February 1
St Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr
Feast shown for the year 2027; movable feasts can vary from year to year.
Saint Ignatius of Antioch, honored today as both bishop and martyr, stands among the most prominent figures of the early Church, serving as Bishop of Antioch in the late first and early second centuries. Revered for his deep faith and unwavering commitment, Ignatius is best known for the series of letters he wrote while on his journey from Syria to Rome, where he was to suffer martyrdom under Roman authority. These letters offer remarkable insight into the faith, organization, and spiritual fervor of the early Christian communities, emphasizing themes such as unity in the Church, the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and fidelity to the bishop as a sign of unity with Christ. Tradition holds that Ignatius was a disciple of the Apostle John, and his writings reflect a direct connection to the apostolic teaching.
His martyrdom, celebrated with the liturgical color red, points to his bold witness to Christ even unto death—reported to have faced wild beasts in the Roman amphitheater with courage rooted in charity and hope. The feast is kept at this time as an enduring testimony to his place among the ancient Fathers of the Church and an exemplar for bishops, clergy, and the entire Christian faithful. By commemorating his memory, the liturgy invites the faithful to contemplate the cost of discipleship and to be inspired by Ignatius’s zealous love for Christ and the unity of the Church, which he so eloquently articulated and sealed with his blood.
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Liturgical texts of February 1, 2027
The liturgical day
IntroitGal 6:14
Latin
Gal 6:14.
Mihi autem absit gloriári, nisi in Cruce Dómini nostri Iesu Christi: per quem mihi mundus crucifíxus est, et ego mundo.
Ps 131:1.
Meménto, Dómine, David: et omnis mansuetúdinis eius.
℣. Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
℟. Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.
Mihi autem absit gloriári, nisi in Cruce Dómini nostri Iesu Christi: per quem mihi mundus crucifíxus est, et ego mundo.
English
Gal 6:14
God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.
Ps 131:1
O Lord, remember David and all his meekness.
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.
Collect
Latin
Infirmitátem nostram réspice, omnípotens Deus: et, quia pondus própriæ actiónis gravat, beáti Ignátii Mártyris tui atque Pontíficis intercéssio gloriósa nos prótegat.
Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum: qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum.
℟. Amen.
English
Be mindful of our weakness, almighty God, and because the burden of our sins weighs heavily upon us, may the glorious intercession of blessed Ignatius, Your Martyr and Bishop, sustain us.
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.
LessonRom 8:35-39
Latin
Léctio Epistolæ beáti Pauli Apóstoli ad Romános
Rom 8:35-39
Fratres: Quis nos separábit a caritáte Christi: tribulátio, an angustia, an fames, an núditas, an perículum, an persecútio, an gládius? sicut scriptum est: Quia propter te mortificámur tota die: æstimáti sumus sicut oves occisiónis. Sed in his ómnibus superámus propter eum, qui diléxit nos. Certus sum enim, quia neque mors, neque vita, neque ángeli, neque principátus, neque virtútes, neque instántia, neque futúra, neque fortitúdo, neque altitúdo, neque profúndum, neque creatúra alia poterit nos separáre a caritáte Dei, quæ est in Christo Iesu, Dómino nostro.
℟. Deo grátias.
English
Lesson from the letter of St. Paul the Apostle to the Romans
Rom 8:35-39
Brethren, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation? or distress? or famine? Or nakedness? or danger? Or persecution? or the sword? As it is written: For Thy sake we are put to death all the day long: we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. But in all these things we overcome because of Him that hath loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor might, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
℟. Thanks be to God.
GradualEccli 44:16
Latin
Eccli 44:16.
Ecce sacérdos magnus, qui in diébus suis plácuit Deo.
Eccli 44:20.
Non est invéntus símilis illi, qui conserváret legem Excélsi.
Ps 20:3-4.
Desidérium ánimæ eius tribuísti ei: et voluntáte labiórum eius non fraudásti eum.
℣. Quoniam prævenísti eum in benedictiónibus dulcedinis.
℣. Posuísti in cápite eius coronam de lápide pretióso.
English
Ecclus 44:16, 20
Behold a great priest, who in his days pleased God.
℣. There was not any found the like to him, who kept the law of the Most High.
Ps 20:3-4.
Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withheld from him the will of his lips.
℣. For Thou hast prevented him with blessings of sweetness.
℣. Thou hast set on his head a crown of precious stones.
GospelIoann 12:24-26
Latin
℟. Glória tibi, Dómine.
Ioann 12:24-26
In illo témpore: Dixit Iesus discípulis suis: Amen, amen, dico vobis, nisi granum fruménti cadens in terram, mórtuum fúerit, ipsum solum manet: si autem mórtuum fúerit, multum fructum affert. Qui amat ánimam suam, perdet eam: et qui odit ánimam suam in hoc mundo, in vitam ætérnam custódit eam. Si quis mihi mínistrat, me sequátur: et ubi sum ego, illic et miníster meus erit. Si quis mihi ministráverit, honorificábit eum Pater meus.
English
℟. Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
John 12:24-26
At that time, Jesus said to His Disciples, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it brings forth much fruit. He who loves his life, loses it; and he who hates his life in this world, keeps it unto life everlasting. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am there also shall My servant be. If anyone serves Me, My Father will honor him.”
OffertoryPs 8:6-7
Latin
Ps 8:6-7
Glória et honore coronásti eum: et constituísti eum super ópera mánuum tuárum, Dómine.
English
Ps 8:6-7
Thou hast crowned Him with glory and honor: and hast set Him over the works of Thy hands, O Lord.
Secret
Latin
Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum: qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum.
℟. Amen.
English
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.
Communion
Latin
Fruméntum Christi sum: déntibus bestiárum molar, ut panis mundus invéniar.
English
I am the wheat of Christ; may I be ground by the teeth of beasts, that I may be found pure bread.
Post Communion
Latin
Refécti participatióne múneris sacri, quǽsumus, Dómine, Deus noster: ut, cuius exséquimur cultum, intercedénte beáto Ignátio Mártyre tuo atque Pontífice, sentiámus efféctum.
Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum: qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum.
℟. Amen.
English
Refreshed by partaking of the sacred gift, we beseech You, O Lord our God, that we may enjoy the benefits of the rite we perform through the intercession of blessed Ignatius, Your Martyr and Bishop.
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.
Vetus Ordo texts: Divinum Officium