PSALTER
Sedulius HAIL, holy Parent, that didst bring forth the King who ruleth heaven and earth for ever and ever. Ps. 44.2 My heart hath uttered a good word: I speak of my works to the King. Blessed and venerable art thou, O Virgin Mary: who without blemish to thy maidenhood, wast made the Mother of the Savior. O Virgin, Mother of God, he whom the whole world cannot contain, enclosed himself in thy womb, being made man.
Verse. Happy art thou, O holy Virgin Mary, and of all high praise most worthy: for out of thee hath risen the sun of justice, Christ our God. Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the Son of the Eternal Father.
VERSE
Alleluia. Truly blessed art thou, O Virgin Mary: the Creator of all things thou didst bear; him who made thee thou didst bring forth; and a Virgin evermore thou dost remain.
COLLECT
BESTOW upon thy servants, we beseech thee, O Lord, the gift of thy heavenly grace: that as the childbearing of the Blessed Virgin was the beginning of our salvation, so the solemn feast of her Visitation may bring us an increase of peace. Through.
EPISTLE Cant. 2.8-14 BEHOLD he cometh, leaping over the hills. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart. Behold he standeth behind our wall; looking through the windows, looking through the lattices. Behold my beloved speaketh to me, Arise, make haste, my love, my dove, my beautiful one; and come. For winter is now past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers have appeared in our land, the time of pruning is come, the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; the fig tree hath put forth her green figs, the vines in flower yield their sweet smell. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come, my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hollow places of the wall, show me thy face, let thy voice sound in my ear; for thy voice is sweet, and thy face comely.
+ The Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Luke (1.37-47)
AT that time Mary rising up went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda: and she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb: and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: and she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord. And Mary saith: My soul doth magnify the Lord: and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
