Siebenschläfertag

In due remote preparation for the great feast of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus, now rather under two months' hence (on the 27th of July), I first do encourage any and all who wish to keep the feast of "all the saints who are at Ephesus" (cf. Eph, i. 1), where the ruins of both their hiding-place and the later church built in their honour may be seen to this day, to note that, as this day is a feria in the Ordinary Form, and these Sleepers do in sober truth appear in the modern Roman Martyrology, it would be quite proper to have a priest celebrate a Votive in their honour.

Would-be Dormitionist Oblates, take heed!

Likewise, according to the 1962 Martyrology and Missal, this may licitly be done, saving only that there must be made a commemoration of St Pantaleon...

My ever-slumbering friends the Dormitionists have of course a great devotion to this sacred septemvirate of Christian youths, who outdid Epimenides in his slumbers, holy Rip van Winkles all, preserved, securely "hid with Christ in God", as once a hundred prophets of the Lord were secreted in caverns, safe from Jezebel's fury (cf. III Kings xviii, 4 and 13); and it is therefore unsurprising to find their liturgical calendar marked with this feast day of the Sleepers as a great solemnity, provided with a proper Mass, as given in the 1785 Missale O.Dorm. (hence the use of the long ess):

Miſſa Sanctorum ſeptem Dormientium Epheſi

OFFICIUM

Vade, populus meus, intra in cubicula tua; claude oſtia tua ſuper te, abſcondere modicum ad momentum, donec pertranſeat indignatio. (T.P. Alleluja, alleluja.) Ps. Et habebis fiduciam, propoſita tibi ſpe: et defoſſus ſecurus dormies. Gloria Patri. Sicut erat. Vade.

Gloria in excelsis.

COLLECTA

Concede, quæſumus, omnipotens Deus: ut ad meliorem requiem beatorum ſeptem Dormientium Epheſi exempla nos provocent; quatenus, quorum memoriam agimus, etiam ſomnum imitemur. Per.

EPISTOLA

Lectio libri Regum.

In diebus illis: 

Elias perrexit in deſertum, viam unius diei. Cumque veniſſet, et ſederet ſubter unam juniperum, petivit animæ ſuæ ut moreretur, et ait: Sufficit mihi, Domine: tolle animam meam: neque enim melior ſum quam patres mei. Projecitque ſe, et obdormivit in umbra juniperi: et ecce angelus Domini tetigit eum, et dixit illi: Surge, et comede. Reſpexit, et ecce ad caput ſuum ſubcinericius panis, et vas aquæ: comedit ergo, et bibit, et rurſum obdormivit. Reverſuſque eſt angelus Domini ſecundo, et tetigit eum, dixitque illi: Surge, comede: grandis enim tibi reſtat via. Qui cum ſurrexiſſet, comedit et bibit, et ambulavit in fortitudine cibi illius quadraginta diebus et quadraginta noctibus uſque ad montem Dei Horeb. Cumque veniſſet illuc, manſit in ſpelunca: et ecce ſermo Domini ad eum, dixitque illi: Quid hic agis, Elia? At ille reſpondit: Zelo zelatus ſum pro Domino Deo exercituum, quia dereliquerunt pactum tuum filii Iſraël: altaria tua deſtruxerunt, prophetas tuos occiderunt gladio, derelictus ſum ego ſolus, et quærunt animam meam ut auferant eam. Et ait ei: Egredere, et ſta in monte coram Domino: et ecce Dominus tranſit. Et ſpiritus grandis et fortis ſubvertens montes, et conterens petras, ante Dominum: non in ſpiritu Dominus. Et poſt ſpiritum commotio: non in commotione Dominus. Et poſt commotionem ignis: non in igne Dominus. Et poſt ignem ſibilus auræ tenuis. Quod cum audiſſet Elias, operuit vultum ſuum pallio, et egreſſus ſtetit in oſtio ſpeluncæ. Et ecce vox ad eum dicens: Quid hic agis, Elia? Et ille reſpondit: Zelo zelatus ſum pro Domino Deo exercituum, quia dereliquerunt pactum tuum filii Iſraël: altaria tua deſtruxerunt, prophetas tuos occiderunt gladio, derelictus ſum ego ſolus, et quærunt animam meam ut auferant eam. Et ait Dominus ad eum: Vade, et revertere in viam tuam per deſertum.

