Using calendar: England. You can pick a diocese or region.

Hours

About Today · Readings at Mass · Office of Readings · Morning Prayer · Terce · Sext · None · Evening Prayer · Night Prayer · Yearly calendar ·

Links

Universalis site · Settings · Tweet · Show QR code

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

INTRODUCTION

Deus, in adiutórium meum inténde.

Dómine, ad adiuvándum me festína.

Glória Patri et Fílio*

et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen. Allelúia.

INTRODUCTION

O God, come to our aid.

O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen. Alleluia.

Hymnus

Deus, tuórum mílitum

sors et coróna, prǽmium,

laudes canéntes mártyris

absólve nexu críminis.

Hic (Hæc) testis ore prótulit

quod cordis arca crédidit,

Christum sequéndo répperit

effusióne sánguinis.

Hic (Hæc) nempe mundi gáudia

et blandiménta nóxia

cadúca rite députans,

pervénit ad cæléstia.

Pœnas cucúrrit fórtiter

et sústulit viríliter;

pro te refúndens sánguinem,

ætérna dona póssidet.

Ob hoc precátu súpplici

te póscimus, piíssime;

in hoc triúmpho mártyris

dimítte noxam sérvulis,

Ut consequámur múneris

ipsíus et consórtia,

lætémur ac perénniter

iuncti polórum sédibus.

Laus et perénnis glória

tibi, Pater, cum Fílio,

Sancto simul Paráclito

in sæculórum sǽcula. Amen.

Hymn

All hail the power of Jesus’ name;

Let Angels prostrate fall;

Bring forth the royal diadem

To crown him Lord of all.

Crown him, ye Martyrs of your God,

Who from his altar call;

Praise him whose way of pain ye trod,

And crown him Lord of all.

Hail him, ye heirs of David’s line,

Whom David Lord did call;

The God Incarnate, Man Divine,

And crown him Lord of all.

Let every tribe and every tongue

To him their hearts enthral,

Lift high the universal song,

And crown him Lord of all.

Ps 138:1-12
Dominus intuens omnia

“Quis cognovit sensum Domini? Aut quis consiliarius eius fuit?” (Rom 11, 34).

Nox sicut dies illuminábitur, allelúia.

1Dómine, scrutátus es et cognovísti me,*

2tu cognovísti sessiónem meam et resurrectiónem meam.

Intellexísti cogitatiónes meas de longe,*

3sémitam meam et accúbitum meum investigásti.

Et omnes vias meas perspexísti,†

4quia nondum est sermo in lingua mea,*

et ecce, Dómine, tu novísti ómnia.

5A tergo et a fronte coartásti me*

et posuísti super me manum tuam.

6Mirábilis nimis facta est sciéntia tua super me,*

sublímis, et non attíngam eam.

7Quo ibo a spíritu tuo*

et quo a fácie tua fúgiam?

8Si ascéndero in cælum, tu illic es;*

si descéndero in inférnum, ades.

9Si súmpsero pennas auróræ*

et habitávero in extrémis maris,

10étiam illuc manus tua dedúcet me,*

et tenébit me déxtera tua.

11Si díxero: «Fórsitan ténebræ cómpriment me,*

et nox illuminátio erit circa me»,

12étiam ténebræ non obscurabúntur a te,†

et nox sicut dies illuminábitur*

— sicut ténebræ eius ita et lumen eius —.

Glória Patri et Fílio*

et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Nox sicut dies illuminábitur, allelúia.

Psalm 138 (139)
The Lord knows all things

Night will be as clear as the day. Alleluia.

Lord, you have examined me, you know me:

you know when I sit down and when I rise.

From far away you know my thoughts:

you know every step I take,

when I walk, when I lie down:

you have seen all that I do.

Before a word even reaches my lips,

you know, Lord, all that I will say.

You are close in front of me and close behind me:

you have laid your hand upon me.

Your knowledge is beyond my understanding:

it is too high, I cannot reach it.

Where shall I go, to escape your spirit?

Where shall I go, to flee your face?

If I rise to the heavens, you are there.

If I sink to the depths, you are there.

If I put on the wings of the dawn itself –

if I make my abode beyond the farthest sea –

it is still your hand that will lead me there,

it is still your right hand that will hold me.

