How to read the Ordo - III

As the earlier posts were clearly of some use to readers here is a third example of the Ordo entry for a day explained.

Today is both the anticipated Vigil of SS Peter and Paul and the fourth day within the Octave of St. John the Baptist. The Vigil is anticipated as a common vigil cannot occur on a Sunday. As SS Peter and Paul fall on a Monday this year their Vigil is anticipated by commemoration today (as its Office cannot be celebrated being of simple rite whilst the day within the Octave of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist is of semi-double rite).

'De IV die inf Oct Nat S Joannis* Baptistae, sd' informs us that the fourth day within the Octave of St. John the Baptist is celebrated and is of semi-double rite. The asterisk is a reminder to the celebrant that a bow is made at the name of St. John in the Canon. Semi-double rite means the antiphons at Mattins, Lauds and Vespers are not doubled and that Mattins has three nocturns.

'Ad Mat L IX Vig et com Vig* in L et M.' This means that in the third nocturn the lessons of the Vigil are read as the ninth lesson to commemorate the Vigil. A commemoration of the Vigil is sung at Lauds and at Mass (the asterisk again indicates a bow of the head at the name of Ss Peter and Paul.

'In M Gl, 3 or Concede nos, ult Ev Vig' translates as at Mass the Gloria is sung (the second collect from the line above is for the Vigil of SS Peter and Paul), the third collect is of the Blessed Virgin and the last Gospel is that of the Vigil in place of In principio.

'Vel M priv ad lib de Vig*, 2 or Oct Nat S Joannis* Baptistae, 3 or Concede nos - Color violaceus' is informing the reader that a 'private' Mass may be of the Vigil with a commemoration of the Octave and the third collect of the Blessed Virgin. These Masses would be celebrated in violet vestments as the Gloria is not sung Benedicamus Domino is the dismissal.

'V seq, com praec et S Irenaei EM' means that Vespers are first Vespers of the Sunday (in green noting the second colour indicator letter in the right-hand column) with commemorations sung of the preceding Office of the day within the Octave of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist and of the feast occurring tomorrow, St. Irenaeus.