RESPONSORIUM GRADUALE

In deſertis habitabant torrentium, et in cavernis terræ, vel ſuper glaream. V/. Quibus dignus non erat mundus: in ſolitudinibus errantes, in montibus, in ſpeluncis, et in cavernis terræ.

TRACTUS (T. Sept. uſque ad Paſcha)

Si dormieris, non timebis; quieſces, et ſuavis erit ſomnus tuus. V/. Surge qui dormis, et exſurge a mortuis, et illuminabit te Chriſtus. V/. Ego dormivi, et ſoporatus ſum; et exſurrexi, quia Dominus ſuſcepit me.

VERSUS IN ALLELUIA

Alleluja, alleluja. V/. Quod cum vidiſſent viri ſe in arcto poſitos (afflictus enim erat populus), abſconderunt ſe in ſpeluncis, et in abditis, in petris quoque, et in antris, et in ciſternis. Alleluja.

VERSUS II IN ALLELUIA

V/. Et deſcendens habitaverunt in ſpelunca petræ. Alleluja.

EVANGELIUM

Sequentia ſancti Evangelii ſecundum Joannem.

In illo tempore:

Jeſus fremens in ſemetipſo, venit ad monumentum. Erat autem ſpelunca, et lapis ſuperpoſitus erat ei. Ait Jeſus: Tollite lapidem. Dicit ei Martha, ſoror ejus qui mortuus fuerat: Domine, jam fœtet, quatriduanus eſt enim. Dicit ei Jeſus: Nonne dixi tibi quoniam ſi credideris, videbis gloriam Dei? Tulerunt ergo lapidem: Jeſus autem, elevatis ſurſum oculis, dixit: Pater, gratias ago tibi quoniam audiſti me. Ego autem ſciebam quia ſemper me audis, ſed propter populum qui circumſtat, dixi: ut credant quia tu me miſiſti. Hæc cum dixiſſet, voce magna clamavit: Lazare, veni foras. Et ſtatim prodiit qui fuerat mortuus, ligatus pedes, et manus inſtitis, et facies illius ſudario erat ligata. Dixit eis Jeſus: Solvite eum et ſinite abire. Multi ergo ex Judæis, qui venerant ad Mariam, et Martham, et viderant quæ fecit Jeſus, crediderunt in eum. 

Credo.

OFFERTORIUM 

Penetrabo omnes inferiores partes terræ, et inſpiciam omnes dormientes, et illuminabo omnes ſperantes in Domino. (T.P. Alleluia.)

SECRETA

Pro honore beatorum famulorum tuorum Dormientium, hoſtiam, Domine, ſuſcipe benignus oblatam: ut hoc ſacrificio ſingulari, etiam nos requiem mereamur æternam. Per.

COMMUNIO

Multa corpora ſanctorum, qui dormierant, ſurrexerunt, et exeuntes de monumentis venerunt in civitatem, et apparuerunt multis. (T.P. Alleluia.)

POSTCOMMUNIO

Supplices te rogamus, omnipotens Deus: ut, quos tuis reficis ſacramentis, intercedentibus beatis ſeptem Dormientibus, tibi etiam placitis ſomnis dignanter tribuas deſervire. Per.

In English translation:

Mass of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus

OFFICE [i.e. INTROIT] (Isaias xxvi, 20; Job xi, 18)

Go, my people, enter into thy chambers, shut thy doors upon thee, hide thyself a little for a moment, until the indignation pass away. (P.T. Alleluia, alleluia.) Ps. And thou shalt have confidence, hope being set before thee, and being buried thou shalt sleep secure. Glory be… As it was… Go, my people… 

Gloria in excelsis...

COLLECT

Concede, we beg, almighty God: that the example of the blessed seven Sleepers of Ephesus may summon us to a better rest; that we may even imitate their repose whose memory we keep. Through...

