Anticipated Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

Today is the anticipated Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany. It is of semi-double rite. The Gospel at Mattins and Mass is from St. Matthew and is the account of the LORD stilling the storm at sea.

In order to minimise the number of Sunday's omitted in the annual cycle this year the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany is anticipated with all the privileges of a Sunday as tomorrow is Septuagesima Sunday. Yesterday at Vespers, although the ferial psalter was used, the collect was from the Sunday and the Vespers were priviliged in concurrence with the double feast of St. Francis de Sales. Commemorations of St. Francis and St. Martina was sung.

At Mattins the psalms of Saturday are used but in the first nocturn the first lesson is the Incipit of the Epistle to the Philippians (from the fourth Sunday), the second lesson in the Incipit from the Epistle to the Colossians (from the Tuesday after the fourth Sunday) and the third lesson the Incipit from the First Epistle to the Thessalonians (from the Thursday after the fourth Sunday), with the responsories of the anticipated Sunday. The lessons in the second nocturn are from the Book of Morals of St. Gregory the Great and in the third nocturn the homily is from St. Jerome on the eighth chapter of St. Matthew. At Lauds the psalms of Saturday are sung but the antiphon at the Benedictus and the collect are of the Sunday. A commemoration of St. Martina is sung followed by the Suffrage of the Saints.

At Prime the chapter is Regi saeculorum as used on Sundays and feasts, the Dominical preces are sung. At the reading of the Martyrology the first entry is Dominica in Septuagesima etc. At the other Little Hours the collect of the Sunday is sung.

At Mass the Gloria is sung, a commemoration of St. Martina is made, the third collect is Deus, qui salutis. The Creed is sung and the Preface is that of Sunday.

Vespers are of Septuagesima Sunday celebrated in violet vestments. Commemorations of tomorrow's occuring Office of St. John Bosco and of St. Martina are sung. When the cantors chant Benedicamus Dominio two Alleluia's are added and also added the response Deo gratias. Then until Holy Saturday there is no Alleluia in the Roman Office. At Compline and at all Hours until the Triduum after Deus in adjutorium etc. Alleluia is replaced by Laus tibi Domine Rex aeterne gloriae.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany is not anticipated and so the liturgy is entirely different. On Friday Vespers were of St. Francis of Sales without any commemorations. Today the feast of St. Martina is reduced from a three nocturn semi-double to a third class feast with one nocturn. At Mattins the lessons of the Saturday after the third Sunday are read as first and second lesson. There is no anicipation of Scriptural lessons. At Mass the Gloria is sung, there are no additional collects. Vespers are of Septuagesima without any commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal