vu/src/data/propers/nocturn-readings/finding-of-the-holy-cross.yml

# Matins Nocturn 2-3 readings for the Finding of the Holy Cross (May 3).
# Sourced directly from web/www/horas/Latin/Sancti/05-03.txt,
# English/Sancti/05-03.txt. (Lectio1-3, Gal 3:10-14/Phil 2:5-11/
# Col 2:9-15, is left to the bible-plan store as usual.)
#
# Nocturn 2: Lectio4-6 combined into one reading — the legend of St.
# Helena's finding of the True Cross, one continuous narrative, no
# genuine source break.
# Nocturn 3: Lectio7's Gospel citation (John 3:1-15) is a bare incipit
# ("Et réliqua") with no full pericope text given, so only the homily
# portion was originally authored (not marked isGospel), St. Augustine's
# homily on Nicodemus (Lectio7's homily + Lectio8 combined). The source
# has no Lectio9 at all for this feast (only 8 lessons total, an
# unusual but genuine structural feature of this particular office, not
# an omission here).
#
# Update (2026-09-05): the Gospel pericope itself is now authored too
# (isGospel: true, immediately before the homily) — sourced from
# missa/Latin/Sancti/05-03.txt's own [Evangelium], English/Sancti/
# 05-03.txt, not guessed at. Identical to exaltation-of-the-holy-cross.yml's
# own Nocturn 3 Gospel (that feast's `ex Sancti/05-03` Rule reuses this
# feast's content wholesale) — the same pericope text is duplicated in
# both files, per this store's established pattern for that pairing.
id: finding-of-the-holy-cross
readings:
  - nocturn: 2
    isGospel: false
    text:
      la: >-
        Post insígnem victóriam, quam Constantínus imperátor, divínitus accépto signo
        Domínicæ Crucis, ex Maxéntio reportávit, Hélena Constantíni mater, in somnis
        admónita, conquiréndæ Crucis stúdio Jerosólymam venit; ubi marmóream Véneris
        státuam, in Crucis loco a Géntibus collocátam ad tolléndam Christi Dómini passiónis
        memóriam, post centum círciter octogínta annos, everténdam curávit. Quod item fecit
        ad præsépe Salvatóris et in loco resurrectiónis, inde Adónidis hinc Jovis subláto
        simulácro.


        Itaque loco Crucis purgáto, alte defóssæ tres cruces érutæ sunt, repertúsque
        seórsum ab illis Crucis Domínicæ títulus: qui cum ex tribus cui affíxus fuísset, non
        apparéret, eam dubitatiónem sústulit miráculum. Nam Macárius Jerosolymórum
        epíscopus, factis Deo précibus, síngulas cruces cuídam féminæ, gravi morbo
        laboránti, admóvit; cui cum réliquæ nihil profuíssent, adhíbita tértia Crux statim
        eam sanávit.


        Hélena, salutári Cruce invénta, magnificentíssimam ibi exstrúxit ecclésiam, in qua
        partem Crucis relíquit thecis argénteis inclúsam, partem Constantíno fílio détulit;
        quæ Romæ repósita fuit in ecclésia sanctæ Crucis in Jerúsalem, ædificáta in ædibus
        Sessoriánis. Clavos étiam áttulit fílio, quibus sanctíssimum Jesu Christi corpus
        fixum fúerat. Quo ex témpore Constantínus legem sancívit, ne crux ad supplícium
        cuíquam adhiberétur. Ita res, quæ ántea homínibus probro ac ludíbrio fúerat,
        veneratióni et glóriæ esse cœpit.
      en: >-
        After that famous victory which the Emperor Constantine gained over Maxentius, on
        the eve of which the banner of the Cross of the Lord had been given to him from
        heaven, Helen, the mother of Constantine, being warned in a dream, came to Jerusalem,
        to seek for the Cross. There it was her care to cause to be overthrown the marble
        statue of Venus, which had stood on Calvary for about one hundred and eighty years,
        and which had originally been put there to desecrate and destroy the memorial of the
        sufferings of the Lord Christ. The like work Helen did at Bethlehem, by cleansing
        from an image of Adonis the stable where the Saviour was born, and from an idol of
        Jupiter, the place where He had arisen from the dead.