If I say “May the shadows cover me:

let there be no light around me” –

the shadows will not hide me from you,

and the night will shine like the day:

for shadows and light are the same to you.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Night will be as clear as the day. Alleluia.

Ps 138:13-18,23-24

Ego cognósco oves meas, et cognóscunt me meæ, allelúia.

13Quia tu formásti renes meos,*

contexuísti me in útero matris meæ.

14Confitébor tibi, quia mirabíliter plasmátus sum;†

mirabília ópera tua,*

et ánima mea cognóscit nimis.

15Non sunt abscóndita ossa mea a te,†

cum factus sum in occúlto,*

contéxtus in inferióribus terræ.

16Imperféctum adhuc me vidérunt óculi tui,†

et in libro tuo scripti erant omnes dies:*

ficti erant, et nondum erat unus ex eis.

17Mihi autem nimis pretiósæ cogitatiónes tuæ, Deus;*

nimis gravis summa eárum.

18Si dinumerábo eas, super arénam multiplicabúntur;*

si ad finem pervénerim, adhuc sum tecum.

23Scrutáre me, Deus, et scito cor meum;*

proba me et cognósce sémitas meas

24et vide, si via vanitátis in me est,*

et deduc me in via ætérna.

Glória Patri et Fílio*

et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Ego cognósco oves meas, et cognóscunt me meæ, allelúia.

Psalm 138 (139)

I know my sheep, and they know me. Alleluia.

For you created my innermost being

as you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I will praise you, for you made me so wonderfully:

so wonderful are your works,

so perfect your knowledge.

Even my bones were not hidden from you

as I was being created in secret,

put together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw me before ever I was completed.

All my days were written in your book

before any of them came into being.

Your thoughts, O God, are precious to me:

precious above all things and too many to count.

If I try to count them, they are more than the sand:

if I come to an end, still I am with you.

Look into me, God, and know my heart:

examine me and know my paths.

See if I am wandering on ways that lead nowhere,

and set my feet on the path to eternity.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

I know my sheep, and they know me. Alleluia.

Canticum	cf. Col 1:12-20

Christus primogenitus omnis creaturæ et primogenitus ex mortuis

Opéruit cælos glória eius, et laudis eius plena est terra, allelúia.

12Grátias agámus Deo Patri,*

qui idóneos nos fecit in partem sortis sanctórum in lúmine;

13qui erípuit nos de potestáte tenebrárum*

et tránstulit in regnum Fílii dilectiónis suæ,

14in quo habémus redemptiónem,*

remissiónem peccatórum;

15qui est imágo Dei invisíbilis,*

primogénitus omnis creatúræ,

16quia in ipso cóndita sunt univérsa†

in cælis et in terra,*

visibília et invisibília,

sive throni sive dominatiónes*

sive principátus sive potestátes.

Omnia per ipsum et in ipsum creáta sunt,†

17et ipse est ante ómnia,*

et ómnia in ipso constant.

18Et ipse est caput córporis ecclésiæ;†

qui est princípium, primogénitus ex mórtuis,*

ut sit in ómnibus ipse primátum tenens,

19quia in ipso complácuit omnem plenitúdinem habitáre*

20et per eum reconciliáre ómnia in ipsum,

pacíficans per sánguinem crucis eius,*

sive quæ in terris sive quæ in cælis sunt.

Glória Patri et Fílio*

et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Opéruit cælos glória eius, et laudis eius plena est terra, allelúia.

Canticle	(Colossians 1)

Christ, firstborn of all creatures and firstborn from the dead

His majesty covers the heavens, the earth is filled with his praise. Alleluia.

Let us give thanks to God the Father,

who has made us worthy to share in the light that is the saints’ inheritance.

He has rescued us from the power of the shadows

and brought us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

in whom we have redemption

and the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God,

the first-born of all creation,

for in him all things were created,

in heaven and on earth,

visible and invisible,

thrones and dominations,

principalities and powers.

All things were created through him and for him:

he is before all things,

and in him all things hold together.

And he is the head of the body, the Church.

He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead,

and so he is pre-eminent above all.

For it was the Father’s will that the fullness of God should dwell in him,

and that through him all things should be reconciled to himself.

Through the blood of the Cross he brought peace to all things,

both on Earth and in the heavens.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

His majesty covers the heavens, the earth is filled with his praise. Alleluia.

