Dominica Pentecostes - Pentecost Sunday

The feast of Pentecost, or Whitsun - as it is known in English speaking lands from 'White Sunday' most likely a reference to the white albs the newly baptized at the Vigil would wear - is one of the greatest feasts in the Liturgical Year ranking next only to Pascha and, like the Queen of Feasts, is a Double of the First Class with a privileged Octave of the first order. The liturgical colour of the feast and its Octave is red.

Yesterday, after None, the beautiful and splendid ceremonies of the Vigil of Pentecost were celebrated with its six prophecies, blessing of the font, litany of the Saints and Vigil Mass. Some fine photographs of the rite can be found here. After the Vigil first Vespers of the feast were sung. The antiphons, Cum complerentur dies Pentecostes etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. During the singing of the hymn, Veni, Creator Spiritus, all knelt during the first verse. All hymns of the feast and Octave have the Doxology Deo Patri sit gloria, Et Filio, qui a mortuis, Surrexit ac Paraclito, In saeculorum saecula. Veni Creator is sung in tone 8, the other hymns of the Office in tone 1. There were no commemorations, nor Commemoration of the Cross. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted.

Mattins for the feast, and Octave, is like Pascha in only having a single nocturn of three psalms and three lessons. The invitatory is Alleluia, Spiritus Domini replevit orbem terrarum, Venite adoremus Alleluia. The Office hymn is Jam Christus astra ascenderat. The antiphons Factus est etc are sung with psalms 47, 67 & 103. The lessons are from a homily of St. Gregory the Great on St. John's Gospel. At Lauds the antiphons, Cum complerentur dies Pentecostes etc, are the same as at Vespers and are sung with Pss. 92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148. The Office hymn is Beata nobis gaudia. There are no commemorations.

At Prime Pss.53, 118(i) & 118(ii) are sung under the antiphon Cum complerentur. In the short responsory the versicle Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, alleluia, alleluia is sung. The short lesson is Judaei quoque. The Dominical preces are omitted. At Terce instead of the usual hymn Nunc Sancte nobis the hymn Veni Creator is sung as it was at the third hour the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles, as at Vespers the first verse is sung kneeling.

At Mass the Vidi aquam is sung for the last time this year and the aspersion takes place with Baptismal water taken after the blessing of the font yesterday morning. The Gloria is sung and there is only one collect. After the Alleluia the beautiful sequence Veni, Sancte Spiritus is sung. The Creed is sung. The preface, Communicantes and Hanc igitur are proper to the feast and are used throughout the Octave.

At second Vespers the antiphons Cum complerentur dies Pentecostes etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The Office hymn is Veni, Creator Spiritus. The versicle and response and antiphon on the Magnificat are proper to second Vespers. There are no commemorations.

Following the 'liturgical books of 1962' the magnificent ceremonies of the Vigil have been entirely abolished - no doubt as they would remind the faithful of the traditional form of Holy Saturday - although the Hanc igitur of the Mass of the Vigil still retains the clause '...on behalf of these whom Thou hast vouchsafed to bring to a new birth by water and the Holy Ghost..' even though the ancient baptismal rites have been abolished. At Compline and at the hymns of the Hours, except Terce, the ordinary Doxology is sung. The antiphons at the Little Hours are doubled.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension

The Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The theme of the great feast of the Ascension continues with most of the texts coming from the feast. However, unlike on the feast itself, the antiphons at the Greater Hours are not doubled. The Gospel pericopes from St. John contain the beautiful words of the LORD promising the gift of the Paraclete.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons for the feast, Viri Galilaei etc, were sung (not doubled) with the psalms of the feast (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116). The chapter was of the Sunday, the Office hymn was of the Ascension, Salutis humane Sator, and the antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were proper to the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding feast of St. Ubald, of St. Paschal Baylon and of the Octave. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross was omitted. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Ascension Doxology Jesu tibi sit gloria, Qui victor in caelum redis etc, but the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory, hymn and antiphons, Elevata est etc., are as on the feast, but the antiphons are not doubled. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the First Epistle of St. John, the responsories are of the feast. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from a sermon on the Ascension by St. Augustine and the same Father provides the third nocturn lessons reflecting on St. John's Gospel. At Lauds all is from the feast, but with the antiphons not doubled, except the chapter, antiphon on the Benedictus and collect. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of St. Paschal and of the Octave.

