[Officium]
Common of the Dedication of Churches

[Missa]
Terribilis

[Ant Vespera]
Holiness becometh thine house, * O Lord, for ever.;;109
My house * shall be called the house of prayer.;;110
This is the Lord's house * stoutly builded, well founded upon a sure rock.;;111
The Lord's house is well founded * upon a sure rock.;;112
All thy walls are of stones most precious, * and the towers of Jerusalem shall be built up with jewels.;;147

[Hymnus Vespera]
v. Thou heavenly, new Jerusalem,
Vision of peace in prophet's dream!
With living stones built up on high,
And rising to yon starry sky;
In bridal pomp thy form is crowned,
With thousand thousand angels round!
_
O bride, betrothed in happy hour,
The Father's glory is thy dower;
The bridegroom's grace is shed on thee
Thou queen all fair eternally;
To Christ allied, thy Prince adored,
Bright shining city of the Lord!
_
Behold with pearls they glittering stand
thy peaceful gates to all expand;
By grace and strength divinely shed
Each mortal thither may be led;
Who, kindled by Christ's love, will dare
All earthly sufferings now to bear.
_
By many a salutary stroke,
By many a weary blow that broke,
Or polished with a workman's skill,
The stones that form that glorious pile,
They all are fitly framed to lie
In their appointed place on high.
_
Fair and well pleasing in thy sight,
Parent most high, enthroned in light,
And for thine only Son most meet,
And thee, all-glorious Paraclete,
To whom praise, power, and glory rise
Forever through the eternal skies.
Amen.

[HymnusM Vespera]
v. Blessed city, heavenly Salem,
vision dear of peace and love,
who of living stones art builded
in the height of heaven above,
and, with angel hosts encircled,
as a bride dost earthward move;
_
from celestial realms descending,
bridal glory round thee shed,
meet for him whose love espoused thee,
to thy Lord shalt thou be led;
all thy streets and all thy bulwarks
of pure gold are fashioned.
_
Bright thy gates of pearl are shining;
they are open evermore;
and by virtue of his merits
thither faithful souls do soar,
who for Christ's dear Name in this world
pain and tribulation bore.
_
Many a blow and biting sculpture
polished well those stones elect,
in their places now compacted
by the heavenly Architect,
who therewith hath willed for ever
that his palace should be decked.
_
Laud and honor to the Father,
laud and honor to the Son,
laud and honor to the Spirit,
ever Three, and ever One,
consubstantial, coeternal,
while unending ages run. 
Amen.

[Versum 1]
V. This is the house of God, stoutly builded.
R. Well founded upon a sure rock.

[Ant 1]
The Most High hath hallowed His Tabernacle. * For this is the House of God, whereon His Name shall be called, whereof it is written My Name shall be there, saith the Lord.

[Oratio]
! Prayer on the anniversary of the dedication:
v. O God, who dost every year bring round unto us again the day whereon this thine holy temple was hallowed, and bringest us again in soundness of body and mind to be present at thine holy worship, graciously hear the supplications of thy people, and grant that whosoever shall come into this thine house to ask good at thine hand, may be rejoiced in the obtaining of all his request.
$Per Dominum

[Oratio in 2 loco]
! Prayer on the day of dedication:
v. O God, who invisibly containest all things, and yet art pleased for the salvation of men to show forth visible signs of thy power, fill this house with the glory of thine indwelling power and grant that all who gather themselves together to pray in this place, may receive the good comfort of thine help in every tribulation wherein they cry unto thee.
$Per Dominum

[Invit]
Holiness becometh the house of God. * In her let us worship her Bridegroom, even Christ.

[Ant Matutinum]
Lift up your gates, O ye princes, * and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors.;;23
The Lord shall be my God, * and this stone shall be called God's house.;;45
Moses built an altar * to the Lord God.;;47
This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.;;83
Jacob beheld a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven, and the angels of God descending on it. And he said: Surely this place is holy.;;86
Jacob set up the stone for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.;;87
He that dwelleth in the help of the Most High * shall abide under the shadow of the God of heaven.;;90
The Temple of the Lord is holy. * The same is God's workmanship and God's building.;;95
Blessed be the glory of the Lord * from His holy place. Alleluia.;;98

[Nocturn 2 Versum]
V. My house.
R. Shall be called the house of prayer.

