Little Office of the
Blessed Virgin Mary

Lauds

Office I (Candlemas to Advent), 1962 Roman calendar

Introduction

℣ O God, ✠ come to my assistance;

℟ O Lord, make haste to help me.

℣ 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. (Outside Lent:) Alleluia. (In Lent:) Praise be to Thee, O Lord, King of glory everlasting.

Psalms

Ant. Mary is taken up into heaven, the angels rejoice, and praising, bless the Lord.

Psalm 92

The Lord reigneth: He is clothed with beauty: the Lord is clothed with strength, and hath girded Himself.
For He hath established the world, which shall not be moved.
Thy throne is prepared of old: Thou art from everlasting.
The floods have lifted up, O Lord: the floods have lifted up their voice.
The floods have lifted up their waves, with the noise of many waters.
Wonderful are the surges of the sea: wonderful is the Lord on high.
Thy testimonies are made exceedingly trustworthy: holiness becometh Thy house, O Lord, unto length of days.
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.

Ant. Mary is taken up into heaven, the angels rejoice, and praising, bless the Lord.

Ant. The Virgin Mary is taken up into the heavenly bride-chamber, where the King of kings sitteth on a starry throne.

Psalm 99

Sing joyfully unto God all the earth: serve ye the Lord with gladness.
Come in before His presence with exceeding joy.
Know ye that the Lord He is God: He hath made us, and not we ourselves.
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture: go ye into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with hymns; and give thanks unto Him.
Praise ye His name; for the Lord is gracious, His mercy is for ever, and His truth endureth from generation to generation.
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.

Ant. The Virgin Mary is taken up into the heavenly bride-chamber, where the King of kings sitteth on a starry throne.

Ant. We run after the sweet smell of thine ointments; maidens love thee exceedingly.

Psalm 62

O God, my God, to Thee do I wake at break of day.
For Thee my soul thirsteth; for Thee my flesh longeth, O how exceedingly!
In a desert, pathless, and waterless land: so have I come before Thee in the holy place, that I might see Thy power and Thy glory.
For Thy mercy is better than life: my lips shall praise Thee.
Thus will I bless Thee all my life long; and in Thy name will I lift up my hands.
Let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise Thee with joyful lips.
If I have remembered Thee upon my bed, on Thee will I meditate in the morning; because Thou hast been my helper.
And I will rejoice under the covert of Thy wings: my soul cleaveth unto Thee; Thy right hand upholdeth me.
But they seek my soul in vain: they shall go into the lower parts of the earth: they shall be delivered into the power of the sword: they shall be portions for foxes.
But the king shall rejoice in God, all they that swear by Him shall be praised : because the mouth of them that speak wicked things is stopped.
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.

Ant. We run after the sweet smell of thine ointments; maidens love thee exceedingly.

Ant. Blessed art thou, daughter, of the Lord, for through thee do we share in the fruit of life.

Canticum Trium Puerorum

Daniel III

All ye works of the Lord, bless the Lord, praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O ye angels of the Lord, bless the Lord: O ye heavens, bless the Lord.
O all ye waters that are above the heavens, bless the Lord: O all ye powers of the Lord, bless the Lord.
O ye sun and moon, bless the Lord; O ye stars of heaven, bless the Lord.
O every shower and dew, bless ye the Lord; O all ye spirits of God, bless the Lord.
O ye fire and heat, bless the Lord; O ye cold and heat, bless the Lord.
O ye dews and hoar-frosts, bless the Lord; O ye frost and cold, bless the Lord.
O ye ice and snow, bless the Lord; O ye nights and days, bless the Lord.
O ye light and darkness, bless the Lord; O ye lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.
O let the earth bless the Lord; let it praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O ye mountains and hills, bless the Lord ; O all ye things that spring up in the earth, bless the Lord.
O ye fountains, bless the Lord; O ye seas and rivers, bless the Lord.
O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless the Lord; O all ye fowls of the air, bless the Lord.
O all ye beasts and cattle, bless the Lord; O ye sons of men, bless the Lord.
O let Israel bless the Lord; let him praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
O ye priests of the Lord, bless the Lord; O ye servants of the Lord, bless the Lord.
O ye spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord ; O ye holy and humble of heart, bless the Lord.
O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord; praise and exalt Him above all for ever.
Let us bless the Father, and the Son, with the Holy Ghost; let us praise and magnify Him for ever.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, in the firmament of heaven; and worthy of praise, and glorious, and magnified for ever.