EPISTLE (III Kings xix, 4-15a)

A Lesson from the Book of the Kings.

In those days:

Elias went forward, one day's journey into the desert. And when he was there, and sat under a juniper tree, he requested for his soul that he might die, and said: It is enough for me, Lord, take away my soul: for I am no better than my fathers. And he cast himself down, and slept in the shadow of the juniper tree: and behold an angel of the Lord touched him, and said to him: Arise and eat. He looked, and behold there was at his head a hearth cake, and a vessel of water: and he ate and drank, and he fell asleep again. And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said to him: Arise, eat: for thou hast yet a great way to go. And he arose, and ate, and drank, and walked in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights, unto the mount of God, Horeb. And when he was come thither, he abode in a cave: and behold the word of the Lord came unto him, and he said to him: What dost thou here, Elias? And he answered: With zeal have I been zealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant: they have thrown down thy altars, they have slain thy prophets with the sword, and I alone am left, and they seek my life to take it away. And he said to him: Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord: and behold the Lord passeth, and a great and strong wind before the Lord over throwing the mountains, and breaking the rocks in pieces: the Lord is not in the wind, and after the wind an earthquake: the Lord is not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire: the Lord is not in the fire, and after the fire a whistling of a gentle air. And when Elias heard it, he covered his face with his mantle, and coming forth stood in the entering in of the cave, and behold a voice unto him, saying: What dost thou here, Elias? And he answered: With zeal have I been zealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant: they have destroyed thy altars, they have slain thy prophets with the sword, and I alone am left, and they seek my life to take it away. And the Lord said to him: Go, and return on thy way through the desert.

GRADUAL RESPONSORY (Job xxx, 6; Hebrews xi, 38)

They dwelt in the desert places of torrents, and in caves of earth, or upon the gravel. V/. Of whom the world was not worthy; wandering in deserts, in mountains, and in dens, and in caves of the earth.

TRACT from Sept. until Easter (Proverbs iii, 24; Ephesians v, 14b; Psalm iii, 6)

If thou sleep, thou shalt not fear: thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet. V/. Rise thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead: and Christ shall enlighten thee. V/. I have slept and taken my rest: and I have risen up, because the Lord hath protected me.

ALLELUIA (I Kings xiii, 6)

Alleluia, alleluia. V/. And when the men saw that they were straitened, (for the people were distressed,) they hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in dens, and in pits. Alleluia.

2nd ALLELUIA (P.T) (Cf. Judges xv, 8b)

V/. And going down they dwelt in a cavern of the rock. Alleluia.

GOSPEL (St John xi, 38-45)

The continuation of the holy Gospel according to John.

At that time:

Jesus groaning in himself, cometh to the sepulchre. Now it was a cave; and a stone was laid over it. Jesus saith: Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith to him: Lord, by this time he stinketh, for he is now of four days. Jesus saith to her: Did not I say to thee, that if thou believe, thou shalt see the glory of God? They took therefore the stone away. And Jesus lifting up his eyes said: Father, I give thee thanks that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always; but because of the people who stand about have I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. When he had said these things, he cried with a loud voice: Lazarus, come forth. And presently he that had been dead came forth, bound feet and hands with winding bands; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus said to them: Loose him, and let him go. Many therefore of the Jews, who were come to Mary and Martha, and had seen the things that Jesus did, believed in him. 

Credo...

OFFERTORY (Ecclesiasticus xxiv, 45)

I will penetrate to all the lower parts of the earth, and will behold all that sleep, and will enlighten all that hope in the Lord. (P.T. Alleluia.)

SECRET

For the honour of thy blessed servants the Sleepers, Lord, benignly accept the offered host: that by this one sacrifice, we also may merit eternal rest.  Through.

COMMUNION (Cf. Matthew xxvii, 52b-53)

Many bodies of the saints that had slept arose, and coming out of the tombs came into the city, and appeared to many. (P.T. Alleluia.)