At the hymns are sung with the melody and Doxology of Ascension. At Prime, Pss. 53, 118(i), 118(ii), the lesson is Si quis loquitur. The Dominical preces are omitted due to the Octave etc.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Paschal Baylon, the third collect is of the Octave. The Creed is sung, the preface and communicantes are of the Ascension.

At Vespers the antiphons, not doubled, and psalms are as on the feast. The Office hymn is Salutis humane Sator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Venantius, of St. Paschal Baylon and of the Octave. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Octave has been abolished having been stripped from the feast in 1956 so today becomes the Sunday after the Ascension. At Vespers the antiphons and psalms are of Saturday and there are no commemorations. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn, the invitatory and hymn of the Ascension are sung but the psalms are those for Sunday under a single antiphon. At Lauds the psalms are sung under a single antiphon, as previous Sundays, and there are no commemorations. At Prime the Dominical psalms, 117, 118(i) & 118(ii) are sung although the short lesson is, perhaps surprisingly, Viri Galilaei for 'Ascensiontide'. The hymns of the Hours do not have the Ascension Doxology. In Mass there is but a single collect. The preface of the Ascension is sung but not the proper communicantes in the Canon. Vespers are of the Sunday, the psalms sung under one antiphon - as on other Sundays after Pascha - there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal.

Fifth Sunday after Pascha

The fifth Sunday after Pascha is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The Gospel pericopes from St. John describe how the LORD tells His disciples to ask for anything in His name after He has ascended to the Father. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week are the Rogation Days of the Lesser Litanies before the feast of the LORD's Ascension on Thursday.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Saturday were sung under the single antiphon Alleluia. The Office hymn was Ad regias Agni dapes. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Gregory Nazianzenen, of St. Antoninus and of SS Gordian & Epimachus. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross was omitted. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Paschal Doxology and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Surrexit Dominus vere, Alleluia and the Office hymn is Rex sempiterne Caelitum. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the first Epistle of St. Peter. In the second nocturn the lessons are from the writing of St. Ambrose on faith in the Resurrection and in the third nocturn the lessons are a homily of St. Augustine on St. John's Gospel on the LORD's words "Amen, amen, I say to you: if you ask the Father anything in my name, he will give it to you." The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aurora. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of St. Antoninus and of SS Gordian & Epimachus. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is omitted.

At the Hours the hymns are sung with the Paschal Doxology. At Prime the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Antoninus, the third collect is of SS Gordian & Epimachus. The Creed is sung and the preface is of Paschaltide.

At Vespers the Dominical psalms are sung under the single antiphon Alleluia. The Office hymn is Ad regias Agni dapes. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Antoninus. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is omitted. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Paschal Doxology and the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers.The Paschal Doxology is not sung at Compline or at the Little Hours. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is but a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

The Invention of the Holy Cross

The feast of the Invention of the Holy Cross is a Double of the Second Class and its liturgical colour is red. The feast celebrates the discovery of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem by the Empress St. Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine. This year the feast falls on the fourth Sunday after Pascha and takes precedence over the Sunday.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons O magnum pietatis opus etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The Office hymn was the magnificent Vexilla regis, last heard towards the end of the Mass of the Pre-Sanctified on Good Friday morning, but the verse O Crux ave differed by one line, Paschale quae fers gaudium. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the preceding feast of St. Athanasius and of the Sunday. At Compline the Dominical psalms were sung, Te lucis was sung with the Paschal Doxology and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Christum Regem crucifixum, Venite adoremus, alleluia. In the first nocturn the antiphonInventae Crucis etc is sung with psalms 1, 2 & 3. The first lesson is from St. Paul to the Galatians with the poignant words: 'Christ has redeemed us from the curse law, being made a curse for us: for it is written: Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Jesus; that we may receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.' The second lesson is from the Epistle to the Philippians with the passage so familiar from the Triduum and the third lesson from the Epistle to the Colossians. In the second nocturn the antiphon Felix ille triumphus etc is sung with psalms 4, 5 & 8. The lessons relate the work of St. Helena in fourth century Jerusalem finding three crosses buried in a cistern. Not knowing which cross the LORD had died on each was placed on a woman with a sickness by Macarius, Bishop of Jerusalem. When touched by the True Cross the sick woman was instantly restored to health. In the third nocturn the antiphon Adoramus te Christe etc is sung with psalms 95, 96 & 97. The lessons are from a homily of St. Augustine on the Gospel of St. John. The ninth lesson is of the Sunday. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons O magnam pietatis opus etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of SS Alexander & Others.

