[Rank]
S. Agnetis Virginis et Martyris;;Duplex;;3.1;;vide C6b

[Rule]
vide C6b;
9 lectiones

[Capitulum Vespera]
!Sir 51:1-3
v. I will give glory to thee, O Lord, O King, and I will praise thee, O God my Saviour. I will give glory to thy name: for thou hast been a helper and protector to me, and hast preserved my body from destruction.
$Deo gratias

[Ant 1]
The blessed Agnes * stood in the midst of the fire, and stretched forth her hands, and prayed, saying O Father! Who Alone art Almighty! Who Alone art to be adored! Who Alone art to be worshipped! Who Alone art to be feared! I thank thee because that through thy Holy Son Thou hast delivered me from the threatenings of the godless tyrant, and hast made me to walk with clean feet over the filthy slough of fleshly sin and now, behold, I come unto thee, unto thee Whom I have loved, Whom I have sought, Whom I have ever desired.

[Oratio]
O Almighty and everlasting God, Who hast chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty, mercifully grant unto us that we who keep the solemn feast of thy blessed Virgin and Martyr Agnes, may feel the power of her intercession with thee.
$Per Dominum

[Ant Matutinum]
Depart from me, prey of death, for I am prevented by another Lover.;;1
My right hand and my neck hath He clasped with precious stones, and put pearls beyond price in mine ears.;;2
He hath sealed me in my forehead that I may let in no other lover but Him.;;3
V. In thy comeliness and thy beauty.
R. Go forward, fare prosperously, and reign.
The Lord hath clothed me with a vesture of wrought gold, and adorned me with a necklace of great price.;;4
I have sucked honey and milk out of His Mouth, and His Blood is red on my cheeks.;;5
I keep my troth to Him alone, and commit me altogether to Him.;;8
V. God shall help her with his strength.
R. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved.
I keep my troth to Him Alone, at Whose beauty the sun and the moon do wonder.;;14
Christ hath crowned me with the bright and priceless blossoms of the eternal spring-time.;;44
I am wedded to the Lord of Angels, at Whose beauty the sun and the moon do wonder.;;45
V. God hath chosen her and fore-chosen her.
R. He hath made her to dwell in His tabernacle.

[Responsory1]
R. Let us keep with joy and gladness the feast of this most saintly maiden, let us call to mind the holy passion of the blessed Agnes in her thirteenth year she conquered, losing death and finding life
* Because she loved the Only Giver of Life.
V. Reckoned but a child in this world, she understood more than the ancients.
R. Because she loved the Only Giver of Life.

[Responsory2]
R. My right hand and my neck hath He clasped with precious stones, and put pearls beyond price in mine ears,
* And hath crowned me with the bright blossoms of the eternal spring-time.
V. He hath sealed me in my forehead, that I may let in no other lover but Him.
R. And hath crowned me with the bright blossoms of the eternal spring-time.

[Responsory3]
R. Christ is my Lover, and I am entering with Him into the marriagechamber. His Mother is a Virgin, and His Father knoweth not a woman. The instruments of His music sound sweetly together in my ears.
* If I love Him I shall be chaste, if I touch Him I shall be clean, if I embrace Him I shall be a virgin indeed.
V. He hath espoused me with a betrothal ring, and adorned me with a necklace of great price.
R. If I love Him I shall be chaste, if I touch Him I shall be clean, if I embrace Him I shall be a virgin indeed.
&Gloria
R. If I love Him, I shall be chaste, if I touch Him I shall be clean, if I embrace Him I shall be a virgin indeed.

[Lectio4]
From the Book of St. Ambrose, Bishop (of Milan,) on Virgins
!Bk. i, Chap. 2
This is a virgin's birthday; let us then follow the example of her chastity. It is a Martyr's birthday; let us then offer sacrifices. It is the birthday of the holy Agnes; let men then be filled with wonder, little ones with hope, married women with awe, and the unmarried with emulation. But how shall I set forth the glory of her whose very name is an utterance of praise? It seemeth to me that this being, holy beyond her years, and strong beyond human nature, received the name of Agnes, not as an earthly designation, but as a revelation from God of what she was to be. For this name Agnes is from the Greek, and being interpreted, signifieth Pure. So that this saintly maiden is known by the very title of Chastity and when I have added thereto the word Martyr, I have said enough. She needeth not the praise which we could utter, but do not. None is more praiseworthy than she for whose praise all mouths are fitted. As many as name her, so many praise her, by the noble title of martyr.

[Responsory4]
R. The Lord hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, and covered me with the robe of righteousness: 
* And hath set a crown upon my head, as the crown of his bride.
V. He hath put pearls beyond price in mine ears, and hath crowned me with bright blossoms of the eternal springtime.
R. And hath set a crown upon my head, as the crown of his bride.

[Lectio5]
We learn by tradition that this holy martyr testified in the thirteenth year of her age. We will pass by the foul cruelty which did not spare her tender years, to contemplate the great power of her faith, whereby she overcame the weakness of childhood, and witnessed a good confession. Her little body was hardly big enough to give play to the instruments of their cruelty, but if they could scarce sheathe their swords in her slight frame, they found in her that which laughed the power of the sword to scorn. She had no fear when she found herself grasped by the bloody hands of the executioners. She was unmoved when they dragged her with clanging chains. Hardly entered on life, she stood fully prepared to die. She quailed not when the weapons of the angry soldiery were pointed at her breast. If they forced her against her will to approach the altars of devils, she could stretch forth her hands to Christ amid the very flames which consumed the idolatrous offerings, and mark on the heathen shrine the victorious Cross of the Lord. She was ready to submit her neck and hands to the iron shackles, but they were too big to clasp her slender limbs. Behold a strange martyr! She is not grown of stature to fight the battle, but she is ripe for the triumph; too weak to run in the race, and yet clearly entitled to the prize; unable from her age to be aught but a learner, she is found a teacher.

