XV Sunday after Pentecost

Today is the fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost and the third Sunday of September. It is, of course, of semi-double rite. It is also Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity of the BVM, although following the 1911-13 reform, the Octave has become a 'simple' one and is barely, liturgically, apparent. The theme of St. Luke's Gospel at Mattins and Mass is the raising of the widow's son at Naim. The week following sees the feasts of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Seven Dolours of the BVM and the September Ember Days.

At Vespers yesterday the Office hymn, Jam sol recedit igneus, was sung to the melody used for feasts of the BVM with the Doxology Jesu, tibi sit gloria due to the occurring feast of the Holy Name of Mary. A commemoration of this feast was sung after the Magnifcat. Likewise at Compline the proper Doxology was sung.

At Mattins the lessons in the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit (beginning) of the Book of Tobias with their responsories. In the second nocturn the lessons are from the ninth sermon on the fast of the seventh month and, in the third nocturn, the homily on the Gospel is from the writings of St. Augustine. At Lauds the Suffrage of the Saints is sung.

At Prime Quicumque, the 'Athanasian Creed' is sung after the second stanza of Ps. 118 and the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is A cunctis and the third collect chosen by the Dean or the celebrant. The Creed is sung and the preface that of Sunday.

At Vespers the liturgical colour changes to red and first Vespers of the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross are sung. The Office is proper and the hymn the magnificent Vexilla regis last heard on May 3rd for the sister feast of the Invention of the Holy Cross. The Sunday is commemorated.

Prior to the 1911-13 reform Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity of the BVM was occupied by the feast of the Holy Name of Mary. One Mass may be sung of the feast may be sung with Gloria, second collect of the Sunday, Creed, preface of the Blessed Virgin and with the last Gospel of the Sunday. This Mass is celebrated in white vestments.

In the unpleasant 1960s committee work product there is no commemoration of the feast of the Holy Name at Vespers, neither is there a proper Doxology to the hymns of Vespers and Compline. The antiphon at the Magnificat will be a week behind that used in the traditional rite. Mattins is is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted from Lauds. At Prime the 'Athanasian Creed' is not sung, neither are the Dominical preces. At Mass there is but a single collect. Vespers are of the Sunday without even a commemoration of the following feast. The discrepancy of how the first Sunday of the month is appointed means that the 1962ists will not keep Ember Days until a week after those celebrating the traditional rite.