At the Hours the Paschaltide Doxology is sung with all the Office hymns and the antiphons of Lauds are sung with the Dominical psalms in the usual order. At Prime, Pss. 53, 118(i) & 1189ii), the Dominical preces are omitted and the short lesson is Humiliavit semetipsum.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday (in private Masses the third collect is of SS Alexander etc), the Creed is sung, the preface is of the Holy Cross and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At second Vespers all is sung as at first Vespers except the antiphon on the Magnificat which is proper to second Vespers. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the following Office of St. Monica and of the Sunday. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast of the Invention of the Holy Cross has been abolished from the Kalendar as its observance in the West only dated to the seventh century (it appears on May 3rd in Martyrologium Hieronymianum. At Vespers yesterday (of the Sunday) there were no commemorations. Mattins (of the Sunday) is cut down to a single nocturn. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is a single collect. The Paschaltide Doxology (and tone) is not sung at the Hours.

Art: A ninth century MS illustration of the Invention of the Holy Cross by St. Helena from Wikipedia.

Third Sunday after Pascha - Sunday within the Octave of St Joseph

The third Sunday after Pascha is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, from Mattins this year, is white. The Gospel pericopes from St. John's Gospel have the LORD telling the Disciples that in a little while He will be going to the Father. It is also the Sunday within the Octave of the Solemnity of St. Joseph. Prior to the reform of 1911-13 this feast was celebrated on the third Sunday after Pascha but was subsequently moved to the third Wednesday after Easter. Privileged Votive Masses of the Solemnity of St. Joseph may be celebrated as noted below.

Yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of St. Mark the Evangelist were sung. The antiphons Sancti tui etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn was Tristes erant Apostoli. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the Sunday and of SS Cletus and Marcellinus. The Paschal Suffrage of the Cross was omitted due to the Octave and double feast. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Paschal Doxology and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory Surrexit Dominus vere, Alleluia and the Office hymn is Rex sempiterne Caelitum. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the book of the Apocalypse of St. John. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from a sermon of St. Augustine and in the third nocturn St. Augustine also provides the homily on St. John's Gospel. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aurora caelum purpurat. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of SS Cletus & Marcellinus and of the Octave of St. Joseph. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is omitted.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns have the Paschal Doxology. At Prime the Dominical preces are omitted due to the Octave.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of SS Cletus & Marcellinus, the third collect is of the Octave of St. Joseph. The Creed and the Paschaltide preface are sung.

Masses other than Conventual Masses may all be of the Solemnity of St. Joseph. The Mass Adjutor is sung, as on the feast. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the Creed is sung. The preface is of St. Joseph and the last Gospel is of the Sunday. The liturgical colour is white.

At Vespers Ps. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113 are sung under the single antiphon Alleluia. The Office hymn is Ad regias Agni dapes. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Peter Canisius, of SS Cletus & Marcellinus and of the Octave of St. Joseph. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross in omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' yesterday at Vespers of St. Mark only the Sunday was commemorated. The feast of the Solemnity of St. Joseph and its Octave have been abolished. At Compline and at the Hours Te lucis is sung with the ordinary Doxology. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is a single collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Second Sunday after Pascha

