LITTLE OFFICE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

LITTLE OFFICE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

AT MATINS.

V. O Lady make speed to befriend me. 
R. From the hands of the enemy mightily defend me.
V. Glory be to the Father, etc. Alleluia.

From Septuagesima to Easter, instead of Alleluia is said:

Praise be to Thee, O Lord, King of everlasting glory.

Hymn.

HAIL, Queen of the heavens!
Hail, Mistress of earth!
Hail, Virgin most pure
Of immaculate birth!
Clear Star of the morning,
In beauty enshrined!
O Lady! make speed
To the help of mankind.
Thee God in the depth
Of eternity chose;
And formed thee all fair,
As His glorious spouse;
And called thee His Word's
Own Mother to be,
By Whom He created
The earth, sky, and sea.
Amen.

V. God elected her, and pre-elected her.
R He made her to dwell in His tabernacle.
V. O Lady! aid my prayer. 
R. And let my cry come unto thee.

Let us pray.

HOLY Mary, Queen of heaven, Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and Mistress of the world, who forsakes no one, and despises no one, look upon me, O Lady! with an eye of pity, and entreat for me, of thy beloved Son, the forgiveness of all my sins; that, as I now celebrate, with devout affection, thy holy and Immaculate conception, so, here after, I may receive the prize of eternal blessedness, by the grace of Him Whom thou, in virginity, didst bring forth, Jesus Christ our Lord: Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, in perfect Trinity, God, world without end. Amen.
V. O Lady! aid my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace
R. Amen.

AT PRIME

V. O Lady! make speed to befriend me.
R. From the hands of the enemy mightily defend me.
V. Glory be to the Father, etc. Alleluia.

Hymn.

HAIL, Virgin most wise! 
Hail, Deity's shrine! 
With seven fair pillars, 
And table divine!
Preserved from the guilt 
Which hath come on us all! 
Exempt, in the womb, 
From the taint of the fall!
O new Star of Jacob, 
Of angels the Queen! 
O Gate of the saints! 
O Mother of men!
To Zabulon fearful 
As th' embattled array! 
Be thou of the faithful 
The refuge and stay. 
Amen.
V. The Lord Himself created her in the Holy Ghost. 
R. And poured her out over all His works. 
V. O Lady, aid, etc, (with the prayer as above).

AT TIERCE.

V. O Lady! make speed to befriend me. 
R. From the hands of the enemy mightily defend me.
V. Glory be to the Father, etc. Alleluia.

Hymn.

HAIL, Solomon's Throne! 
Pure Ark of the law! 
Fair Rainbow and Bush, 
Which the patriarch saw!
Hail, Gedeon's Fleece! 
Hail, blossoming Rod! 
Samson's sweet Honeycomb! 
Portal of God!
Well-fitting it was 
That a Son so divine 
Should preserve from all touch 
Of original sin,
Nor suffer by smallest 
Defect to be stained 
That Mother, whom He 
For Himself had ordained. 
Amen.
V. I dwell in the highest. 
R. And my throne is on the pillar of the clouds. 
V. O Lady, aid, etc. (with the prayer as above). 
V. Domina, in adjutorium, etc.
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AT SEXT.

V. O Lady! make speed to befriend me. 
R. From the hands of the enemy mightily defend me. 
V. Glory be to the Father, etc. Alleluia.

Hymn.

HAIL, virginal Mother! 
Hail, purity s Cell! 
Fair Shrine, where the Trinity 
Loveth to dwell!
Hail, Garden of pleasure! 
Celestial Balm! 
Cedar of chastity! 
Martyrdom's Palm!
Thou Land set apart 
From uses profane! 
And free from the curse 
Which in Adam began!
Thou City of God! 
Thou Gate of the east 
In thee is all grace 
O Joy of the blest ! 
Amen.
V. As the lily among the thorns. 
R. So is my beloved among the daughters of Adam. 
V. O Lady, aid, etc. (with the prayer as above).

AT NONE.

V. O Lady! make speed to befriend me. 
R. From the hands of the enemy mightily defend me. 
V. Glory be to the Father, etc. Alleluia.

Hymn.

HAIL, City of refuge. 
Hail, David's high tower, 
With battlements crowned 
And girded with power!
Filled at thy conception 
With love and with light! 
The dragon by thee 
Was shorn of his might.
O Woman most valiant! 
O Judith thrice blest! 
As David was nursed 
In fair Abisag's breast;
As the saviour of Egypt 
Upon Rachel's knee: 
So the world's great Redeemer 
Was cherished by thee. 
Amen.
V. Thou art all fair, my beloved. 
R. And the original stain was never in thee. 
V. O Lady, aid, etc. (with the prayer as above).

AT VESPERS.

V. O Lady! make speed to befriend me. 
R. From the hands of the enemy mightily defend me. 
V. Glory be to the Father, etc. Alleluia.

Hymn.

HAIL, Dial of Achaz! 
On thee the true sun 
Told backward the course 
Which from old he had run!
And, that man might be raised, 
Submitting to shame, 
A little more low 
Than the angels became.
Thou, rapt in the blaze 
Of His infinite light, 
Dost shine as the morn 
On the confines of night;
As the moon on the lost 
Through obscurity dawns; 
The serpent's destroyer! 
A lily mid thorns! 
Amen.
V. I made an unfailing light to arise in heaven. 
R. And as a mist I overspread the whole earth. 
V. O Lady, aid, etc. (with the prayer as above)

AT COMPLINE.

V. O Lady! make speed to befriend me. 
R. From the hands of the enemy mightily defend me. 
V. Glory be to the Father, etc. Alleluia.

Hymn.

HAIL, Mother most pure! 
Hail,Virgin renowned! 
Hail, Queen with the stars, 
As a diadem, crowned.
Above all the angels 
In glory untold, 
Standing next to the King 
In a vesture of gold.
O Mother of mercy! 
O Star of the wave! 
O Hope of the guilty! 
O Light of the grave!
Through thee may we come 
To the haven of rest; 
And see heaven s King 
In the courts of the blest! 
Amen.
THY name, O Mary! is as oil poured out.