• Saint Mary of Victories

    Catholic Church

    Reverent  Faithful  Welcoming 

    Since 1843

  • Saint Mary of Victories

    Catholic Church

    Reverent  Faithful  Welcoming 

    Since 1843

  • Saint Mary of Victories

    Catholic Church

    Reverent  Faithful  Welcoming 

    Since 1843

  • Saint Mary of Victories

    Catholic Church

    Reverent  Faithful  Welcoming 

    Since 1843

  • Saint Mary of Victories

    Catholic Church

    Reverent  Faithful  Welcoming 

    Since 1843

  • Saint Mary of Victories

    Catholic Church

    Reverent  Faithful  Welcoming 

    Since 1843

  • Saint Mary of Victories

    Catholic Church

    Reverent  Faithful  Welcoming 

    Since 1843

  • Saint Mary of Victories

    Catholic Church

    Reverent  Faithful  Welcoming 

    Since 1843

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About St. Mary of Victories

Historic Saint Mary of Victories Catholic Church, just south of the Gateway Arch, is a splendid and unique part of the heritage of old Saint Louis.

Founded in 1843 for German immigrants, it became the city's Hungarian Catholic Church and cultural center in 1956. Its acclaimed architecture, beautiful old paintings, ornate statuary and noted historical personalities have earned it a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of the few consecrated churches in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, and has a magnificent high altar with hundreds of sacred relics.

Saint Mary’s accordingly offers a classically reverent style of worship in proclaiming the joy of Christ's Gospel to locals and tourists alike. The 11 a.m. Sunday Mass is mainly in English, with a touch of Hungarian in Scripture and song.

Read the Whole Story...  

Reflections From Our Saints...

  • SMOV - Infant of Prague
  • St. Therese of Liseaux
  • St. Elizabeth of Hungary
  • SMOV - Cabrini
  • SMOV - Anthony (1)
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History

St. Mary of Victories has played an important role in the development of St. Louis... Read More
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Architecture

St. Mary of Victories is an excellent example of pre-Civil War architecture in St. Louis... Read More
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Hungarian Parish

St. Mary of Victories has been the official home of the Hungarian Catholics in St. Louis since 1957... Read More
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Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos

Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos once preached at St. Mary of Victories... Read More
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Latin Novus Ordo Mass

St. Mary of Victories is the only place in St. Louis that celebrates the Modern Rite, ad orientem, with Gregorian Chant... Read More
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Liturgy Schedule

Mass Times

11:00 AM Sunday - Third Sunday ONLY

Ordinary Form Mass, Traditional Music, Some Latin
Hungarian Lunch After Mass - Usually $10

Confessions:  Sundays at 10:30 am
Tours Conducted Sundays after Mass

The Facilties are Not Open Other Sundays Of the Month (No Lunch)

 THERE IS NO DAILY MASS AT SMV CHAPEL

Latin Ordinary Form Mass with Gregorian Chant - One Saturday Per Month

See Web Page or Facebook Group (or Call) for Details

                                                                                                           

Note:  the 7 pm Saturday and 9 am Sunday Masses have been discontinued.  

8 April 2018, 2nd Sunday of Easter [aka Low Sunday, aka Dominica in Albis, aka Quasimodo Sunday] (Year B)

Station at St Pancratius

IntroitQuasimodo

After the 2nd reading, before the Alleluia-verse, all will sing:

SequenceVictimae paschali laudes, V2H, p. 478

AlleluiaPost dies octo

*Credo III returns today. 

OffertoryYe sons and daughters, p. 354. All 9 verses.

CommunionMitte manum

DismissalIte Missa est alleluia, alleluia.

RecessionalCome ye faithful raise the strain, p. 247, vv. 1-3, & 5.

Mass I (Lux et origoPBC, p. 46ff. Credo III, PBC, p. 77ff.

In the ancient rites of the catechumenate, the newly baptized (the neophytes) were vested in white baptismal robes for their baptism, confirmation, and first Mass and Holy Communion. They wore these through entire week following, and were guests of honour in the church of their baptism, where they attended Mass each morning and attended a special service at the baptismal font in the afternoon. On the Saturday of Easter week they came to their baptismal church for the last time as a special group. After Mass they removed their white garments and placed them in the church's wardrobe as a reminder of their baptismal vows. On this Sunday, the eighth day of the Easter Octave, they joined the faithful for Mass without their white garments for the first time as all marched to the final stational church of Easter, St. Pancratius, named for a young man of 14 who was martyred for being baptized. Hence the Saturday is 'Sabbato in albis,' and today is Dominica in albis depositis, 'Sunday on which the white robes have been put aside.'

