October 25
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King
Today, according to the traditional (1962) Roman calendar, the Church celebrates the feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King — or the Solemnity of Christ the King. Established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 with the encyclical Quas Primas, this feast was introduced to affirm the universal kingship of Christ in response to growing secularism, nationalism, and the denial of Christ’s authority in public and private life. The Pope placed the feast on the last Sunday of October, just before All Saints’ Day, to highlight the connection between Christ’s kingship and the coming of His kingdom among the saints. The old calendar keeps this feast at October’s close, emphasizing Christ’s reign over time, history, and the lives of men, culminating the liturgical year’s celebration of salvation’s mysteries.
Spiritually, this feast proclaims that Christ reigns not only in heaven but also over all earthly affairs. It reminds the faithful that Christ is sovereign over every individual, family, society, and nation, and that His law and peace should reign in the hearts and structures of humankind. The prayers and liturgy focus on Christ’s undeniable right to rule, drawing on ancient biblical imagery of kingship from both Old and New Testaments: the Good Shepherd, the Judge of nations, and the King enthroned in glory. The tradition in the 1962 calendar strongly emphasizes the visible and social dimension of His Kingship, calling the faithful to make real Christ’s reign within their communities and to resist the secular impulse to exclude Him from public life. The feast is of the highest rank (First Class), underlining its supreme doctrinal and spiritual significance as the crowning celebration before the November commemoration of all the saints who have lived under His Lordship.
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Questions about Our Lord Jesus Christ, King (Vetus Ordo Missae)
Local variations
- Canada — DEDICATION OF CHURCHES consecrated whose date of consecration is unknown
- Africa — DEDICATION OF CHURCHES consecrated whose date of consecration is unknown
- France — DEDICATION OF CHURCHES consecrated whose date of consecration is unknown - France
- Belgium — DEDICATION OF CHURCHES consecrated whose date of consecration is unknown - Belgium
The liturgical day
IntroitPs 71:1
Latin
Apoc 5:12; 1:6
Dignus est Agnus, qui occísus est, accípere virtútem, et divinitátem, et sapiéntiam, et fortitúdinem, et honórem. Ipsi glória et impérium in sǽcula sæculórum.
Ps 71:1
Deus, iudícium tuum Regi da: et iustítiam tuam Fílio Regis.
℣. Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
℟. Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.
Dignus est Agnus, qui occísus est, accípere virtútem, et divinitátem, et sapiéntiam, et fortitúdinem, et honórem. Ipsi glória et impérium in sǽcula sæculórum.
English
Apoc 5:12; 1:6
Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain to receive power, and divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and honor. To Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever.
Ps 71:1
O God, with Your judgment endow the King and with Your justice, the King's son.
℣. 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.
Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain to receive power, and divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and honor. To Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever.
Collect
Latin
Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, qui in dilécto Fílio tuo, universórum Rege, ómnia instauráre voluísti: concéde propítius; ut cunctæ famíliæ géntium, peccáti vúlnere disgregátæ, eius suavissímo subdántur império:
Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti Deus per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum.
℟. Amen.
English
Almighty and eternal God, Who willed to restore all things in Your beloved Son, the King of the Universe, graciously grant that the peoples of the earth torn asunder by the wound of sin, may submit to His most gentle rule.
Who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end.
℟. Amen
LessonCol 1:12-20
Latin
Léctio Epístolæ beáti Pauli Apóstoli ad Colossénses.
Col 1:12-20
Fratres: Grátias ágimus Deo Patri, qui dignos nos fecit in partem sortis sanctórum in lúmine: qui erípuit nos de potestáte tenebrárum, et tránstulit in regnum Fílii dilectiónis suæ, in quo habémus redemptiónem per sánguinem eius, remissiónem peccatórum: qui est imágo Dei invisíbilis, primogénitus omnis creatúra: quóniam in ipso cóndita sunt univérsa in cœlis et in terra, visibília et invisibília, sive Throni, sive Dominatiónes, sive Principátus, sive Potestátes: ómnia per ipsum, et in ipso creáta sunt: et ipse est ante omnes, et ómnia in ipso constant. Et ipse est caput córporis Ecclésiæ, qui est princípium, primogénitus ex mórtuis: ut sit in ómnibus ipse primátum tenens; quia in ipso complácuit omnem plenitúdinem inhabitáre; et per eum reconciliáre ómnia in ipsum, pacíficans per sánguinem crucis eius, sive quæ in terris, sive quæ in cœlis sunt, in Christo Iesu Dómino nostro.