        Then she had thus cleansed the place where the Cross had stood, Helen caused deep
        excavations to be made, which resulted in the discovery of three crosses, and, apart
        from them, the writing which had been nailed on that of the Lord. But which of the
        crosses had been His was unknown, and was only manifested by a miracle. Macarius,
        Bishop of Jerusalem, after offering solemn prayers to God, touched with each of the
        three a woman who was afflicted with a grievous disease. The two first had no effect,
        but at the touch of the third she was immediately healed.


        Helen, after she had found the life-giving Cross, built over the site of the Passion
        a Church of extraordinary splendour, wherein she deposited part of the Cross, shut
        up in a silver case. Another part which she gave to her son, Constantine, was laid
        up in the Church of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem, which he built at Rome on the site
        of the Sessorian Palace. She also gave to her son the nails with which the Most Holy
        Body of Jesus Christ had been pierced. Constantine established a law abolishing the
        punishment of crucifixion for all time coming and thenceforth what had hitherto been
        a hissing and a curse among men, began to be esteemed worshipful and glorious.
    status: { la: verified, en: verified }

  - nocturn: 3
    isGospel: true
    citation: { la: "Joannes 3:1-15", en: "John 3:1-15" }
    text:
      la: >-
        In illo témpore: Erat homo ex pharisǽis, Nicodémus nómine, princeps Judæórum. Hic venit
        ad Jesum nocte et dixit ei: Rabbi, scimus, quia a Deo venísti magíster; nemo enim potest
        hæc signa fácere, quæ tu facis, nisi fúerit Deus cum eo. Respóndit Jesus et dixit ei:
        Amen, amen, dico tibi, nisi quis renátus fúerit dénuo, non potest vidére regnum Dei.
        Dicit ad eum Nicodémus: Quómodo potest homo nasci, cum sit senex? Numquid potest in
        ventrem matris suæ iteráto introíre et renásci? Respóndit Jesus: Amen, amen, dico tibi,
        nisi quis renátus fúerit ex aqua et Spíritu Sancto, non potest introíre in regnum Dei.
        Quod natum est ex carne, caro est: et quod natum est ex spíritu, spíritus est. Non
        míreris, quia dixi tibi: opórtet vos nasci dénuo. Spíritus, ubi vult, spirat, et vocem
        ejus audis, sed nescis, unde véniat aut quo vadat: sic est omnis, qui natus est ex
        spíritu. Respóndit Nicodémus et dixit ei: Quómodo possunt hæc fíeri? Respóndit Jesus et
        dixit ei: Tu es magíster in Israël, et hæc ignóras? Amen, amen, dico tibi, quia, quod
        scimus, lóquimur, et quod vídimus, testámur, et testimónium nostrum non accípitis. Si
        terréna dixi vobis et non créditis: quómodo, si díxero vobis cœléstia, credétis? Et nemo
        ascéndit in cœlum, nisi qui descéndit de cœlo, Fílius hóminis, qui est in cœlo. Et sicut
        Móyses exaltávit serpéntem in desérto: ita exaltári opórtet Fílium hóminis, ut omnis,
        qui credit in ipsum, non péreat, sed hábeat vitam ætérnam.
      en: >-
        At that time, there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
        This man came to Jesus by night, and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that thou art come a
        teacher from God; for no man can do these signs which thou dost, unless God be with
        him." Jesus answered, and said to him, "Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born
        again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus saith to him, "How can a man be born
        when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born again?"
        Jesus answered, "Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the
        Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh, is
        flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit. Wonder not, that I said to thee,
        you must be born again. The Spirit breatheth where he will; and thou hearest his voice,
        but thou knowest not whence he cometh, and whither he goeth: so is every one that is
        born of the Spirit." Nicodemus answered, and said to him, "How can these things be
        done?" Jesus answered, and said to him, "Art thou a master in Israel, and knowest not
        these things? Amen, amen, I say to thee, that we speak what we know, and we testify
        what we have seen, and you receive not our testimony. If I have spoken to you earthly
        things, and you believe not; how will you believe, if I shall speak to you heavenly
        things? And no man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the
        Son of man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must
        the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may
        have life everlasting."
    status: { la: verified, en: verified }