Lectio brevis	Ap 7:14-17

Hi sunt qui véniunt de tribulatióne magna et lavérunt stolas suas et dealbavérunt eas in sánguine Agni. Ideo sunt ante thronum Dei et sérviunt ei die ac nocte in templo eius et, qui sedet in throno, habitábit super illos. Non esúrient ámplius, neque sítient ámplius, neque cadet super illos sol neque ullus æstus, quóniam Agnus, qui in médio throni est, pascet illos et dedúcet eos ad vitæ fontes aquárum, et abstérget Deus omnem lácrimam ex óculis eórum.

Scripture Reading
Apocalypse 7:14-17 ©

These are the people who have been through the great persecution, and because they have washed their robes white again in the blood of the Lamb, they now stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his sanctuary; and the One who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. They will never hunger or thirst again; neither the sun nor scorching wind will ever plague them, because the Lamb who is at the throne will be their shepherd and will lead them to springs of living water; and God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Responsorium breve

℣. Fulgébunt iusti, sicut sol in conspéctu Dei, * Allelúia, allelúia. Fulgébunt.

℟. Et lætabúntur omnes recti corde, * Allelúia, allelúia. Glória Patri. Fulgébunt.

Short Responsory

You have tested us, God, and you have brought us out into freedom again. Alleluia, alleluia.

– You have tested us, God, and you have brought us out into freedom again. Alleluia, alleluia.

You have refined us like silver.

– You have tested us, God, and you have brought us out into freedom again. Alleluia, alleluia.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– You have tested us, God, and you have brought us out into freedom again. Alleluia, alleluia.

Canticum

Exsultatio animæ in Domino

Nisi granum fruménti cadens in terram mórtuum fúerit, ipsum solum manet; si autem mórtuum fúerit, multum fructum affert, allelúia.

Magníficat*

ánima mea Dóminum,

et exsultávit spíritus meus*

in Deo salvatóre meo,

quia respéxit humilitátem ancíllæ suæ.*

Ecce enim ex hoc beátam me dicent omnes generatiónes,

quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est,*

et sanctum nomen eius,

et misericórdia eius in progénies et progénies*

timéntibus eum.

Fecit poténtiam in bráchio suo,*

dispérsit supérbos mente cordis sui;

depósuit poténtes de sede*

et exaltávit húmiles;

esuriéntes implévit bonis*

et dívites dimísit inánes.

Suscépit Israel púerum suum,*

recordátus misericórdiæ,

sicut locútus est ad patres nostros,*

Abraham et sémini eius in sǽcula.

Glória Patri et Fílio*

et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Nisi granum fruménti cadens in terram mórtuum fúerit, ipsum solum manet; si autem mórtuum fúerit, multum fructum affert, allelúia.

Canticle	Magnificat

My soul rejoices in the Lord

Unless the wheat grain falls on the earth and dies, it remains itself alone; but if it dies it yields much fruit, alleluia.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.

For he has shown me such favour –

me, his lowly handmaiden.

Now all generations will call me blessed,

because the mighty one has done great things for me.

His name is holy,

his mercy lasts for generation after generation

for those who revere him.

He has put forth his strength:

he has scattered the proud and conceited,

torn princes from their thrones;

but lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things;

the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,

he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Unless the wheat grain falls on the earth and dies, it remains itself alone; but if it dies it yields much fruit, alleluia.

Preces

Hac hora, qua Rex mártyrum vitam suam in cena óbtulit et in cruce depósuit, grátias agámus illi, dicéntes:

– Te, Dómine, celebrámus.

Te, Dómine, celebrámus, quia in finem dilexísti nos, salvátor noster, omnis martýrii fons et exémplum:

– Te, Dómine, celebrámus.

Quia omnes peccatóres pæniténtes in prǽmium vitæ vocásti:

– Te, Dómine, celebrámus.

Quia sánguinem novi et ætérni testaménti, in remissiónem peccatórum effúsum, hódie obtúlimus:

– Te, Dómine, celebrámus.

Quia hac die per grátiam tuam in fide perseverávimus:

– Te, Dómine, celebrámus.

Quia tuæ morti multos fratres hódie sociásti:

– Te, Dómine, celebrámus.

Prayers and intercessions

Let us give thanks to the king of martyrs, for this is the hour when he offered himself in the last supper and laid down his life on the cross.