Practicalities - Sext

Last week we began to 'dissect' the 'Little' Hours of Terce, Sext and None. By way of a further example Sext for today's Vigil of All Saints will be considered.

The structure of Sext today is as follows:

(Aperi, Domine;)

Pater noster & Ave Maria (said inaudibly);

Deus in adjutorium.., Domine, ad adjuvandum..., Gloria Patri..., Sicut erat..., Alleluia.

The hymn Rector potens, verax Deus.

From Friday's psalmody the antiphon fragment Beati, qui habitant is intoned. Then the 'Psalms' 83(i), 83(ii) & 86. At the end of each stanza or Psalm the Doxology is sung but the antiphon is only repeated, in full, after Psalm 86.

The chapter is taken from the the ferial Office of Friday Nemini quidquam...implevit. The choir responds Deo gratias.

Then the responsory, also from the ferial Office, Benedicam Dominum etc follows. This is followed by the versicle Dominus regit... and then the response In loco pascuae....

The ferial preces are now sung, the choir kneeling.

Dominus vobiscum (or Domine exaudi orationem meam) and response then Oremus and then the collect of the Vigil Domine, Deus noster... etc.

The greeting is repeated then Benedicamus Domino etc.

In Choral service the Hours would normally be aggregated. The choir would sing Prime, Terce, Sext and None and then High Mass of the Vigil would follow.