Minor Feast of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist (29 August)

Salome with the Head of John the Baptist, Caravaggio, c. 1607

Collect: Almighty God, who called John the Baptist to give witness to the coming of your Son and to prepare his way, strengthen us by your grace, that as he suffered for the truth, so we may boldly resist corruption and sin, and receive with him the unfading crown of glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Minor Feast of Saint Augustine of Hippo, Doctor and Bishop, 430 AD (28 August)

Saint Augustine in His Study, Sandro Botticelli, 1480

Collect: God, ancient of days and for ever new, you are the light of the minds that know you, the life of the souls that love you, and the strength of the hearts that serve you. Remember, we pray, your servant Augustine, and grant us so to rejoice in his teaching and holy life, that we may set our minds on the beauty of your truth and order our desires by the rule of your Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord,who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Evening Prayer for the Feast of the Falling Asleep of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today is also the Feast of the Falling Asleep of the Blessed Virgin Mary (or the Dormition of the Theotokos (Greek: Mother of God)) (or the Assumption of the BVM for the Roman Catholics) (theologically, Dormition and Assumption are different, but I will not get into it here) or as I like to call it โ€œSleepy Mary Dayโ€ ๐Ÿ›Œ๐Ÿคฑ๐Ÿฝ.

Evening Prayer for The Feast of the Falling Asleep of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Collect for the Feast of the Falling Asleep of the BVM: Almighty God, who didst ensue with singular grace the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord: Vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to us who commemorate her Falling Asleep, that our bodies may be hallowed in purity, and our souls in humility and love; through the same Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Magnificat (Song of Mary):
My soul doth magnify the Lord, / and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded / the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth / all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me; / and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him / throughout all generations.
He hath showed strength with his arm; / he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, / and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; / and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy / hath holpen his servant Israel;
As he promised to our forefathers, / Abraham and his seed for ever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, / and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, / world without end. Amen.

The Angelus:
V. The Angel of the Lord announced unto Mary,
R. And she conceived by the Holy Ghost.
V. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
R. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord;
R. Be it unto me according to thy word.
V. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
R. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
V. And the Word was made flesh,
R. And dwelt among us.
V. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
R. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray,
We beseech Thee, O Lord, pour Thy grace into our hearts; that as we have known the Incarnation of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, by the message of an angel, so by His Cross and Passion we may be brought unto the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Dormition of the Theotokos