POSTCOMMUNION

Bowing low we pray thee, almighty God: that we, whom thou refreshest by thy sacraments, by the intercession of the blessed seven Sleepers, thou also mayest grant worthily to serve thee by pleasing sleeps. Through.

It will be seen that the chants of the Mass refer to the various incidental details in the legend of the Seven Sleepers, while the Epistle and Gospel refer to Scriptural types and foreshadowings of them: to Elias, hiding in a cave from wicked Jezebel; and to St Lazarus, who slept four long days in a cave in the earth ere his return to this mortal life, to the end that those beholding him should be converted and saved.

In German lands, the weather on the Sleeper's feast day, the 27th of July, is held to be a herald of the weather to be expected for the next seven weeks: hence the special devotion attached, even to-day, to Siebenschläfertag.  Be prepared for it!

Saints o' the Day

Is it true, gentle readers all, that ye are displeased seeing I have posted less concerning the saints of late? The lessening of your visits here would seem to teach me this.

Well, this evening I've opened up my martyrologies, and behold!

To-day is the commemoration of the Seven Sleepers (secondary patrons of the Dormitionists), and of St Symeon Stylites (the Elder - referred to here), doyen of pillar-dwelling ascetics, to name but some of the hallowed men who fell asleep in the Lord on this great day.

Likewise, to-day died St Celestine I, he who defeated proud Nestorius the archheretic by the agency of the Council of Ephesus, declaring Mary Most Holy the true Mother of God (Dignare me laudare te, Virgo sacrata: da mihi virtutem contra hostes tuos; Gaude, Maria Virgo, cunctas hæreses sola interemisti). To-day also reposed in the Lord St Clement of Ochrid, Apostle of the Bulgarians.

To-day died many holy martyrs, such as five slain at Cordoba by the Moors during their fanatical rule in Spain; and five martyrs slain in Spain by the Communists during their fanatical rule in Spain: how times change... I also note a passionbearing nun, St Anthusa, whipped and exiled for her stedfastness in the cult of icons by Constantine Copronymous (aptly so-named: at his baptism, he crapped in the font, foretelling his later treatment of holy things), and two priests martyred (one in England, one in Wales) under wicked Elizabeth I (she who died, paranoid and alone, lying amongst her own ordure: departing thence to the stench of hell).

The white-robed army of martyrs praise thee, O God!

Last but first, comes St Pantaleon, martyr at Nicomedia in Bythinia, one of the holy unmercenaries, who has a commemoration at Lauds in the Breviary to-day:

Grant, prithee, God almighty: that, blessed Pantaleon Thy Martyr interceding, both from all adversities we may be delivered in body, and from depraved thoughts be cleansed in mind. Through our Lord Jesus Christ...

Septem Dormientes

Ecumenists and interfaith-dialoguers, take note: the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus (see my last posting) are an interesting group of saints, inasmuch as they are mentioned in "impious Mahomet's fabulous Alcoran" (Acta Sanctorum Julii, Tom. 6, p. 381)! They feature in Sura 18, "The Cave", verses 9-22, 25-26.

In the Byzantine Rite, they, the Seven Holy Youths of Ephesus – named, following Symeon the Metaphrast, as Maximilian, Exacustodianos, Iamblichus, Martinian, Dionysios, John and Constantine – have an Office all to themselves on the 4th of August (as so beautifully translated by Archimandrite Ephrem, of the UK diocese of the Œcumenical Patriarchate, alongside so much else of interest at his Anastasis website). Apparently they're also hymned on the 22nd of October.

The Roman Rite commemorates these saints on the 27th of July. Reference to that great, unique work, the Bollandists' Acta Sanctorum, available at the website of the National Library of France, albeit in a form I find quite difficult to navigate, turned up the Seven Sleepers in the 6th volume of the A.S. for July, published in 1729, on page 375 (at least they don't have their feast in December – for only the propylæum ["gateway"] for that month has so far been published, back in 1940).

BTW, the site has impeccable manners: instead of an Anglo-Saxon "loading", it tells one, "Votre page est en cours de préparation".