The Introit antiphon has two phrases:

  1. Quasi modo geniti infantes, alleluia
  2. rationabiles, sine dolo lac concupiscite, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

A newborn child, with its instinct of self-preservation, desires its mother's milk. It needs no admonitions. We also, in order to preserve the supernatural life, should have a spontaneous longing for the nourishment of our souls, for truth, and for the Holy Eucharist. Like a mother, the Church cries out to us: Preserve the spirit of the children of God, remain simple, humble, and submissive to Him. Remain rationabiles, and sine dolo; preserve the truth without falsity, and love without envy.

            The chant is extremely simple. After it has risen to the tonic of the sixth mode (fa)it clings to it tightly. It moves about this note, several times descends lower, but always strives toward it again. This is especially shown with infantes, al-(leluia). The plagal form of the F (fa) mode could scarcely be shown more clearly. Melodically, rationabiles, with its harmonious line, is the highest point. Its constituent notes are a syllabic part of the psalm-verse of the Introit: adjutori nostro. (The Introit of the Christmas vigil Mass resembles this melody to some extent.) After sine dolo there is a sort of break. So this phrase is not connected with the subsequent lac, as some do who translate: "Desire after the unadulterated milk"; it must be considered a separate phrase, parallel to rationabilesConcupiscite is a variant of (do)-lo. Of the three alleluia the second forms a contrast to the two others, which are identical with the exception of one single note. After the preceding d, the first sets in on c, while the third sets in on after the preceding c; so the beginnings are varied.

The Alleluia verse has three phrases: 

  1. Post dies octo, januis clausis 
  2. stetit Jesus in medio discipulorum suorum
  3. et dixit: Pax vobis. 

These melodies are unknown in the important manuscripts St Gall 339 and Einsiedeln 121. The motif which sets in over -luia appears again in the third member of the jubilus; in the second member it sinks pleasingly a third lower; the second parts are identical in the first and second members, but in the third there is a slight difference.

The first two phrases of the verse are clearly psalmodic in structure:

Intonation      Middle Cadence       Closing Cadence

Post dies       octo                            januis clausis

Stetit Jesus   in medio                     discipulorum suorum

The third phrase repeats Alleluia with its jubilus.

This Alleluia serves nicely as an introduction to the Gospel. During the eight days after Jesus' appearance in the Cenacle on the evening of Easter Sunday the disciples, no doubt, asked about Him and yearned for His presence. For one who seeks, whose heart is filled with longing, a period of eight days seems a painfully long time. Suddenly Jesus stands in their midst. He comes with that blessed greeting: ‘Peace be with you!’ He comes again with His cheering goodness, which seems to have become even more warm and profound since the resurrection. In today's Mass this appearance of Jesus will be renewed. The Saviour wishes to come to us, to address also to us His joyful Pax vobis, to give us His peace, yes, even to give Himself.

Again, in the Communion antiphon we have two phrases:

  1. Mitte manum tuam, et cognosce loca clavorum, alleluia:
  2. et noli esse incredulus, sed fidelis, alleluia, alleluia.

The melody prefers simple seconds and avoids larger intervals, reflecting the simple, straightforward manner in which Our Lord speaks to St. Thomas, in contrast to Thomas with his impetuous demands. So the piece is best sung devoutly and tenderly. OTOH, despite its simplicity, it does have its contrasts. Inserted among our Lord's words we find a comparatively florid and bright alleluia, on which the melody reaches its peak. At the end are two alleluia, which likewise extend to high bThere is also an interval of a fourth between fidelis and alleluia. These alleluia are the jubilant thanks of the Church for our redemption. And so the Risen One directs the words 'Put in your hand!' to us as well; for by faith we can touch His sacred wounds and unite with Him.

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Address and Phone

744 South 3rd Street (at Gratiot)
Saint Louis, MO 63102-1645
(314) 231-8101

Click Here for Directions

 

Copyright © 2023 St. Mary of Victories Catholic Church. All Rights Reserved.
Our Lady of Victories, Pray for Us!  St. Stephen of Hungary, Pray for Us!
Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos and Venerable Cardinal Mindszenty, Pray for Us!