[Lectio1]
Lesson from the book of Paralipomenon
!2 Chr 7:1-5
1 And when Solomon had made an end of his prayer, fire came down from heaven, and consumed the holocausts and the victims: and the majesty of the Lord filled the house.
2 Neither could the priests enter into the temple of the Lord, because the majesty of the Lord had filled the temple of the Lord.
3 Moreover all the children of Israel saw the fire coming down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house: and falling down with their faces to the ground, upon the stone pavement, they adored and praised the Lord: because he is good, because his mercy endureth for ever.
4 And the king and all the people sacrificed victims before the Lord.
5 And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand oxen, and one hundred and twenty thousand rams: and the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.

[Responsory1]
R. When the Temple was dedicated the people sang praise;
* And sweet in their mouths was the sound.
V. The Lord's house is established in the top of the mountains; and all nations shall flow unto it.
R. And sweet in their mouths was the sound.

[Lectio2]
!2 Chr 7:6-9
6 And the priests stood in their offices: and the Levites with the instruments of music of the Lord, which king David made to praise the Lord: because his mercy endureth for ever, singing the hymns of David by their ministry: and the priests sounded with trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.
7 Solomon also sanctified the middle of the court before the temple of the Lord: for he offered there the holocausts, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brazen altar, which he had made, could not hold the holocausts and the sacrifices and the fat:
8 And Solomon kept the solemnity at that time seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entrance of Emath to the torrent of Egypt.
9 And he made on the eighth day a solemn assembly, because he had kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and had celebrated the solemnity seven days.

[Responsory2]
R. The Lord's house is established in the top of the mountains, and exalted above the hills;
* And all nations shall flow unto it, and shall say: Glory be to thee, O Lord!
V. They shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing their sheaves with them.
R. And all nations shall flow unto it, and shall say: Glory be to thee, O Lord!

[Lectio3]
!2 Chr 7:11-16
11 And Solomon finished the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all that he had designed in his heart to do, in the house of the Lord, and in his own house, and he prospered.
12 And the Lord appeared to him by night, and said: I have heard thy prayer, and I have chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice.
13 If I shut up heaven, and there fall no rain, or if I give orders, and command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people:
14 And my people, upon whom my name is called, being converted, shall make supplication to me, and seek out my face, and do penance for their most wicked ways: then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and will heal their land.
15 My eyes also shall be open, and my ears attentive to the prayer of him that shall pray in this place.
16 For I have chosen, and have sanctified this place, that my name may be there for ever, and my eyes and my heart may remain there perpetually.

[Responsory3]
R. O Lord, bless this house which I have built unto thy name. whosoever shall come unto this place and pray, then
* Hear thou from the excellent throne of thy glory.
V. O Lord, if thy people turn and pray toward thy sanctuary.
R. Hear thou from the excellent throne of thy glory.
&Gloria
R. Hear Thou from the excellent throne of thy glory.

[Lectio4]
From the Sermons of St. Augustine, Bishop (of Hippo.)
!252nd for the Season.
Dearly beloved brethren, as often as we keep the Dedication-Feast of some Altar or Church, if we think faithfully and carefully, and live holily and righteously, that which is done in temples made with hands, is done in our soul by a spiritual building. He at the Dedication of the Temple. lied not who said: The temple of God is holy; which temple ye are (i Cor. iii. 17,) and again: Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, Which is in you, (vi. 19.) And therefore, dearly beloved brethren, since by the grace of God, without any foregoing deserts of our own, we have been made meet to become the Temple of God, let us work as hard as we can, with His help, that our Lord may not find in His Temple, that is, in us, anything to offend the eyes of His Majesty.

[Responsory4]
R. If they pray toward this place,
* Forgive the sin of thy people, O God, and teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and manifest forth thy glory in this place.
V. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock, thou that sittest upon the cherubim.
R. Forgive the sin of thy people, O God, and teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and manifest forth thy glory in this place.

