October 8
St Birgitta, Widow
Thursday after the 19th Sunday after Pentecost
Commemoration of Saints Sergius, Bacchus, Marcellus and Apuleius, Martyrs
Today, according to the traditional (1962) Roman calendar, the Church commemorates St. Birgitta (Bridget) of Sweden, honored as a widow. Born in Sweden in the early 14th century, St. Birgitta was married to Ulf Gudmarsson, with whom she had eight children. Following her husband’s death, she embraced a life of prayer, penance, and charity, dedicating herself fully to God. St. Birgitta is especially noted for her mystical revelations, which offered counsel to rulers and exhortations to reform of the Church and clergy. Her writings, the "Revelations," became influential throughout medieval Christendom, marked by their deep concern for the moral and spiritual renewal of Christian society. She later traveled to Rome, working tirelessly to support the papacy and Church reform, and founded the religious order known as the Brigittines.
St. Birgitta's spirituality was rooted in a profound devotion to the Passion of Christ and to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her life as a widow, foundress, and mystic made her a model of holiness for laypersons and religious alike, exemplifying trust in divine providence and a fervent commitment to the good of the Church. The traditional Roman calendar keeps her feast on October 8th, honoring her as a significant figure in the spiritual life of medieval Europe and recognizing her widespread veneration in both Sweden and Rome. The observance of her feast as a III classis (third class) celebration underlines her importance in the universal Church, both as a saint and a woman of notable ecclesial influence.
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Questions about St Birgitta, Widow (Vetus Ordo Missae)
The liturgical day
IntroitPs 118:1
Latin
Ps 118:75; 118:120
Cognóvi, Dómine, quia ǽquitas iudícia tua, et in veritáte tua humiliásti me: confíge timóre tuo carnes meas, a mandátis tuis tímui.
Ps 118:1
Beáti immaculáti in via: qui ámbulant in lege Dómini.
℣. Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
℟. Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.
Cognóvi, Dómine, quia ǽquitas iudícia tua, et in veritáte tua humiliásti me: confíge timóre tuo carnes meas, a mandátis tuis tímui.
English
Ps 118:75; 118:120
I know, O Lord, that Your ordinances are just, and in Your faithfulness You have afflicted me. Pierce my flesh with Your fear; I fear Your ordinances.
Ps 118:1
Happy are they whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord.
℣. 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.
I know, O Lord, that Your ordinances are just, and in Your faithfulness You have afflicted me. Pierce my flesh with Your fear; I fear Your ordinances.
Collect
Latin
Dómine, Deus noster, qui beátæ Birgíttæ per Fílium tuum unigénitum secreta cœléstia revelásti: ipsíus pia intercessióne da nobis, fámulis tuis; in revelatióne sempitérna glóriæ tuæ gaudére lætántes.
Per eúndem Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum.
℟. Amen.
Orémus.
Commemoratio Ss. Sergii, Bacchi, Marcelli et Apuleii Martyrum
Sanctórum Martyrum tuórum nos, Dómine, Sérgii, Bacchi, Marcélli et Apuléii beáta mérita prosequántur: et tuo semper fáciant amóre fervéntes.
Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum: qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum.
℟. Amen.
English
O Lord, our God, Who through your only-begotten Son revealed secrets to blessed Bridget, grant that through her kind intercession, we, Your servants, may rejoice and be glad in the revelation of Your eternal glory.
Through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
℟. Amen.
Let us pray.
Commemoration Sts. Sergius, Bacchus, Marcellus and Apuleius, Martyrs
May the blessed merits of Your holy Martyrs, Sergius, Bacchus, Marcellus and Apuleius, continually benefit us, O Lord, and make us ever fervent in Your love.
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.
Lesson1 Tim 5:3-10
Latin
Léctio Epístolæ beáti Pauli Apóstoli ad Timótheum
1 Tim 5:3-10
Caríssime: Víduas honóra, quæ vere víduæ sunt. Si qua autem vídua fílios aut nepótes habet, discat primum domum suam régere, et mútuam vicem réddere paréntibus: hoc enim accéptum est coram Deo. Quæ autem vere vídua est et desoláta, speret in Deum, et instet obsecratiónibus et oratiónibus nocte ac die. Nam quæ in delíciis est, vivens mórtua est. Et hoc prǽcipe, ut irreprehensíbiles sint. Si quis autem suórum, et máxime domesticórum curam non habet, fidem negávit, et est infidéli detérior. Vídua eligátur non minus sexagínta annórum, quæ fúerit uníus viri uxor, in opéribus bonis testimónium habens, si fílios educávit, si hospítio recépit, si sanctórum pedes lavit, si tribulatiónem patiéntibus subministrávit, si omne opus bonum subsecúta est.
℟. Deo grátias.
English
Lesson from the first letter of St Paul the Apostle to Timotheus
1 Tim. 5:3-10.
Dearly beloved: Honor widows, that are widows indeed. But if any widow have children or grandchildren, let her learn first to govern her own house, and to make a return of duty to her parents: for this is acceptable before God. But she that is a widow indeed and desolate, let her trust in God, and continue in prayers and supplications night and day. For she that liveth in pleasures, is dead while she is living. And this give in charge, that they may be blameless. But if any man have not care of his own, and especially of those of his house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. Let a widow be chosen of no less than threescore years of age, who hath been the wife of one husband, having testimony for her good words, if she have brought up children, if she have received to harbor, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have ministered to them that suffer tribulation, if she have diligently followed every good work.
