V Sunday after Pentecost - Sunday within the Octave of St. John the Baptist

The fifth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, this year until None, is green. The Gospel pericopes at Mattins and Mass are from St. Matthew. The Vigil of SS Peter & Paul was anticated yesterday.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the Octave of St. John the Baptist and of St. Irenaeus. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Office hymn is Nocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Second Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from St. Gregory the Great's Book on Morals. In the third nocturn the homily on St. Matthew's Gospel is from St. Augustine. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of St. Irenaeus and of the Octave of St. John the Baptist. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

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

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Irenaeus, the third collect is of the Octave of St. John the Baptist. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

Prior to the reform of 1911-13 the fourth Sunday of June was the feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. All Masses, apart from the Conventual may be of the feast. The Mass De ventre is sung with Gloria, the second collect is of the Sunday. The Creed is sung (as it is a Sunday), the preface is of the Sunday and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

After None there is a colour change to red and first Vespers of the feast of SS Peter & Paul are sung. The antiphons Petrus et Joannes etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The Office hymn is Decora lux. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Vigil of SS Peter & Paul is omitted this year. The Octave of St. John the Baptist has been ablolished. At Vespers there are no commemorations. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is but a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

IV Sunday after Pentecost

The fourth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke tell of the hitherto empty nets of the fishermen being filled with fish at the lake of Genesareth after meeting the LORD.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The chapter was O altitudo and the Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. This chapter and hymn are used now on all of the 'green' Sundays after Pentecost. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of St. Aloysius Gonzaga. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the 'summer' Office hymn is Nocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons are taken from the First Book of Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon of St. Augustine and in the third nocturn the homily is from St. Ambrose on the Gospel account from St. Luke on the huge catch of fish at the lake of Genesareth. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Aloysius Gonzaga. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Aloysius Gonzaga. Today there is, ordinarily, no third collect. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

At Vespers, Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113, the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Paulinus and of St. Aloysius Gonzaga. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is but a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Sunday within the Octave of the Sacred Heart - Third Sunday after Pentecost

The Sunday within the Octave of the Sacred Heart, the third Sunday after Pentecost, is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The structure of the Office is as last Sunday. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke have the parable of the shepherd going after one sheep missing from his hundred strong flock.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons of the feast Unus militum etc were sung, not doubled, withPss. 109, 110, 115, 127 & 147. The chapter was of the Sunday and the Office hymn was En ut superba criminum, as on the feast. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St Anthony of Padua, of St Basil the Great and of the Octave. The Suffrage was omitted. At Compline the Dominical psalms were sung and Te lucis was sung with the Doxology and tone of the Octave. The Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Cor Jesu amore nostri vulneratum, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Auctor beate saeculi, both as on the feast., In the first nocturn the antiphons from the feast, Cogitationes etc are sung, not doubled, with Pss. 32, 35 & 40 and the lessons are a continuation of the First Book of the Kings. The responses are of the Octave. In the second nocturn the antiphons Rex omnis terrae etc are sung with Pss. 46, 60 & 93. The lessons are from the Encyclical of Pius XI in 1928 that, inter alia, gave the feast an Octave. In the third nocturn the antiphons Qui diligitis Dominum etc are sung with Pss. 96, 97 & 107. The homily is from St. Gregory on St. Lukes Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons Unus militum etc are sung, again as on the feast but not doubled, with psalms 92, 99, 62 Benedicite & 148. The Office hymn is Cor, arca legem continens. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of St. Basil and of the Octave of the Sacred Heart. The Suffrage is omitted.

At the Hours the hymns have the Doxology Jesu tibi sit gloria, Qui Corde fundis gratiam etc. The antiphons from Lauds are sung in the normal sequence at the Hours. At Prime, Pss. 53, 118(i) & 118(ii), in the short responsory the versicle Qui Corde fundis gratiam is sung. The lectio brevis is of the Sunday, Deus autem.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Basil, the third collect of the Octave. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Sacred Heart.

At Vespers the antiphons Unus militum etc are sung, not doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 115, 127 & 147. The Office hymn is En ut superba criminum. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of Monday within the Octave, of St. Basil and of SS Vitus, Modestus & Crescentia. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Octave of the Sacred Heart has been abolished. The liturgical colour of the day is green. There are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. Mass has a single collect and the preface of the Trinity.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christi

Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christi, the second Sunday after Pentecost, is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is white, the colour of the feast and Octave.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of the feast of Corpus Christi, Sacerdos in aeternum etc, were sung, not doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 115, 127 & 147. The chapter was of the Sunday, the Office hymn, Pange, lingua, as on the feast. The antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were of the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the Octave and of St. Norbert. The Suffrage was omitted being within an Octave etc. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation, Jesu tibi sit gloria, Qui natus es de Virgine, Cum Patre et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula. The Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Christum Regem adoremus dominantem Gentibus: Qui se manducantibus dat spiritus pinguedinem. The Office hymn is Sacris solemnis. The antiphons and psalms are as on the feast of Corpus Christi but the antiphons are not doubled.  The lessons are proper to the Sunday. In the first nocturn these are taken from the First Book of Kings. In the second nocturn they are taken from a sermon of St. Chrysostom to the people of Antioch and the homily in the third nocturn is from St. Gregory on St. Luke's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons are those sung on the feast of Corpus Christi, Sapientia etc but they are not doubled. The chapter is of the Sunday, the Office hymn is Verbum supernum prodiens as on the feast. The antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are of the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the Octave and SS Marcellinus etc. The Suffrage is omitted.