[Lectio5]
Let the Tabernacle of our heart be swept clean of vices and filled with virtues. Let it be locked to the devil, and thrown open to Christ. Yea, let us so work, that we may be able to open the door of the kingdom of heaven with the key of good works. For even as evil works are so many bolts and bars to close against us the entrance into life, so beyond doubt are good works the key thereto. And therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let each one look into his own conscience, and when he findeth the wounds of guilt there, let him first strive by prayers, fasting, or alms deeds to purge his conscience, and so let him dare to take the Eucharist.

[Responsory5]
R. How dreadful is this place!
* Surely this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
V. This is the house of God, stoutly builded, well founded upon a sure rock.
R. Surely this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

[Lectio6]
For if he acknowledge his iniquity, and withdraw himself from the Altar of God, he will soon attain unto the mercy of the pardon of God, for, as he that exalted himself shall be abased, so shall he that humbleth himself be exalted. (Luke xiv. n.) He who, as I have said, acknowledging his iniquity, withdraweth himself through lowliness from the Altar of the Church, till he have mended his life, need have but little fear that he will be excommunicated from the eternal marriage supper in heaven.

[Responsory6]
R. Jacob rose up early in the morning, and set up the stone for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it, and vowed a vow unto the Lord.
* Surely this place is holy, and I knew it not.
V. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said
R. Surely this place is holy, and I knew it not.
&Gloria
R. Surely this place is holy, and I knew it not.

[Lectio7]
From the Holy Gospel according to Luke
!Luke 19:1-10
At that time: Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And so on.
_
Homily by St. Ambrose, Bishop (of Milan.)
!Bk. viii. on Luke.
Zacchaeus was little of stature, that is, he was not raised aloft among men by nobility of birth, and, like the most of the world, he possessed few merits. When he heard that the Lord and Saviour, Who had come unto His Own, and Whom His Own had not received, (John i. 11,) was coming, he desired to see Him. But the sight of Jesus is not easy; to any on the earth it is impossible. And since Zacchaeus had neither the Prophets, nor yet the Law, as a gracious help to his nature, he climbed up into a sycamore tree, raising his feet above the vanity of the Jews, and straightening the crooked branches of his former life, and therefore he received Jesus to lodge within his house.

[Responsory7]
R. My house shall be called the house of prayer, saith the Lord. Therein, he that asketh, receiveth; he that seeketh, findeth;
* And to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.
V. Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find.
R. And to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

[Lectio8]
He did well to climb up into a tree, that a good tree might bring forth good fruits, (Matth. vii. 17,) and that the slip of the wild olive, grafted, contrary to nature, into the good olive, might bring forth the fruits of the law. (Rom. xi. 17, 24.) For the root is holy, however unprofitable the branches. Their barren beauty hath now been overshadowed by the belief of the Gentiles in the Resurrection, as by a material upgrowth. Zacchaeus, then, was in the sycamore tree, and the blind man by the way-side, (xviii. 35.) For the one, Jesus stood waiting to show mercy, and asked him before He healed him, what he would that He should do for him; being unbidden of the other, He bade Himself to be his Guest, knowing how rich was the reward of receiving Him. Nevertheless, albeit He had heard no words of invitation, yet had He seen how his heart went.

[Responsory8]
R. All thy walls are of stones most precious.
* The towers of Jerusalem shall be built up with jewels.
V. The gates of Jerusalem shall be built up with the sapphire stone, and the emerald, and all her walls round about with stones most precious.
R. The towers of Jerusalem shall be built up with jewels.
&Gloria
R. The towers of Jerusalem shall be built up with jewels.