℟. Deo grátias.
English
Lesson from the letter of St. Paul the Apostle to the Colossians
Col 1:12-20.
Brethren: We give thanks to God the Father Who has made us worthy to share the lot of the saints in light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness, and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in Whom we have our redemption through His blood, the remission of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. For in Him were created all things in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether Thrones, or Dominations, or Principalities, or Powers. All things have been created through and unto Him, and He is before all creatures, and in Him all things hold together. Again, He is the head of the body, the Church; He, Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the first place. For it has pleased God the Father that in Him all fullness should dwell and that through Him He should reconcile to Himself all things, whether on the earth or in the heavens, making peace through the blood of His Cross, in Christ Jesus our Lord.
℟. Thanks be to God.
GradualDan 7:14
Latin
Ps 71:8; 78:11
Dominábitur a mari usque ad mare, et a flúmine usque ad términos orbis terrárum.
℣. Et adorábunt eum omnes reges terræ: omnes gentes sérvient ei. Allelúia, allelúia.
Dan 7:14.
Potéstas eius, potéstas ætérna, quæ non auferétur: et regnum eius, quod non corrumpétur. Allelúia.
English
Ps 71:8, 11
He shall rule from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
℣. All kings shall pay Him homage, all nations shall serve Him. Alleluia, alleluia.
Dan. 7:14
℣. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away: and His kingdom shall not be destroyed. Alleluia.
GospelIoann 18:33-37
Latin
℟. Glória tibi, Dómine.
Ioann 18:33-37
In illo témpore: Dixit Pilátus ad Iesum: Tu es Rex Iudæórum? Respóndit Iesus: A temetípso hoc dicis, an álii dixérunt tibi de me? Respóndit Pilátus: Numquid ego Iudǽus sum? Gens tua et pontífices tradidérunt te mihi: quid fecísti? Respóndit Iesus: Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo. Si ex hoc mundo esset regnum meum, minístri mei útique decertárent, ut non tráderer Iudǽis: nunc autem regnum meum non est hinc. Dixit ítaque ei Pilátus: Ergo Rex es tu? Respóndit Iesus: Tu dicis, quia Rex sum ego. Ego in hoc natus sum et ad hoc veni in mundum, ut testimónium perhíbeam veritáti: omnis, qui est ex veritáte, audit vocem meam.
English
℟. Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
John 18:33-37
At that time, Pilate said to Jesus, Are You the King of the Jews? Jesus answered, Do you say this of yourself, or have others told you of Me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your own people and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My followers would certainly have fought that I might not be delivered to the Hebrews. But, as it is, My kingdom is not from here. Pilate therefore said to Him, You are then a King? Jesus answered, You say it: I am a King. This is why I was born, and why I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.
OffertoryPs 2:8
Latin
Ps 2:8.
Póstula a me, et dabo tibi gentes hereditátem tuam, et possessiónem tuam términos terræ.
English
Ps 2:8
Ask of Me and I will give You the nations for an inheritance and the ends of the earth for Your possession.
Secret
Latin
Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti Deus per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum.
℟. Amen.
English
Who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end.
℟. Amen
CommunionPs 28:10
Latin
Ps 28:10; 28:11
Sedébit Dóminus Rex in ætérnum: Dóminus benedícet pópulo suo in pace.
English
Ps 28:10-11
The Lord is enthroned as King forever; may the Lord bless His people with peace!
Post Communion
Latin
Immortalitátis alimóniam consecúti, quǽsumus, Dómine: ut, qui sub Christi Regis vexíllis militáre gloriámur, cum ipso, in cœlésti sede, iúgiter regnáre possímus:
Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti Deus per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum.
℟. Amen.
English
We have received the food of eternal life, and we beseech You, O Lord, that we who are proud to serve under the flag of Christ the King may forever reign with Him in the Kingdom of heaven.
Who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end.
℟. Amen
Vetus Ordo texts: Divinum Officium