At the Little Hours the hymns are sung to the same tone as on the feast of the Nativity of the LORD (there of course being a deep link between the Incarnation and Corpus Christi) with the Doxology Jesu tibi sit gloria etc. At Prime, Pss. 53, 118(i) & 118(ii), the versicle in the short responsory is Qui natus es for the feast and Octave and the short lesson is Filioli mei, of the Sunday.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Nativity.

In Collegiate and Cathedral Churches a Mass of the feast of Corpus Christi is sung after None with Gloria, the second collect of the Sunday etc, the Sequence Lauda Sion, Creed, preface of the Nativity and last Gospel of the Sunday. After this a Procession is made as on the feast. Likewise in those countries where the External Solemnity of Corpus Christi is observed on the Sunday following the feast Masses are of the feast with a commemoration of the Sunday.

At Vespers the antiphons Sacerdos in aeternum etc, are sung, not doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 115, 127 & 147. The chapter is of the Sunday and the Office hymn is Pange, lingua. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following day within the Octave. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christi, and the Octave itself, have been abolished and the second Sunday after Pentecost is celebrated as a 'green' Sunday. The Ordinary Doxology is used at the hymns. There are no commemorations at Vespers. Mattins is stripped down to a single nocturn of three lessons with the invitatory and antiphons of the Sunday. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is a single collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

 
Image: Missale Romanum, 1572,  Antwerp

The Most Holy Trinity - First Sunday after Pentecost

The feast of the Most Holy Trinity is now a Double of the First Class having been raised to that rank in the reforms of 1911-13. Prior to those reforms it was a Double of the Second Class and before that a double. Its origin appears to be as a local feast that originated in Liege in the tenth century with its celebration spreading in northern France and England. The Franciscan John Peckham revised the texts in the thirteenth century. In many local rites Sundays were counted after Trinity rather than Pentecost, as indeed they still are in the BCP. The first Sunday after Pentecost is commemorated in the Office and Mass. The feasts of St. Angela Merici and of St. Petronilla are omitted in the universal calendar this year.

Yesterday afternoon first Vespers marked the beginning of the Summer (Pars Aestiva) volume of the Breviarium Romanum. The antiphons Gloria tibi Trinitas etc were sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The chapter, O altitudo, and Office hymn, Jam sol recedit, will be used at Vespers on Saturdays for all the Sundays after Pentecost. The antiphon on the Magnificat, Gratias tibi, Deus etc, and the collect were proper to the feast. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the first Sunday after Pentecost was sung. After Vespers the antiphon Salve Regina etc was sung for the first time this year. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is proper, Deum verum, unum in Trinitate, et Trinitatm in Unitate, Venite adoremus. In the first nocturn he antiphons, Adesto, unus Deus etc., are sung, doubled, with psalms 8, 18 & 23. The lessons are taken from the sixth chapter of the Prophet Isaiah. In the second nocturn the antiphons, Te invocamus etc., are sung, doubled, with psalms 46, 47 & 71, the lessons are taken from the Book of Bishop Fulgentius on faith. In the third nocturn the antiphons Caritas Pater est etc are sung, doubled,  with psalms 95, 96 & 97. The homily is from St. Gregory Nazianzen. The ninth lesson is of the first Sunday after Pentecost. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons, Gloria tibi, Trinitas etc., are sung, doubled, with the Dominical psalms (92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148). The Office hymn is Tu, Trinitatis Unitas. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung .

At Prime, Pss. 53, 118(i) & 118(ii), and Quicumque, the Athanasian Creed, are sung under the antiphon Gloria tibi Trinitas. The lectio brevis is Tres sunt and the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. Before Mass at the sprinkling of lustral water the antiphon Asperges me returns. The Mass is proper, Benedicta sit. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the Creed is sung, the preface is that of the Most Holy Trinity (used for all Sundays not having a proper preface after 1759), and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers the antiphons Gloria tibi, Trinitas etc are sung, doubled, with the Sunday psalms. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the first Sunday after Pentecost.  At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' so much has been excised from the Breviary that the usual four volumes are no longer needed. The 'Pars Altera' of the two volumes begins today. There is no commemoration of the first Sunday after Pentecost at Vespers, Mattins or Lauds. The eighth lesson is split into two to make a ninth lesson for the feast. At Prime Quicumque is sung on this Sunday alone in the 1962 rite, the lectio brevis is Dominus autem dirigat. At Mass there is no commemoration of the Sunday and therefore no proper last Gospel. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

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.