[Lectio9]
But lest we should seem haughtily to pass by the poor blind man, and to hurry on to the rich one, let us stand waiting for him, as the Lord stood and waited; let us ask of him, as Christ asked of him. Let us ask, because we are ignorant; Christ asked, because He knew. Let us ask, that we may know whence he received his cure; Christ asked, that all of us may know from one example where through we are to earn a sight of the Lord. Christ asked, that we might believe that none, save they that confess Him, can be saved.
&teDeum

[Capitulum Laudes]
!Rev 21:2
v. I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband.
$Deo gratias

[Hymnus Laudes]
v. From highest heaven, the Father's Son,
Descending like that mystic stone
Cut from a mountain without hands,
Came down below, and filled all lands;
Uniting, midway in the sky,
His house on earth, and house on high.
_
That house on high, — it ever rings
With praises of the King of kings;
Forever there, on harps divine,
They hymn th' eternal One and Trine;
We, here below, the strain prolong,
And faintly echo Sion's song.
_
O Lord of lords invisible!
With thy pure light this temple fill:
Hither, oft as invoked, descend;
Here to thy people's prayer attend;
Here, through all hearts, forevermore,
thy Spirit's quick'ning graces pour.
_
Here may the faithful, day by day,
Their hearts' adoring homage pay;
And here receive from thy dear love
The blessings of that home above;
Till loosened from this mortal chain,
Its everlasting joys they gain.
_
To God the Father, glory due
Be paid by all the heavenly host;
And to his only Son most true;
With thee, O mighty Holy Ghost!
To whom, praise, power, and blessing be,
Through th' ages of eternity,
Amen.

[HymnusM Laudes]
v. Christ is made the sure Foundation,
Christ the Head and Cornerstone;
Chosen of the Lord, and precious,
Binding all the Church in one,
Holy Zion’s Help forever,
And her Confidence alone.
_
All that dedicated city,
Dearly loved of God on high,
In exultant jubilation,
Pours perpetual melody,
God the One in Three adoring
In glad hymns eternally.
_
To this temple, where we call Thee,
Come, O Lord of Hosts, today;
With Thy wonted lovingkindness
Hear Thy servants as they pray.
And Thy fullest benediction
Shed within its walls alway.
_
Here vouchsafe to all Thy servants
What they ask of Thee to gain;
What they gain from Thee forever
With the blessèd to retain,
And hereafter in Thy glory
Evermore with Thee to reign.
_
Laud and honor to the Father,
Laud and honor to the Son,
Laud and honor to the Spirit,
Ever Three and ever One;
Consubstantial, co-eternal,
While unending ages run.
Amen.

[Ant 2]
Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must abide at thy house. * And he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully into his house. This day is salvation come from God to this house. Alleluia.

[Lectio Prima]
!Rev 21:4-4
v. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away. And He That sat upon the throne said: Behold, I make all things new.

[Responsory Breve Tertia]
R.br. Holiness becometh thine house, * O Lord.
R. Holiness becometh thine house, * O Lord.
V. For ever.
R. O Lord.
&Gloria
R. Holiness becometh thine house, * O Lord.

[Versum Tertia]
V. This place is holy, wherein the Priest prayeth.
R. For the pardon of the transgressions and offences of the people.

[Capitulum Sexta]
!Rev 21:3
v. And I heard a great voice out of the throne, saying Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them. And they shall be His people; and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.
$Deo gratias

[Responsory Breve Sexta]
R.br. This place is holy, * wherein the Priest prayeth.
R. This place is holy, * wherein the Priest prayeth
V. For the pardon of the transgressions and offences of the people.
R. The Priest prayeth.
&Gloria
R. This place is holy, * wherein the Priest prayeth.

[Responsory Breve Nona]
R.br. This is the Lord's house, * stoutly builded.
R. This is the Lord's house, * stoutly builded.
V. Well founded upon a sure rock.
R. Stoutly builded.
&Gloria
R. This is the Lord's house, * stoutly builded.

[Versum Nona]
V. The Lord's house is well founded.
R. Upon a sure rock.

[Versum 3]
V. Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord.
R. For ever.

[Ant 3]
How dreadful is this place. * Surely this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

[Introitus]
!Gen. 28:17 
v. How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven; and it shall be called the court of God. (Alleluia, alleluia.)
!Ps 83:2-3
How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord of Hosts! My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the Lord.
&Gloria
v. How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven; and it shall be called the court of God. (Alleluia, alleluia.)

