S. Stephani Hungariæ Regis Confessoris ~ III. classis

Tempora: Feria Tertia infra Hebdomadam XII post Octavam Pentecostes V. Augusti

Tues, 9/2/25:

Today is the feast of St. Stephen of Hungary, King & C, under the 1954 (semi-double) and 1962 (III class) rubrics.

Mass: Proper Mass (most from Os justi of a confessor not a bishop). White. Gloria. Proper collect. Gradual/Alleluia. Omit Credo. Common Preface. Ite. Under 1954, 2nd prayer A cunctis for the intercession of the saints. 3rd prayer at the choice of the celebrant. No additional prayers under 1962.

Office: Ordinary office. White. Matins of 3 nocturns of 9 lessons (1954)/1 nocturn of 3 lessons (1962; II = II & III of occurring Scripture combined, III = short hagiography). Te Deum. Psalms and antiphons of the feria. All else from the common of a confessor not a bishop. Proper collect. No commemorations at Lauds. Suffrage of the saints (1954 only). (Source: LB236.)

Introitus
Ps 36:30-31
Os iusti meditábitur sapiéntiam, et lingua eius loquétur iudícium: lex Dei eius in corde ipsíus.
Ps 36:1
Noli æmulári in malignántibus: neque zeláveris faciéntes iniquitátem.
℣. Glória Patri, …

Collect
℣. The Lord be with you.
℟. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
We beseech You, almighty God, that Your Church be worthy to have as her glorious defender in heaven blessed Stephen, Your Confessor, whom she had as her champion while he reigned on earth.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
℟. Amen.

From the Holy Gospel according to Luke

Luke 19:12-25
At that time, Jesus spoke this parable unto His disciples: A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. And so on.

Homily by St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan.
Book viii. on Luke.
It is well ordered that, being about to call the Gentiles, and to command the destruction of those Jews, who would not have Christ to reign over them, He should put forth first this parable; lest it should be said He had given the Jews no means of becoming better. How can they be asked to repay who have received nothing? That is not a piece of silver of little worth, which, when the woman before mentioned in this Gospel xv. 8hath lost, she lighteth a candle, and sweepeth the house, and searcheth diligently until she findeth it.

Stephen, King of Hungary, brought the faith of Christ and the title of kingdom to his country. He obtained his royal crown from the Pope, and, when he had been anointed King at the Pope's command, he offered his kingdom to the Apostolic See. He founded various religious houses at Rome, at Jerusalem, and at Constantinople. In Hungary, with wonderful devotion and generosity, he established the archiepiscopal See of Esztergom and ten other bishoprics. He was famous for his great love of the poor and his constancy in prayer. He ardently venerated the Mother of God, declaring her the Patroness of Hungary and building a very large church in her honour. In turn, he was received into heaven by the Virgin on the Feast of her Assumption, which in Hungary, by edict of the Holy King, was called the Day of the Great Lady. By decree of Pope Innocent XI, however, the Feast of this saintly King is kept on the day on which, with his help, the Christian army, in a hard-fought engagement, recovered the strongly fortified citadel of Buda.

Post Communion
P. The Lord be with you.
S. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that we may follow in proper reverence the faith of blessed Stephen, Your Confessor, who as a reward for spreading that faith, was found worthy to pass from an earthly throne into the glory of Your heavenly Kingdom.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
℟. Amen.