℟. Thanks be to God.
GradualPs 44:5
Latin
Ps 44:3; 44:5
Diffúsa est grátia in labiis tuis: proptérea benedíxit te Deus in ætérnum.
℣. Propter veritátem et mansuetúdinem et iustítiam: et dedúcet te mirabíliter déxtera tua. Allelúia, allelúia.
Ps 44:5
Spécie tua et pulchritúdine tua inténde, próspere procéde et regna. Allelúia.
English
Ps 44:3; 44:5
Grace is poured out upon your lips; thus God has blessed you forever.
℣. In the cause of truth and mercy and for the sake of justice: may your right hand show you wondrous deeds. Alleluia, alleluia.
Ps 44.5
℣. In your splendor and your beauty ride on triumphant, and reign. Alleluia.
GospelMatt 13:44-52
Latin
℟. Glória tibi, Dómine.
Matt 13:44-52
In illo témpore: Dixit Iesus discípulis suis parábolam hanc: Símile est regnum cœlórum thesáuro abscóndito in agro: quem qui invénit homo, abscóndit, et præ gáudio illíus vadit, et vendit univérsa, quæ habet, et emit agrum illum. Íterum símile est regnum cœlórum hómini negotiatóri, quærénti bonas margarítas. Invénta autem una pretiósa margaríta, ábiit, et véndidit ómnia, quæ hábuit, et emit eam. Íterum símile est regnum cœlórum sagénæ missæ in mare et ex omni génere píscium congregánti. Quam, cum impléta esset, educéntes, et secus litus sedéntes, elegérunt bonos in vasa, malos autem foras misérunt. Sic erit in consummatióne sǽculi: exíbunt Angeli, et separábunt malos de médio iustórum, et mittent eos in camínum ignis: ibi erit fletus et stridor déntium. Intellexístis hæc ómnia? Dicunt ei: Etiam. Ait illis: Ideo omnis scriba doctus in regno cœlórum símilis est hómini patrifamílias, qui profert de thesáuro suo nova et vétera.
English
℟. Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
Matt 13:44-52.
At that time, Jesus spoke this parable to His disciples: The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field; he who finds it hides it, and in his joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he finds a single pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the sea that gathered in fish of every kind. When it was filled, they hauled it out, and sitting down on the beach, they gathered the good fish into vessels, but threw away the bad. So will it be at the end of the world. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from among the just, and will cast them into the furnace of fire, where there will be the weeping, and the gnashing of teeth. Have you understood all these things? They said to Him, Yes. And He said to them, So then, every Scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings forth from his storeroom things new and old.
OffertoryPs 44:3
Latin
Ps 44:3
Diffúsa est grátia in lábiis tuis: proptérea benedíxit te Deus in ætérnum, et in sǽculum sǽculi.
English
Ps 44:3
Grace is poured out upon your lips; thus God has blessed you forever, and for ages of ages.
Secret
Latin
Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum: qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum.
℟. Amen.
Commemoratio Ss. Sergii, Bacchi, Marcelli et Apuleii Martyrum
Maiestátem tuam nobis, Dómine, quǽsumus, hæc hóstia reddat immolánda placátam, tuórum digna postulatióne Sanctórum.
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.
Commemoration Sts. Sergius, Bacchus, Marcellus and Apuleius, Martyrs
By the worthy prayer of Your Saints, we beseech You, O Lord, may this victim, fitting for sacrifice, cause Your Majesty to be appeased in 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.
CommunionPs 44:8
Latin
Ps 44:8
Dilexísti iustítiam, et odísti iniquitátem: proptérea unxit te Deus, Deus tuus, óleo lætítiæ præ consórtibus tuis.
English
Ps 44:8
You love justice and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.
Post Communion
Latin
Satiásti, Dómine, famíliam tuam munéribus sacris: eius, quǽsumus, semper interventióne nos réfove, cuius sollémnia celebrámus.
Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum: qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum.
℟. Amen.
Orémus.
Commemoratio Ss. Sergii, Bacchi, Marcelli et Apuleii Martyrum
Sacraméntis, Dómine, muniámur accéptis: et sanctórum Mártyrum tuórum Sérgii, Bacchi, Marcélli et Apuléii intercessióne, contra omnes nequítias irruéntes, annis cœléstibus protegámur.
Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum: qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum.
℟. Amen.
English
Thou hast fed thy servants, O Lord, with the holy gifts; comfort us ever we pray, by her intercession whose festival we celebrate.
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.
Let us pray.
Commemoration Sts. Sergius, Bacchus, Marcellus and Apuleius, Martyrs
May we be strengthened, O Lord, by the sacrament we have received, and protected through the intercession of Your holy Martyrs, Sergius, Bacchus, Marcellus and Apuleius, by heavenly armor against all the wickedness besetting 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.
Vetus Ordo texts: Divinum Officium