  - nocturn: 3
    isGospel: false
    source: "St. Augustine of Hippo, Tractate 11 on John (on John 3:1-15)"
    text:
      la: >-
        Nicodémus ex his erat, qui credíderant in nómine Jesu, vidéntes signa et prodígia
        quæ faciébat. Supérius enim hoc dixit: Cum autem esset Jerosólymis in Pascha in die
        festo, multi credidérunt in nómine ejus. Quare credidérunt in nómine ejus? Séquitur,
        et dicit: Vidéntes signa ejus, quæ faciébat. Et de Nicodémo quid dicit? Erat
        princeps Judæórum, nómine Nicodémus. Hic venit ad eum nocte, et ait illi: Rabbi,
        scimus quia a Deo venísti magíster. Et iste ergo credíderat in nómine ejus. Et ipse
        unde credíderat? Séquitur: Nemo enim potest hæc signa fácere, quæ tu facis, nisi
        fúerit Deus cum eo.


        Si ergo Nicodémus de illis multis erat, qui credíderant in nómine ejus, jam in isto
        Nicodémo attendámus, quare Jesus non se credébat eis. Respóndit Jesus et dixit ei:
        Amen, amen dico tibi, nisi quis renátus fúerit dénuo, non potest vidére regnum Dei.
        Ipsis ergo se credit Jesus, qui nati fúerint dénuo. Ecce illi credíderant in eum, et
        Jesus non se credébat eis. Tales sunt omnes catechúmeni: ipsi jam credunt in nómine
        Christi, sed Jesus non se credit eis. Inténdat et intélligat cáritas vestra. Si
        dixérimus catechúmeno: Credis in Christum? respóndet, Credo, et signat se Cruce
        Christi: portat in fronte, et non erubéscit de Cruce Dómini sui. Ecce credit in
        nómine ejus. Interrogémus eum: Mandúcas carnem Fílii hóminis, et bibis sánguinem
        Fílii hóminis? nescit quid dícimus, quia Jesus non se crédidit ei.
      en: >-
        Nicodemus was one of them which believed in the Name of Jesus, when they saw the
        signs and wonders which He did. So hath John given us to understand a few words
        before our text: "Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast-day,
        many believed in His Name." And wherefore did they believe in His Name John telleth
        us immediately: "When they saw the miracles which He did." And now, what saith he
        touching Nicodemus? "There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of
        the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto Him Rabbi, we know that Thou
        art a Teacher come from God." Nicodemus therefore believed in His Name. And why did
        he believe He saith "For no man can do these miracles that Thou doest, except God be
        with him."


        Lo, then, Nicodemus was one of the many which had believed in His Name, let us seek
        to find in Nicodemus why "Jesus did not commit Himself unto them." Jesus answered
        and said unto him "Amen, Amen, I say unto thee except a man be born again, he cannot
        see the kingdom of God." Jesus therefore committeth Himself unto such as be born
        again. Behold, Nicodemus and they that were with him believed in Jesus, but Jesus did
        not commit Himself unto them. Just so are all Catechumens they believe in the Name of
        Christ, but Jesus hath not yet committed Himself unto them. Now I trust ye will be
        good enough to pay attention, and understand what I am going to say. If ye ask of a
        Catechumen "Dost thou believe in Christ" he saith "I believe," and he signeth himself
        with the sign of the Cross. The Cross of his Lord is marked upon his forehead, and he
        is not ashamed of it. Behold, he believeth in the Name of Christ. But let us ask him
        "Dost thou eat the flesh of the Son of Man" and he knoweth not what we mean, for
        Jesus hath not yet committed Himself unto him.
    status: { la: verified, en: verified }