In any case, in agreement with the old Martyrology for this day, they are therein named as Maximian(us), Malchus, Martinian(us), Dionysius (Denis, in English), Joannes (i.e. John), Serapion and Constantinus (i.e. Constantine); the Bollandists go into enormous detail as to the different lists of names given in the sources, Latin, Greek or Syriac, even Ethiopian.

From the Acta, and from checking breviaries via Google Book Search, come three collects (here with my bad translations thereof) in their honour, from the Missale Rothomagense (Rouen Missal) of 1585, the Sarum Breviary of 1499, and the Neo-Gallican Breviarium Constantiense in Neustria (Coutances Breviary) of 1766 (at least it wasn't from the Condom Breviary! yes, it exists!):

Præsta quæsumus, omnipotens Deus, ut populus tuus ad plenæ devotionis affectum, beatorum Martyrum tuorum Malchi, Maximiani, Martiniani, Dionysii, Johannis, Serapionis et Constantini natalitiis præparetur, et eorum patrocinio promerente, plene capiat securitatis augmentum. Per...

(Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that thy people may be made ready by the birthdays of Thy blessed Martyrs Malchus, Maximian, Martinian, Denys, John, Serapion and Constantine, and by their patronage made deserving, to lay ahold of a full increase of security. Thro'...)

Deus, qui gloriosos resurrectionis æternæ præcones septem Dormientes magnifice coronasti, præsta, quæsumus, ut eorum precibus resurrectionem sanctam, quæ in eis mirabiliter præostensa est, consequamur. Per...

(O God, Who didst magnificently crown the seven Sleepers glorious publick heralds of the everlasting resurrection [to come], grant, we beseech Thee, that by their prayers we too may be brought to [that] holy resurrection, which was marvellously shewn forth in them. Thro')

Deus, qui Ecclesiam tuam annua sanctorum tuorum Maximiani, Malchi, et Martiniani sociorumque eorum festivitate lætificas, concede propitius: ut sicut in illorum dormitatione, te mirabilem prædicantes, tua magnalia temporali celebramus officio: sic in cœlesti regione eorum perpetuo mereamur adjuvari consortio. Per...

(O God, who dost rejoice thy Church by the yearly festivity of thy saints Maximian, Malchus, and Martinian, and their companions, grant graciously: that as by their slumber, preaching Thee wondrously, we celebrate by a temporal service thy great works; so in the heavenly region we may be deserving to be aided by their perpetual company. Thro'...)

Here is a nice old blessing invoking them that I found also:

In Monte Celyon requiescent Septem Dormientes, Malchus, Maximus, Constantius, Dionysius, Serapion, Martinianus atque Johannes. Per istorum merita det michi Deus noctem quietam et soporem quietam. Amen.

(On Mount Cœlion [near Ephesus] rested the Seven Sleepers, Malchus, Maximus, Constantius, Senys, Serapion, Martinian and John. By their merits God give me a quiet night and quiet slumber. Amen.)

This, I feel sure, is a prayer used by all true Dormitionists!

I cannot translate as quickly nor as accurately as 'twould permit me to transcribe from the Acta the subtle disquisitions of the Venerable Cardinal Baronius, C.O., as to the exact historicity of the accounts given of the Seven Sleepers – suffice to say that it is an open question. At the least they suffered much for the Faith under Decius, and rested in the Lord.

Since my copy of the editio typica altera of the new Martyrology is at present at the other end of the continent, I cannot confirm if the magnificent Seven have made it into its pages. I hope so.


UPDATE: Having returned to Perth and opened up my 2004 Martyrologium Romanum (editio altera), I can confirm that the Seven Sleepers head up the list of saints on the 27th of July, and therefore any priest of the Roman Rite may celebrate a Votive Mass (and Office) in their honour:


1. Commemoratio sanctorum septem Dormientium Ephesi, qui, ut narratur, martyrio consummato, in pace quiescunt, diem resurrectionis expectantes.

(1. Commemoration of the holy seven Sleepers of Ephesus, who, 'tis said, their martyrdom consummated, slept in peace, awaiting the day of resurrection.)