Ant. Blessed art thou, daughter, of the Lord, for through thee do we share in the fruit of life.

Ant. Thou art beautiful and comely, O daughter of Jerusalem: terrible as an army set in array.

Psalm 148

Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the heights.
Praise Him, all ye His angels; praise Him, all His hosts.
Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all ye stars and light.
Praise Him, ye heavens of heavens; and let all the waters that are above the heavens, praise the name of the Lord.
For He spake, and they were made: He commanded, and they were created.
He hath established them for ever, and for evermore; He hath made a decree, and it shall not pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth; ye dragons and all deeps.
Fire, hail, snow, ice, and stormy winds, which fulfil His word.
Mountains and all hills; fruitful trees and all cedars.
Beasts and all cattle; creeping things, and feathered fowls.
Kings of the earth and all peoples; princes and all judges of the earth.
Young men and maidens, old men and children, let them praise the name of the Lord; for His name alone is exalted.
His praise is above heaven and earth; and He hath exalted the horn of His people.
A song of praise to all His saints; to the children of Israel, a people drawing nigh unto Him.
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.

Ant. Thou art beautiful and comely, O daughter of Jerusalem: terrible as an army set in array.

Little Chapter

Cant vi

The daughters of Sion saw her, and declared her most blessed; and queens praised her.

℟ Thanks be to God.

Hymn

O Queen of all the virgin choir,
Enthroned above the starry sky,
Who with thy bosom's milk didst feed
Thine own Creator, Lord most high.

What man had lost in hapless Eve,
Thy sacred womb to man restores;
Thou to the wretched here beneath
Hast open'd heaven's eternal doors.

Hail, O refulgent Hall of light!
Hail, Gate august of heaven's high King!
Through thee redeemed to endless life,
Thy praise let all the nations sing.

O Jesu! born of Virgin bright,
Immortal glory be to Thee;
Praise to the Father infinite
And Holy Ghost eternally.

Amen.

℣ Blessed art thou amongst women.

℟ And blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

Canticle of the Zachary

Ant. O Mary, blessed Mother of God, ever a virgin, the Lord's own temple, shrine of the Holy Ghost, thou alone as none other didst please Our Lord Jesus Christ; pray for the people; intercede for the clergy; plead for religious women.

During Eastertide, instead of the above, the following antiphon is said:

Ant. O Queen of heaven rejoice! alleluia: for He whom thou didst merit to bear, alleluia, hath arisen as he said, alleluia; pray for us to God, alleluia.

Luke 1

Blessed be the Lord ✠ God of Israel, because He hath visited and wrought the redemption of His people.
And hath raised up a horn of salvation to us in the house of David His servant;
As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who are from the beginning:
Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us.
To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember His holy testament.
The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, that He would grant to us,
That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve Him without fear,
In holiness and justice before Him all our days.
And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest; for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways:
To give knowledge of salvation to His people, unto the remission of their sins;
Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us.
To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death; to direct our feet into the way of peace.
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.

During Eastertide, instead of the above, the following antiphon is said:

Ant. O Queen of heaven * rejoice! alleluia: for He whom thou didst merit to bear, alleluia, hath arisen as he said, alleluia; pray for us to God, alleluia.

Collect

℣ O Lord, hear my prayer.

℟ And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray.

O God, Who didst will that Thine eternal Word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, when the angel delivered his message: grant that Thy petitioners, who verily believe her to be the Mother of God, may be assisted by her intercession. Through the same Christ our Lord.

℟ Amen.

Conclusion