The Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi

My Breviary was printed in 1865 with the imprimatur of the Archbishop of Mechelin in Belgium. It is a choral book made for the conventual celebration of the Office with a full supplement of proper Offices for the Minorites; evidently, it was a Franciscan book.

For today, the "Solemnity of Our Seraphic Father Francis", and the octave that follows, the medieval hymn Proles de coelo is sung at Vespers. Written by Julian of Speyer in Paris just four years after Francis's death, the hymn follows an older melody commonly sung in the proper Offices of saints prior to the 17th century, including the feasts of Saint Anne and Saint Stephen of Hungary.

Regardless, it is a beautiful melody and offers a welcomed break from the rite of Iste Confessor the Common of a Confessor, non-martyr.

1. Proles de caelo prodiit, novis utens prodigiis: caelum caecis aperuit; siccis mare vestigiis. 2. Spoliatis aegyptiis, transit dives, sed pauperis nec rem nec nomen perdidit, factus felix pro miseris. 3. Assumptus cum Apostolis in montem novi luminis, in paupertatis praediis Christo Franciscus intulit: 4. Fac tria tabernacula Petri secutus studia, cuius exemplo nobili sponte reliquit omnia. 5. Legi, Prophetae, gratiae gratum gerens obsequium, Trinitatis officium Festo solemni celebrat. 6. Dum reparat virtutibus hospes triplex hospitium: et beatarum mentium dum templum Christo consecrat. 7. Domum, portam et tumulum, Pater Francisce, visita, et Hevae problem miseram a somno mortis excita. Amen

1. A son came forth from heaven, performing new miracles, opening the heavens to the blind, crossing the water with dry feet. 2. The spoils from the heathens made him rich, yet from the poor never did he fame or goods demand, he was a blessing to the destitute. 3. Together with the disciples he was accepted onto the mountain of light and in his preachings on poverty, Francis followed Christ: 4. "Make three tabernacles", following Peter's vow, whom neither the power nor the omen of this name deserted. 5. Paying grateful allegiance, ye Prophets, to the law of Grace, he celebrates the ceremony of the Trinity with the holy feast. 6. While he as host restores to the virtues the threefold hospitality, and when he consecrates to Christ a temple of the blessed minds. 7. O Father Francis visit our door, house and grave and redeem Eve's poor descendants from sleep's eternal dream. Amen.