The second Sunday after Pascha is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is white. It is sometimes referred to as 'Good Shepherd Sunday' from the words of the Epistle from I Peter "For you were as sheep gone astray: but you are now converted to the shepherd and bishop of your souls" and from the Gospel where the LORD proclaims "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep." The Sunday is also referred to as Misericordia after the opening words of the introit.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Vespers for Saturday were sung under the single antiphon, Alleluia. The chapter, Carissimi: Christus passus est pro nobis etc, was proper to the Sunday, the Office hymn was Ad regias Agni dapes. The antiphon on the Magnificat reinforced the theme of the Sunday, Ego sum pastor ovium. After the collect of the Sunday the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross was sung. At Compline Te lucis was sung to the Paschal tone with the Doxology Deo Patri sit gloria etc and the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory, Surrexit Dominus, and Office hymn, Rex sempiterne, are sung as last Sunday. Again, at the nocturns the psalms are sung under one antiphon. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the Acts of the Apostles. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from the first sermon on the Ascension of the Lord by St. Leo. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Gregory. At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148) are sung under a single antiphon. The Office hymn is Aurora caelum purpurat. After the collect of the Sunday the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is sung.

At the Hours the hymns are sung with the Paschal Doxology and the psalms are sung under a single antiphon consisting of a triple Alleluia. At Prime, Pss. 117, 118(i) & 118(ii), the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is Concede nos, the third collect is Ecclesiae etc. The Creed is sung and the preface is of Paschaltide.

At Vespers Pss.109, 110, 111, 112 & 113 are sung under the single antiphon Alleluia. The Office hymn is Ad regias Agni dapes. After the collect of the Sunday the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross has been abolished. The Dominical preces at Prime and Compline have been abolished. At Compline and the Little Hours the hymns are sung with the ordinary Doxology. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Mass there is but a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Dominica in Albis - Low Sunday

Dominica in Albis, Low Sunday, is a greater-double of the first class and its liturgical colour is white. The Sunday is also often referred to as Quasimodo from the first words of its introit. Anciently on this day, or on Saturday, those who had been baptised on Holy Saturday took off their white robes which had been worn since the Oil of Catechumens and Chrism had been lavished upon them on Holy Saturday. The Gospel at Mattins and Mass is the account of the LORD appearing in to His disciples behind the shut doors of the room and the doubting of St. Thomas. Indeed another name for the Sunday is 'Thomas Sunday'. The Office of the Octave of Pascha ended with the Office of None yesterday. Octaves for other feasts are resumed from today.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Saturday were sung under the single antiphon, Alleluia. Chapters and hymns return to the Office from this Vespers. The Paschaltide hymn Ad regias Agni dapes was sung. Its Doxology,Deo Patri sit gloria, Et Filio qui a mortuis, Surrexit ac Paraclito, In sempiterna saecula, is sung at all hymns of Iambic metre until the Ascension. From this Office the dismissal, Benedicamus Domino, is sung without the double Alleluia that marked the Paschal Octave. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of St. Leo the Great. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory Surrexit Dominus vere Alleluia continues to be sung. The Office hymn is Rex Sempiterne Caelitum. The psalms of each nocturn are sung under a single antiphon. In the first nocturn the antiphon is Alleluia, * lapis revolutus est, alleluia: ab ostio monumenti, alleluia, alleluia and the lessons are from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians. In the second nocturn the antiphon is Alleluia, * quem quaeris mulier? alleluia, alleluia, viventem cum mortuis, alleluia, alleluia and the lessons are taken from a sermon of St. Augustine on the Octave of Easter. In the third nocturn the antiphon is Alleluia, * noli flere Maria, alleluia: resurrexit Dominus, alleluia, alleluia and the homily is from the writings of St. Gregory on St. John's Gospel. At Lauds Pss. 92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148 are sung under a single antiphon, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. The Office hymn is Aurora caelum purpurat. The Suffrage is omitted.

At Prime, Pss. 117, 118(i) & 118(ii), and the Hours the psalms are again sung under a single antiphon at each Hour, Alleluia, * alleluia, alleluia - which is not doubled.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung. The Creed is sung and the preface is of Paschaltide (In hoc potissimum).

At Vespers the Dominical psalms are sung under a single antiphon Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. The Office hymn is Ad regias Agni dapes. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Hermenegild is sung. The Suffrage is omitted. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' Mattins is reduced to a single nocturn of three lessons with the single antiphon Alleluia, lapis revolutus etc. At the Little Hours the Paschaltide Doxology is not sung with the hymns. At Mass there is a change to one word in the introit as 'rationabile' replaced 'rationabiles'. Vespers are of the Sunday.

Image: Jerome Nadal.