The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

In giving birth thou didst keep thy virginity: in falling asleep thou didst not forsake the world, O Mother of God. Thou art passed over into Life, who art the Mother of Life, and by thy intercessions dost deliver our souls from death.

Almighty everlasting God, Who hast taken body and soul into heaven the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of Thy Son: grant, we beseech Thee, that by steadfastly keeping heaven as our goal we may be counted worthy to join her in glory. Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost through all the ages of ages. Amen.

Ave Maris Stella

Ave, maris stella,		Hail, star of the sea,
Dei mater alma,		Nurturing Mother of God,
atque semper virgo,		And ever Virgin
felix cœli porta.		Happy gate of Heaven.
Sumens illud Ave		Receiving that "Ave"
Gabrielis ore,		From the mouth of Gabriel,
funda nos in pace,		Establish us in peace,
mutans Evæ nomen.		Transforming the name of "Eva" (Eve)
Solve vincla reis,		Loosen the chains of the guilty,
profer lumen cæcis,		Bring light to the blind,
mala nostra pelle,		Drive out our ills,
bona cuncta posce.		Entreat (for us) all good things.
Monstra te esse matrem,		Show thyself to be a Mother:
sumat per te precem		Through thee may He receive our prayers
qui pro nobis natus		Who, being born for us,
tulit esse tuus.		Undertook to be thine own.
Virgo singularis,		O singular Virgin,
inter omnes mitis,		More gentle than all,
nos culpis solutos		Free from guilt preserve us,
mites fac et castos.		Meek and chaste.
Vitam præsta puram,		Bestow a pure life,
iter para tutum,		Prepare a safe way:
ut videntes Jesum		That seeing Jesus,
semper collætemur.		We may ever rejoice.
Sit laus Deo Patri,		Praise be to God the Father,
summo Christo decus,		To the Most High Christ (be) glory,
Spiritui Sancto		To the Holy Spirit
tribus honor unus. Amen.		Honour, to the Three equally. Amen.

(Ave Maris Stella has been in use for over 1000 years and has long been chanted during Vespers on Marian feasts).

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Neither grave nor death had power over the Mother of God, who resteth not in her intercessions and is a hope that faileth not in her protection: for the Mother of Life hath been brought into Life by Him Who dwelt in her ever-virginal womb.