Saint Silverius (537 A.D.) Pope and Martyr

  

 

SAINT SILVERIUS
Pope and Martyr

 

Within the Octave 

SIMPLE / RED
This brave shepherd of Christ's sheepfold was only a subdeacon when he was elevated to the Roman See. He incurred the unrelenting hatred of the forceful Empress Theodora by refusing to restore to the see of Constantinople the heretical Bishop Anthimos. Pope Silverius was aware that his courageous decision would cost him his life. The Empress had him condemned to banishment on a false charge of high treason. He died in A.D. 537 on an islet off Naples, either of privation or by actual murder.

Introit
John 21: 15-17
Simon Peter, if thou lovest Me, feed
My lambs, feed My sheep. (Ps. 29: 1)
I will extol Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast
upheld me: and hast not made my
enemies to rejoice over me. Glory be
to the Father, and to the Son, and to
the Holy Spirit, as it was in the
beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen. Simon
Peter, if thou lovest Me, feed My
lambs, feed My sheep.

COLLECT
O Eternal Shepherd, who appointed blessed Silverius shepherd of the whole Church, let the prayers of this martyr and supreme pontiff move You to look with favor upon Your flock and to keep it under Your continual protection. Through our Lord . . .

Lesson
Lesson from the first letter of St Peter the Apostle 1 Pet 5: 1-4, 10-11
Dearly beloved, The ancients
therefore that are among you, I
beseech, who am myself also an
ancient, and a witness of the
sufferings of Christ: as also a partaker
of that glory which is to be revealed in
time to come: feed the flock of God
which is among you, taking care of it,
not by constraint, but willingly,
according to God: not for filthy lucre's
sake, but voluntarily: neither as lording
it over the clergy, but being made a
pattern of the flock from the heart. And
when the Prince of pastors shall
appear, you shall receive a never
fading crown of glory. But the God of
all grace, Who hath called us into His
eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after you

have suffered a little, will Himself
perfect you, and confirm you, and
establish you. To Him be glory and
empire for ever and ever. Amen.

Gradual Ps. 106: 32, 31
Let them exalt him in the church of the
people: and praise him in the chair of
the ancients. Let the mercies of the
Lord give glory to Him: and His
wonderful works to the children of
men.
Alleluia, alleluia. Thou art Peter, and
upon this rock I will build My Church.

GOSPEL
Continuation ☩ of the Holy Gospel according to MatthewR. Glory be to Thee, O Lord. Matt. 16: 13-19

And Jesus came into the quarters of
Cesarea Philippi: and He asked His
disciples, saying: whom do men say
that the Son of man is? But they said:
Some John the Baptist, and other
some Elias, and others Jeremias, or
one of the prophets. Jesus saith to
them: But whom do you say that I am?
Simon Peter answered and said: Thou
art Christ, the Son of the living God.
And Jesus answering, said to him:
Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona:
because flesh and blood hath not
revealed it to thee, but my Father Who
is in heaven. And I say to thee: That
thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will
build my church, and the gates of hell
shall not prevail against it. And I will
give to thee the keys of the kingdom of
heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt
bind upon earth, it shall be bound also
in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt
loose upon earth, it shall be loosed
also in heaven. 

OFFERTORY Jer. 1: 9-10

Behold I have given My words in thy
mouth: lo, I have set thee over the
nations, and over kingdoms, to root
up, and to pull down, and to build, and
to plant

 

SECRET
We have offered our gifts to You, O Lord. Let Your light graciously shine upon Your Church, so that this flock may everywhere prosper, and its pastors, under Your guidance, may be truly pleasing to You. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION Matt. 16:18

Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I
will build My Church. 

POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord, govern the Church, which You have been pleased to nourish with Your heavenly Food. Guide her by Your powerful direction so that she may enjoy greater freedom and remain unshaken in the fullness of faith. Through our Lord . . .