Sunday 16 October 2011

XVIII Sunday after Pentecost


The eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost is, this year, the third Sunday of October. It is of semi-double rite and the liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew relate the healing of a paralytic, both by being forgiven his sins and physically healed by the LORD.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Lugebat autem Judam for the Saturday before the third Sunday of October. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Teresa of Avila and of St. Hedwig. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted due to the concurring double feast as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins in the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from the First Book of the Machabees. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Ambrose's book of Offices. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Peter Chrysologus on St. Matthew's Gospel. At Lauds, after the collect of the day, a commemoration is sung of St. Hedwig followed by the Suffrage of the Saints.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Hedwig, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed is sung as is the preface of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday, a commemoration is sung of the following Office of St. Margaret Mary and of St. Hedwig. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted due to the concurring double feast as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the heart of the Realm of England, the City of Westminster, today is Sunday within the Octave of St. Edward the Confessor. Users of neither the 'ordinary' nor 'extraordinary' forms of the 1962 books will honour St. Edward with an Octave. However, in the great Collegiate Church that enshrines the body of St. Edward the Saint is duly honoured with his traditional Octave. May St. Edward protect Her Majesty The Queen, the Royal House and this Realm!


Icon of St. Edward the Confessor Ad Orientem

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' Mattins is cut down to only one nocturn. There are no commemorations at either Vespers, Lauds or Mass. At Prime there is no Quicumque, nor preces , ever, at either Prime or Compline. Any church with St. Edward as the Titular, or any other saint, never keeps the Octave following these modern rites.

Art: Jerome Nadal

2 comments:

Paleo-Con said...

Was the octave of St Edward the Confessor celebrated in the Archdiocese of Westminster from 1850 - 1955?

Rubricarius said...

Paleo-Con,

Not in the entire Archdiocese but the churches that were in Westminster itself. It gets more complex in that the recent praxis, whereby St. Edward's Octave was kept by churches within the boundaries of the Civil City. However, these boundaries are relatively modern.