Lord, open my lips.
 - And my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Psalm 95 is the traditional Invitatory Psalm. Psalm 24, 67, or 100 may be substituted.


Antiphon: Alleluia, come, let us worship the Lord, the King of Apostles, alleluia.

Psalm 95

Psalm 100

Psalm 67

Psalm 24

God, come to my assistance.
 - Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
 -  as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever.
Amen.


HYMN
-
What fairer light is this than time itself doth own,
The golden day with beams more radiant brightening?
The princes of God’s Church this feast day doth enthrone,
To sinners heavenward bound their burden lightening.

One taught mankind its creed, one guards the heavenly gate,
Founders of Rome, they bind the world in loyalty;
One by the sword achieved, one by the cross his fate;
With laurelled brows they hold eternal royalty.

Rejoice, O Rome, this day; thy walls they once did sign
With princely blood, who now their glory share with thee.
What city’s vesture glows with crimson deep as thine?
What beauty else has earth that may compare with thee?

To God the three in one eternal homage be,
All honor, all renown, all songs victorious,
Who rules both heaven and earth by one divine decree,
To everlasting years in empire glorious.
Melody: Peter and Paul 12.12.12.12; Music: Carl Fortunato, b. 1958. Text by Elphis, c. 493, wife of Boethius. Translated by Ronald A. Knox, 1888-1957.

Or:

Apostolorum passio diem sacravit sæculi, Petri triumphum nobilem, Pauli coronam pæferens. Coniunxit æquales viros cruor triumphalis necis; Deum secutos præsulem Christi coronavit fides. Primus Petrus apostolus; nec Paulus inpar gratia, electionis vas sacræ, Petri adæquavit fidem. Verso crucis vestigio Simon, honorem dans Deo, suspensus ascendit, dati non inmemor oraculi. Hinc Roma celsum verticem devotionis extulit, fundata tali sanguine et vate tanto nobilis. Huc ire quis mundum putet, concurrere plebem poli: electa gentium caput, sedes magistri gentium. Horum, Redemptor, quæsumus, ut principum consortio iungas precantes servulos in sempterna sæcula.

Blest day by suff’ring sanctified: Christ’s chosen high apostles died. Today St. Peter wins renown. Today St. Paul accepts the crown. Together, equally, they bled: Together: the victorious dead. They followed God and sacrificed And now their faith is crowned by Christ. St. Peter holds the highest place, Yet Paul is not the less by grace. An equal faith was giv’n to Paul: The chosen vessel of God’s call. St. Peter, downward crucified— To honor God in how he died— Securely tied, he sees unfold The death his Shepherd once foretold. On such foundations Rome may claim The highest service of God’s name. His noble blood has dignified The city where this prophet died. Let all the world, then, run to Rome. Let families of nations come! The head of nations teaches there Beside the nations’ teacher's chair. O Lord, we ask that we may be In their exalted company, And with our princes sing Your praise Forever, to unending days.

PSALMODY

Antiphon: I know the one whom I have trusted and I am certain that he, the just judge, has power to keep safe what he has entrusted to me until that day.

For your love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you all my life,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy.

On my bed I remember you.
On you I muse through the night
for you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand holds me fast. Glory...

Antiphon:I know the one whom I have trusted and I am certain that he, the just judge, has power to keep safe what he has entrusted to me until that day.


Antiphon:God's grace in me has not been without fruit; it is always at work in me.

Canticle  -  Daniel 3:57-88,56
Let all creatures praise the Lord
All you servants of the Lord, sing praise to him (Revelation 19:5)

Every shower and dew, bless the Lord.
All you winds, bless the Lord.
Fire and heat, bless the Lord.
Cold and chill, bless the Lord.
Dew and rain, bless the Lord.
Frost and chill, bless the Lord.
Ice and snow, bless the Lord.
Nights and days, bless the Lord.
Light and darkness, bless the Lord.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.

Let the earth bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord.
Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord.
You springs, bless the Lord.

Seas and rivers, bless the Lord.
You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord.
All you birds of the air, bless the Lord.
All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord.
You sons of men, bless the Lord.

O Israel, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord.
Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord.
Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.

Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Let us praise and exalt him above all forever.
Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven.
Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all forever.

Antiphon: God's grace in me has not been without fruit; it is always at work in me.


Antiphon: I have fought the good fight; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith.

Psalm 149
The joy of God's holy people
Let the sons of the Church, the children of the new people, rejoice in Christ, their King (Hesychius)

Sing a new song to the Lord,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its maker,
let Zion’s sons exult in their king.
Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people.
He crowns the poor with salvation.
Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,
shout for joy and take their rest.
Let the praise of God be on their lips
and a two-edged sword in their hand,

to deal out vengeance to the nations
and punishment on all the peoples;
to bind their kings in chains
and their nobles in fetters of iron;
to carry out the sentence pre-ordained;
this honor is for all his faithful. Glory...

Antiphon: I have fought the good fight; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith.


READING          1 Peter 4:13-14
Rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.


RESPONSORY
They gave up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- They gave up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
They went forth rejoicing because they have been found worthy to suffer insult,
- for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ..
Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
- They gave up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.


BENEDICTUS (Canticle of Zechariah)
Antiphon: Simon Peter said: Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we believe and we are convinced that you are the Christ, the Son of God, alleluia.


INTERCESSIONS
The Lord Jesus built his holy people on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. In faith let us pray:

                            Bless your Church, O Lord.

You prayed that the faith of Peter would not fail,
 - strengthen the faith of your Church.

You appeared to Peter after your resurrection and you appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus,
 - strengthen our faith, so that we may steadfastly proclaim that you have risen from the dead.

You chose Paul as an apostle to preach your message to the Gentiles,
 - make us faithful preachers of your Gospel.

You mercifully forgave Peter’s denials,
 - forgive us all of our sins.


Our Father…


PRAYER
God our Father,
today you give us the joy of celebrating the feast of the apostles Peter and Paul.
Through them your Church first received the faith.
Keep us true to their teaching.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.


May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.


The English translation of Psalm Responses, Alleluia Verses, Gospel Verses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL); the English translation of Antiphons, Invitatories, Responsories, Intercessions, Psalm 95, the Canticle of the Lamb, Psalm Prayers, Non-Biblical Readings from The Liturgy of the Hours © 1973, 1974, 1975, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, ICEL. All rights reserved. Used with permission.