[Responsory5]
R. Honey and milk have I received from his mouth, 
* And his Blood is red upon my cheeks.
V. He hath shewn me countless treasures, and hath sworn to endow me therewith.
R. And his Blood is red upon my cheeks.

[Lectio6]
She went to the place of execution a virgin, with more willing and joyful footsteps than she would have gone with to the nuptial chamber as a bride. The spectators were all in tears, and she alone did not weep. They beheld her with wonder, laying down that life of which she had hardly begun to taste the sweets, as freely as though she had drained it to the dregs and was weary of its burden. All men were amazed when they saw her whose years had not made her her own mistress, arise as a witness for the Deity. Consider how many threats her murderer used to excite her fears, how many arguments to shake her resolution, how many promises to bribe her to accept his offers of marriage. But she answered him It is an insult to Him Whom I have wedded to expect me to comply. He That first chose me, His will I be. Headsman, why waitest thou? Perish the body which draweth the admiration of eyes from which I would turn away. She stood, prayed, and then bent her neck for the stroke. Now mightest thou have seen the murderer trembling as though he himself were the criminal, the executioner's hand shake, and the faces of them that stood by turn white at the sight of her position, and all the while herself remain without fear. This one victim brought God a double offering, that of her purity, and that of her faith. She preserved virginity and achieved martyrdom.

[Responsory6]
R. His holy Body is already united to me, and his Blood is red upon my cheeks: 
* He it is whose Mother is a virgin, and whose Father hath not known a woman.
V. I am wedded to the Lord of Angels, at whose beauty the sun and the moon do wonder.
R. He it is whose Mother is a virgin, and whose Father hath not known a woman.
&Gloria
R. He it is whose Mother is a virgin, and whose Father hath not known a woman.

[Responsory7]
R. I am wedded to the Lord of Angels, at Whose beauty the sun and the moon do wonder.
* I keep my troth to Him alone, and commit me altogether to Him.
V. My right hand and my neck hath He clasped with precious stones, and put pearls beyond price in mine ears.
R. I keep my troth to Him alone, and commit me altogether to Him.

[Responsory8]
R. O Thou Who Alone art Almighty! Who Alone art to be adored! Who Alone art to be worshipped! Who Alone art to be feared! I bless thee,
* Because that through thine Only-begotten Son Thou hast delivered me from the threatenings of wicked men, and hast made me to walk with clean feet through the filthy haunts of devils.
V. My lips praise thee, my heart and all that is within me do long after thee.
R. Because that through thine Only-begotten Son Thou hast delivered me from the threatenings of wicked men, and hast made me to walk with clean feet through the filthy haunts of devils.
&Gloria
R. Because that through thine Only-begotten Son Thou hast delivered me from the threatenings of wicked men, and hast made me to walk with clean feet through the filthy haunts of devils.

[Ant 2]
Behold, now I see that * which I have desired; now I possess that for which I have hoped now am I united in heaven to Him Whom I loved with my whole heart upon earth.

[Capitulum Sexta]
!Sir 51:4-5
v. And thou hast delivered me, according to the multitude of the mercy of thy name, from them that did roar, prepared to devour. Out of the hands of them that sought my life, and from the gates of afflictions, which compassed me about.
$Deo gratias

[Capitulum Nona]
!Sir 51:8; 51:12
v. My soul shall praise the Lord even to death. How thou deliverest them that wait for thee, O Lord, and savest them out of the hands of the nations.
$Deo gratias

[Ant 3]
The blessed Agnes stood in the midst of the fire * and stretched forth her hands unto the Lord, and prayed, saying: O Thou Who Alone art Almighty! Who Alone art to be adored! Who Alone art to be worshipped! Who Alone art to be feared! I bless thee, and glorify thy Name for ever and ever!

[Ant Vespera 3]
Agnes entered * the place of shame, and found the Angel of the Lord ready.;;109
For I have with me * an Angel of the Lord to keep my body.;;110
My Lord Jesus Christ hath espoused me with His ring, * and hath set on my head a crown as the crown of a bride.;;111
I bless thee, O Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, because through thy Son the fire is quenched around me.;;112
Rejoice with me * and make merry, because I also have received a throne in light among all these.;;147

[Lectio94]
From the book of St. Ambrose, Bishop, on Virgins
!Book I, near the beginning
Today is the birthday of a Virgin; let us imitate her virginal innocence. It is the birthday of a Martyr; let us also bring sacrifice. It is the birthday of St. Agnes; let men look up in admiration and children not be disheartened. You married, be filled with wonder; you unmarried, follow in her footsteps. But where shall we find words of adequate praise, since her very name bespeaks her glory and renown? In her we see a devotion that far surpasses her age; a virtue that exceeds all Power of nature. Hence, it seems to me that she had not merely a human name, but, prophetically, she was given the name of a Martyr to indicate beforehand what she was to be. The name of our Virgin to a guarantee of her purity. If I call her Martyr, already I have praised enough. For, that is great praise indeed, which one does not need to seek but is freely given by others. No one can be more praised than one who is praised by all. As many men, so many encomiums. They have only to mention her name to praise her as a Martyr. According to tradition, it was in her thirteenth year that she suffered martyrdom. How despicable the cruelty that spared not even this tender age! But how great the power of faith that found even that age its witness.
&teDeum