other in lust after money. The lust for~
bodies and the lust for money are two very different things, whereof the fleshly~
is by far the keener and the stubborner appetite. They that strive with the~
weaker enemy are therefore much less excusable if they fall. Wherefore the Lord~
hath called such virgins foolish, for having first won the stern battle, and~
then been destroyed in the light one.

[Responsory8]
R. Cecily hath sent me unto you, that ye may show me the holy Bishop
* For unto him I have a secret message to deliver.
V. Then Valerian went his way, and found the holy Urban by the sign which had~
been given him.
R. For unto him I have a secret message to deliver.
&Gloria
R. For unto him I have a secret message to deliver.

[Lectio9]
Why the lamps spoken of in this parable, the Lord signifieth the actual gift of~
virginity and holy continency, and by the oil gentleness, almsgiving, and~
helpfulness toward the needy. While the Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered~
and slept. His disciples hoped that His kingdom was to come forthwith. To call~
them away from this hope, to lead them away from this thought, He showeth them~
the time of waiting for the Bridegroom to be no very short one. They all~
slumbered and slept. He calleth death a sleep. And at midnight there was a cry~
made, Behold, the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet Him. This at midnight is~
either a continuation of the parable (and so signifieth the awaking of the dead,)~
or else meaneth that the again-rising to come will actually take place in the~
night. Of the cry Paul also maketh mention, where he saith The Lord Himself~
shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and~
with the trump of God. (1 Thess. iv. 16.)

[Responsory9]
R. Cecilia me misit ad vos, ut ostendatis mihi sanctum Urbanum; 
* Quia ad ipsum habeo secreta, quae perferam.
V. Triduanas * a Domino poposci inducias, ut domum meum Ecclesiam consecrarem
R. Quia ad ipsum habeo secreta, quae perferam.
&Gloria
R. Quia ad ipsum habeo secreta, quae perferam.

[Ant Laudes]
The musicians played, and Cecily sang unto the Lord, * saying Let my heart be undented, that I be not ashamed
Valerian found Cecily praying in her chamber, * and with her the Angel
Busy like a bee, * O Lord, did thine handmaiden Cecily serve thee
I bless thee, O Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, * that through thy Son the fire is gone out round about me
I have asked the Lord for three days, * that I may consecrate my house as a Church

[Ant 2]
As dawn was fading * into day, Cecily cried and said Arise, O soldiers of~
Christ, cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light. 

[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
