Sunday 4 July 2010

VI Sunday after Pentecost


The sixth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite. It is also, this year, the Sunday within the Octave of SS Peter and Paul. The liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Mark describe the Feeding of the Four Thousand with seven loaves and fishes.

At Vespers yesterday the psalms of Saturday were sung. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Leo II and of the Octave of SS Peter and Paul. The Suffrage of the Saints was not sung nor were the Dominical preces at Compline because of the occurring Octave.

At Mattins there are the usual three nocturns. The invitatory and hymn are as sung on previous 'green' Sundays. In the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from the Second Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from St. Ambrose's Defence of David. Again St. Ambrose provides the homily in the third nocturn on St. Mark's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds a commemoration is sung of the Octave of SS. Peter and Paul. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted due to the Octave.

At Prime psalms 117, 118i & 118ii are sung. The Dominical preces are omitted due to the Octave.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave, there is no third collect - the general rule for Sundays within Octaves. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

As a result of Pius X moving the feast of Precious Blood from the first Sunday of July to July 1st the rubrics allow for the celebration of the Mass of the feast on the Sunday to which it was formerly attached. All Masses, except the Conventual Mass, may be of The Precious Blood celebrated in red vestments. The Mass Redemisti nos is sung. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the Creed is sung, the preface is of the Cross and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

In some countries the external solemnity of SS Peter and Paul is observed on this Sunday. The Mass Nunc scio vere is sung in red vestments. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the Creed is sung, the preface is of the Apostles and the last Gospel of the Sunday.

Vespers are of the Sunday with a commemoration of the following feast of St. Antony Mary Zaccaria and of the Octave. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted at Vespers and the Dominical preces not sung at Compline because of the occurring double feast and Octave.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations or Suffrage at Vespers. The Octave of SS Peter and Paul has been abolished. As this Octave is one of the most ancient, even perhaps the most ancient, retaining proper texts for the feast, the Octave Day and days within the Octave, one sees a total contempt for tradtion in the reformers' actions. Mattins is cut down to one nocturn of three lessons. There are no commemorations or Suffrage at Lauds. At Prime there is neither Quicumque is sung nor the Dominical preces despite there being no commemorated double feast or Octave. Mass has a single collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Lambert Lombard's painting of the miracle of the seven loaves and fishes from Wikipedia.

3 comments:

Ioannes Andreades said...

When you say it may be "the" most ancient, do you mean the most ancient of octaves for saints?

Anonymous said...

Dear Sir,

I have heard that the 1969 Missal has been updated ( A reform of the Reform). Do you think it's critics will now stop calling it a " Mess "?

Rubricarius said...

Anonymous,

The 1970 Missal (1969 was the Ordo Missae) has undergone two new full editions (little difference between the first and second, quite a lot between the second and third) and the third edition itself has had some amendments. If you Google it you can compare editions.