The Feast of St. Lawrence Deacon & Martyr

The feast day of St. Lawrence Deacon & Martyr is today. One wonders how many liturgical celebrations of the Roman liturgy will bear witness to this.

Prior to the reform of John XXIII, Rubricarum instructum, St. Lawrence's feast, as a Double of the Second Class, took precedence over the 'green' semi-double XIII Sunday after Pentecost (and Second Sunday of August).

The Office of the day is festal. At Mattins the ninth lesson is read of the commemorated Sunday and the Sunday is commemorated at Lauds, Mass (with both orations and 'proper' last Gospel of the Sunday) and Vespers. As the feast does not have a proper preface that of Sunday (the Holy Trinity) is sung. Needless to say the feast is celebrated in red vestments.

St. Lawrence pray for us.