Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus

Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus
St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, ora pro nobis!

Collect of the day – St. Alexius, Confessor

St. Alexius
St. Alexius, Confessor 
July 17 is traditionally the feast of the holy, humble confessor Saint Alexius. According to the most recent researches he was an Eastern saint whose veneration was transplanted from the Byzantine empire to Rome, whence it spread rapidly throughout western Christendom. Together with the name and veneration of the Saint, his legend was made known to Rome and the West by means of Latin versions and recensions based on the form current in the Byzantine Orient. This process was facilitated by the fact that according to the earlier Syriac legend of the of the Saint, the “Man of God,” of Edessa (identical with St. Alexius) was a native of Rome. The Greek legend, which antedates the ninth century and is the basis of all later versions, makes Alexius the son of a distinguished Roman named Euphemianus. The night of his marriage he secretly left his father’s house and journeyed to Edessa in the Syrian Orient where, for seventeen years, he led the life of a pious ascetic. As the fame of his sanctity grew, he left Edessa and returned to Rome, where, for seventeen years, he dwelt as a beggar under the stairs of his father’s palace, unknown to his father or wife.  After his death, assigned to the year 417, a document was found on his body, in which he revealed his identity. He was forthwith honored as a saint and his father’s house was converted into a church placed under the patronage of Alexius. In this expanded form the legend is first found in a hymn (canon) of the Greek hymnographer Josephus (d. 883). It also occurs in a Syrian biography of Alexius, written not later than the ninth century, and which presupposes the existence of a Greek life of the Saint. The latter is in turn based on an earlier Syriac legend (referred to above), composed at Edessa between 450 and 475. Although in this latter document the name of Alexius is not mentioned, he is manifestly the same as the “Man of God” of whom this earlier Syriac legend relates that he lived in Edessa during the episcopate of Bishop Rabula (412-435) as a poor beggar, and solicited alms at the church door. These he divided among the rest of the poor, after reserving barely enough for the absolute necessities of life.
He died in the hospital and was buried in the common grave of the poor. Before his death, however, he revealed to one of the church servants that he was the only son of distinguished Roman parents. After the Saint’s death, the servant told this to the Bishop. Thereupon the grave was opened, but only his pauper’s rags were now found therein. How far this account is based on historical tradition is hard to determine. Perhaps the only basis for the story is the fact that a certain pious ascetic at Edessa lived the life of a beggar and was later venerated as a saint.
In addition to this earlier Syriac legend, the Greek author of the later biography of St. Alexius, which we have mentioned above as having been written before the ninth century, probably had in mind also the events related in the life of St. John Calybata, a young Roman patrician, concerning whom a similar story is told. In the West we find no trace of the name Alexius in any martyrology or other liturgical book previous to the end of the tenth century; he seems to have been completely unknown. He first appears in connection with St. Boniface as titular saint of a church on the Aventine at Rome. On the site now occupied by the church of Sant’ Alessio there was at one time a diaconia, i.e. an establishment for the care of the poor of the Roman Church. Connected with this was a church which by the eighth century had been in existence for some time and was dedicated to St. Boniface.
In 972 Pope Benedict VII transferred the almost abandoned church to the exiled Greek metropolitan, Sergius of Damascus. The latter erected beside the church a monastery for Greek and Latin monks, soon made famous for the austere life of its inmates. To the name of St. Boniface was now added that of St. Alexius as titular saint of the church and monastery. It is evidently Sergius and his monks who brought to Rome the veneration of St. Alexius. The Oriental Saint, according to his legend a native of Rome, was soon very popular with the folk of that city. Among the frescoes executed towards the end of the eleventh century in the Roman basilica of St. Clement (now the lower church of San Clemente) are very interesting representations of events in the life of St. Alexius.
His feast is observed on the 17th of July, in the West; in the East, on the 17th of March. The church of Sts. Alexius and Boniface on the Aventine has been renovated in modern times but several medieval monuments are still preserved there. Among them the visitor is shown the alleged stairs of the house of Euphemianus under which Alexius is said to have lived. (Source: Catholic Encyclopedia)

holy sacrifice of the mass 4
Feast of Saint Alexius, Confessor –  Thursday of the Fifth Week after the Octave of Pentecost
 Missa “Os justi
Semi-Double/ White vestments

INTROIT:   Psalm 36. 30-31
The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom, and his tongue shall speak judgment: the law of his God is in his heart. Ps. Be not emulous of evildoers: nor envy them that work iniquity. Glory be to the Father.
St. Alexius1
COLLECT
May the intercession of the blessed Alexius, we beseech Thee, O Lord, commend us unto Thee, that what we can not have through our own merits, we may obtain through his patronage. Through our Lord.
EPISTLE:   I Timothy 6. 6-12
Dearly beloved: Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and certainly we can carry nothing out. But having food, and where with to be covered, with these we are content. For they that will become rich, fall into temptation, and into the snare of the devil, and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For covetousness is the root of all evils; which some desiring have erred from the Faith and have en- tangled themselves in many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, fly these things; and pursue justice, godliness, faith, charity, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith; lay hold on eternal life.
GRADUAL:   Psalm 91: 13,14
The just shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow up like the cedar of Lebanon in the house of the Lord. V. To show forth Thy mercy in the morning, and Thy truth in the night.
St. Alexius 2
ALLELUIA:    James 1. 12
Alleluia, alleluia. V. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he hath been proved, he shall receive the crown of life. Alleluia
GOSPEL:   Luke 12. 35-40
At that time: Jesus said to His disciples: Let your loins be girt and lamps burning in your hands, and yourselves like to men who wait for their lord, when he shall return form the wedding: that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the lord, when he cometh, shall find watching: amen I say to you that he will gird himself and make them sit down to meat, and passing will minister unto them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But this know ye, that if the householder did know at what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open. Be you then also ready, for at what hour you think not the Son of man will come.
OFFERTORY:   Psalm 88:25
My truth and My mercy shall be with him: and in My name shall his horn be exalted.
SECRET
In memory of Thy Saints, O Lord, we of- fer Thee the sacrifice of praise, by which we trust to be freed from both present and future evils. Through our Lord.
PREFACE   Common Preface
It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation that we should at all times and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God: through Christ our Lord. through Whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, Dominations worship, Powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the Heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with them we entreat Thee, that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted, while we say in lowly praise:
COMMUNION:  Matthew 24:46- 47
Blessed is that servant, whom when his Lord shall come he shall find watching: amen I say to you, he shall place him over all his goods.
post holy communion
POSTCOMMUNION
Refreshed by meat and drink from heaven, O god, we humbly entreat Thee, that we may be protected by the prayers of him in whose memory we have partaken. Through our Lord.

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