Saint Agipitus (275 A.D.), Saint Helen (326 A.D.) Within the Octave

Beheading of Saint Agapitus

SAINT HELENA

WITHIN THE OCTAVE

SAINT AGAPITUS
Martyr

SAINT HELEN

Empress, Widow

[In some places]

SIMPLE / RED
When only 15 years old, Agapitus was beheaded at Praeneste (Palestrina), Italy, about the year 275, as his punishment for professing Christ. Legend has it that he was beheaded only because the animals in the arena refused to attack him, and that a tribune, Anastasius, watching the "entertainment," was converted by the animal's reaction to the boy martyr.

Mass of a MARTYR, except

COLLECT
Let the Church rejoice in the trust she places in the intercessions of Your holy martyr Agapitus, O God, and grant that through the prayers of this saint she may always serve You devotedly in peace and security. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT HELEN
St. Helen was born in Britain and espoused to the Roman Emperor, Constantius Chlorus. Her son Constantine became the first Christian Emperor of Rome. The saintly Empress made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where she had the joy of discovering the true Cross, to enshrine which, she built a magnificent Basilica on Mount Calvary. Saint Helen died in August, A.D. 326.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who to blessed Helen didst reveal the place where Thy cross was hidden, in order, through her, to enrich Thy Church with this precious treasure: grant us through her prayers, that by means of the ransom of this Tree of Life, we may attain to the reward of eternal life: Who livest . . .

Lesson
Lesson from the first letter of St Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians
1 Cor. 12:2-11
Brethren: You know that when you were Gentiles, you went to dumb idols according as you were led. Wherefore I give you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God, says Anathema to Jesus. And no one can say Jesus is Lord, except in the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of ministries, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of workings, but the same God, Who works all things in all. Now the manifestation of the Spirit is given to everyone for profit. To one through the Spirit is given the utterance of wisdom; and to another the utterance of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; to another faith, in the same Spirit; to another the gift of healing, in the one Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another the distinguishing of spirits; to another various kinds of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues. But all these things are the work of one and the same Spirit, Who allots to everyone according as He will.
R. Thanks be to God.

Gradual
Ps 16:8, 2.
Keep me, O Lord, as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings.
V. From You let judgment come; Your eyes behold what is right. Alleluia, alleluia.
Ps 64:2
V. To You we owe our hymn of praise, O God, in Sion; to You must vows be fulfilled in Jerusalem. Alleluia

Gospel
Continuation ☩ of the Holy Gospel according to Luke
R. Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
Luke 18:9-14
At that time, Jesus spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves as being just and despised others. Two men went up to the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and began to pray thus within himself: ‘O God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men, robbers, dishonest, adulterers, or even like this publican. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I possess.’ But the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven, but kept striking his breast, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went back to his home justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.
 

SECRET
O Lord, accept the gifts we bring You on the feast of him through whose intercession we hope to be set free. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT HELEN
Grant us through these holy Mysteries, O Lord, who in Thy mercy didst vouchsafe to blessed Helen ever to bear in her heart Thy crucified Son: that we, too, may carry Him in our hearts for evermore. Through the same . . .

POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord, you have feasted Your family with the Food of Heaven. may we always be refreshed through the intercession of Your saint whose feast we celebrate this day. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT HELEN
Grant, O merciful God, that we who on earth have been recreated by the fruit of Thy salutary Cross, may, by the intercession of blessed Helen, deserve to enjoy that fruit for ever more in heaven: Who liveth and  . . .