Magdalen College Pontifical: the Order for Giving Penance and the Blessing of the Ashes (English) (an English pontifical of the 12th century (Magdalen College, Oxford, MS 226))

The Order for Giving Penance

[The order stands among the services for Candlemas and Lent; the list of contents gives it as "for Ash Wednesday".] The order for giving penance.

When the penitent shall come to the priest, first let him be asked about his sins and his belief, and whether he will forgive those who have sinned against him. Afterwards let him make a pure confession; then let him prostrate himself on the ground. But this is to be known: that when bondmen or bondwomen come to penance, they are not to be compelled to fast as much as the rich, because they are not in their own power. Then let the priest begin the seven penitential psalms, with Glory be.

Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison. Our Father.

℣. And lead us not [into temptation].

Save thy servant: O my God, [who putteth his trust in thee].

Turn thee, O Lord, at the last: and be gracious unto thy servant.

Send him help, O Lord, from the sanctuary: and defend him out of Sion.

Lord, hear my prayer: and let my cry come unto thee.

The Lord be with you: and with thy spirit.

Let us pray. Hear, O Lord, our prayers, and spare the sins of him that confesseth unto thee; that him whom the guilt of conscience accuseth, the pardon of thy propitiation may absolve. Through our Lord.

Let us pray. Let thy mercy, we beseech thee, O Lord, go before this thy servant N., that all his iniquities may be blotted out by speedy pardon. Through Christ our Lord.

Let us pray. Be present, O Lord, to our supplications, and let not the compassion of thy clemency be far from this thy servant N.: heal his wounds and forgive his sins, that, separated from thee by no iniquities, he may ever cleave to thee his Lord. Through Christ our Lord.

Let us pray. O Lord our God, who art not overcome by our offence, but art appeased by satisfaction, look, we beseech thee, upon this thy servant N., who confesseth that he hath grievously sinned against thee. Thine it is to give the washing away of crimes and to grant pardon to sinners, who hast said that thou wouldest rather the repentance of sinners than their death. Grant therefore, O Lord, to him that he may keep unto thee the watches of penance, and, his deeds being amended, may rejoice that everlasting joys are bestowed on him by thee. Through Christ.

Let us pray. O God, whose pardon no man but needeth, remember thy servant N.; and since, stripped bare by the slippery and earthly frailty of the body, he hath offended in many things, we beseech thee that thou give pardon to him confessing, and spare him suppliant; that he who is accused by his own deserts may be saved by thy compassion. Through our Lord.

We absolve thee in the stead of blessed Peter, prince of the apostles, to whom the Lord gave the power of binding and loosing; and so far as the accusation belongeth to thee and the remission to us, may God Almighty be unto thee life and salvation and the pardoner of all thy sins: who liveth and reigneth.

Almighty God, who said, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father: himself bless thee and keep thee for ever, and give thee remission of all thy sins and life eternal. Amen.

The Blessing of the Ashes

The blessing of the ashes.

Almighty, everlasting God, spare them that fear, be merciful to them that pray, and vouchsafe to send thy holy angel from heaven to bless and sanctify these ashes, that they may be a healthful remedy to all that humbly call upon thy holy name, and accuse themselves in the conscience of their offences, and bewail their crimes before the sight of thy divine clemency, or earnestly and instantly entreat thy most serene majesty; and grant by the calling upon thy most holy name, that whosoever shall sprinkle them upon themselves for the redemption of their sins may receive health of body and protection of soul. Through [our Lord].

Another blessing.

O God, who desirest not the death but the repentance of sinners, most graciously look upon the frailty of our human condition, and vouchsafe of thy goodness to bless these ashes, which, as a token of humility and to obtain pardon, we have ordained to be laid upon our heads; that we, who know that we are ashes and for the desert of our wickedness shall return to dust, may be found worthy mercifully to obtain the pardon of all our sins and the rewards promised to the penitent. Through our Lord.

Another blessing.

O God, who art moved by humiliation and appeased by satisfaction, incline the ear of thy goodness to our prayers, and upon the heads of thy servants, touched with the sprinkling of these ashes, graciously pour out the grace of thy blessing; that thou mayest both fill them with the spirit of compunction, and effectually grant what they have justly asked, and ordain that what is granted remain for ever unbroken. Through [our Lord].

Another.

Almighty, everlasting God, who didst grant the remedies of thy pardon to the Ninevites doing penance in ashes and sackcloth: mercifully grant that we may so imitate them in garb, that we may follow them in the obtaining of pardon. Through [our Lord].

The Imposition of Ashes and the Procession

Then followeth the antiphon: Hear us, O Lord, for thy loving-kindness is gracious; according to the multitude of thy mercies look upon us, O Lord. Psalm: Save me, O God, for the waters [are come in, even unto my soul].

Meanwhile the ashes are to be laid upon the heads, the bishop saying: Remember that thou art dust, and unto dust shalt thou return.

And let the antiphon be sung: Let us change our garb for ashes and sackcloth; let us fast and weep before the Lord: for our God is very merciful to forgive our sins.

℣. Shew us thy mercy, O Lord. And [grant us] thy salvation. Kyrie eleison, thrice. Our Father. And lead us not. God be merciful unto us. And let thy mercy come upon us, O Lord. And thy salvation. The Lord be with you. And with thy spirit.

Prayer.

Be mindful, we beseech thee, O Lord, of human frailty; and thou who justly scourgest sinners, at the intercession of the most blessed and glorious ever-virgin Mary and of all the saints, graciously spare us sinners and afflicted; that we who are justly afflicted for our deserts may, redeemed by thy holy compassion, be saved here and for ever. Through our Lord.

Here follow the antiphons at the procession.

Between the porch and the altar the priests and Levites, the ministers of the Lord, shall weep and shall say: Spare, O Lord, spare thy people, and shut not the mouths of them that cry unto thee, O Lord.

℟. Let us amend for the better in those things wherein we have sinned through ignorance; lest, suddenly overtaken by the day of death, we seek space for repentance and be not able to find it. Attend, O Lord, and have mercy, for we have sinned against thee. ℣. We have sinned with our fathers, we have done amiss and dealt wickedly. Attend.

When these are ended the litanies follow.