[Oratio] (ad missam)
! Prayer on the anniversary of the dedication:
v. O God, Who for us bring each year the recurrence of the consecration day of this Your holy temple, and always bring us back safely to the sacred rites, hear the prayers of Your people and grant that whoever enters this temple to pray for blessings, may rejoice in having obtained whatever he sought.
$Per Dominum

[Oratio in 2 loco] (ad missam)
! Prayer on the day of dedication:
v. O God, Who invisibly sustain all thing, and yet, for the salvation of mankind, show visibly the signs of Your power, enlighten this temple by the power of Your indwelling presence, and grant that all who gather here to pray, may obtain the blessings of Your support in whatever trials they may call upon You.
$Per Dominum
!In the Mass of Dedication in the act of the Consecration of the Church there is added, under a single conclusion, the prayer of the Mystery or Saint in whose honor the Church or the Oratory is consecrated, and no other commemoration is added, not even a privileged one. After the Solemn Blessing of a Church or Oratory, and after the consecration of the altar, there is said, as a Votive Mass of the Second Class, a Mass of the Mystery or Saint in whose honor the Church or Oratory is blessed or the altar consecrated.

[Lectio]
Lesson from the book of Revelation
!Rev 21:2-5
In those days, I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold the dwelling of God with men, and He will dwell with them. And they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. And death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away. And He Who was sitting on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new!

[Graduale]
This place was made by God, a priceless mystery; it is without reproof.
V. O God, before Whom stands the choir of angels, give ear to the prayers of Your servants. Alleluia, alleluia.
!Ps 137:2
I will worship at Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name. Alleluia.

[GradualeP]
Alleluia, alleluia. Ps 137:2
V. I will worship at Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name. Alleluia.
V. The house of the Lord is well founded upon a firm rock. Alleluia.

[Tractus]
This place was made by God, a priceless mystery; it is without reproof.
V. O God, before Whom stands the choir of angels, give ear to the prayers of Your servants.
!Ps. 124:1-2.
They who trust in the Lord are like Mount Sinai, which is immovable; which forever stands.
V. Mountains are round about Jerusalem; so the Lord is round about His people, both now and forever.

[Evangelium]
Continuation ++ of the Holy Gospel according to Luke
!Luke 19:1-10
At that time, Jesus entered and was passing through Jericho. And behold there was a man named Zacchaeus; and he was a leading publican, and he was rich. And he was trying to see Jesus, Who He was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay in your house today. And he made haste and came down, and welcomed Him joyfully. And upon seeing it all began to murmur, saying, He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner. But Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, Behold, Lord, I give one-half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold. Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to this house, since he, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.

[Offertorium]
!1 Par 29:17-18
O Lord God, in the simplicity of my heart I have joyfully offered all these things; and I have seen with great joy Your people which are here present: O God of Israel, keep this will, alleluia.

[Secreta]
!Outside the dedicated church
v. Look with favor upon our prayers, we beseech You, O Lord, that as we offer our prayers before You, we may, with Your help attain eternal rewards.
$Per Dominum

[Secreta 1 loco]
!On the day of dedication
v. O God, the creator of things fitting for sacrifice unto You, pour forth Your blessing upon this house of prayer, so that all who herein call upon Your name may enjoy the support of Your protection.
$Per Dominum

[Secreta 2 loco]
!Secret on the anniversary of the dedication in the church dedicated
v. Look with favor upon our prayers, we beseech You, O Lord, that we who are gathered together within the confines of this temple to keep the anniversary day of its dedication, may please You with full and perfect devotion, may please You with full and perfect devotion of body and soul, that as we now offer these prayers, we may, by Your assistance, be found worthy to attain everlasting rewards.
$Per Dominum

[Communio]
!Matt 21:13
My house shall be called a house of prayer, says the Lord; in it everyone who asks receives: and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.

[Postcommunio]
!On the day of dedication
v. We beseech You, almighty God, that in this place which we, all unworthy, have dedicated to Your name, You will give a favorable hearing to all who petition You.
$Per Dominum