XIV Sunday after Pentecost

Today is the fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost and, this year, the first Sunday of September. The first Sunday of September marks the beginning of the Pars Autumnalis, the Autumn volume, of the Roman Breviary. A commemoration is made of the feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist. The pericopes from St. Matthew's Gospel contain the famous passages about the 'lilies of the field' and seeking first the Kingdom of God.

At Vespers yesterday the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Cum audisset Job for the Saturday before the first Sunday in September. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Augustine, of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist and St. Sabina. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted at Vespers as were the Dominical preces at Compline because of the occurring double feasts.

At Mattins there are the usual three nocturns. The invitatory and hymn are as sung on previous 'green' Sundays. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Job. In the second nocturn the lessons are from the Book of Morals by St. Gregory. In the third nocturn the lessons are a homily from St. Augustine on St. Matthew's Gospel. At Lauds commemorations are sung of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist and St. Sabina. The Suffrage of the Saints is not sung because of the double feast.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted due to the occurring double feast.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, the third collect is of St. Sabina. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Holy Trinity and the last Gospel is the Gospel from the Mass of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, Misit Herodes etc.

Vespers are of the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Rose of Lima, of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist and of SS Felix and Adauctus.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Sunday is the fifth Sunday of August, not th first of September. At Vespers on Saturday the antiphon on the Magnificat is Observa, fili, there were no commemorations or Suffrage. As usual Mattins is cut down to one nocturn of three lessons. The first two lessons continue to be read from the book of Ecclesisticus. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Prime both Quicumque and the preces are always omitted on 'green' Sundays. At Mass there is only one collect, the last Gospel is In principio. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

St. Bartholomew the Apostle

The feast of St. Bartholomew the Apostle is a Double of the Second Class. The feast is preceded by a Vigil, although the Office of the Vigil is outranked by the feast of St. Philip Benizi it is commemorated at Lauds. However, 'private' Masses of the Vigil, celebrated in violet with a commemoration of the feast, are permitted.

Celebration of St. Bartholomew's feast began with first Vespers yesterday. The antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc were sung along with the psalms of first Vespers from the Common Apostles (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116) and other parts from the same Common. The collect of the feast was proper. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the preceding Office of St. Philip Benizi was sung. At Compline the Dominical psalms were sung and the preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Apostolorum Dominum, venite adoremus. The antiphons In omnem terram etc are sung with the psalms from the Common of Apostles. In first nocturn the lessons are Sic nos existimet homo from the former Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. In the second nocturn the lessons are proper to the feast. In the third nocturn the homily is taken from St. Ambrose's commentary on St. Luke's Gospel. At Lauds the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc are sung with the Sunday psalms.

At the Hours the antiphons from Lauds are used. At Prime the feastal psalms are sung (Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii). The lectio brevis is Ibant Apostoli.

Mass is sung after Terce. The introit is Mihi autem nimis. The Gloria is sung, the Creed is sung and the preface is of the Apostles.

Vespers are of the feast with commemorations of the following feast of St. Louis of France. At Compline the Dominical psalms are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast loses first Vespers and is not commemorated at Vespers of St. Philip Benizi. The Vigil of St. Bartholomew has been abolished. Compline on Tuesday was ferial. At Prime the ferial antiphons and psalmody are used, the lectio brevis is of the season. At the other Little Hours the ferial antiphons and psalms are also sung. The feast only has second Vespers, with no commemoration of St. Louis.

Icon: Melkite Eparchy in Australia

XIII Sunday after Pentecost

The thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, this year the fourth Sunday of August, is of semi-double rite. Today is also the Octave Day of the Assumption of the Most Holy Mother of God. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke's Gospel tell of the LORD and the ten lepers, only one of which thanked Him for being healed.

At Vespers yesterday the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Sapientia for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday in August. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Jane Frances Fremiot de Chantal, of the Octave Day (with the antiphon from first Vespers of the feast, Virgo prudentissima) and of SS Timothy, Hippolytus and Symphorian. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted at Vespers as were the Dominical preces at Compline because of the occurring double feast and Octave Day. Hymns of Iambic metre have the Doxology of the Incarnation as has happened throughout the Octave.

At Mattins there are the usual three nocturns. The invitatory and hymn are as sung on previous 'green' Sundays. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Ecclesiasticus. In the second nocturn the lessons are from the Book of Morals by St. Gregory. In the third nocturn the lessons are a homily from St. Augustine on St. Luke's Gospel. At Lauds commemorations are sung of the Octave Day and of SS. Timothy, Hippolytus and Symphorian. The Suffrage of the Saints is not sung.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted due to the Octave Day. In the short responsory the versicle Qui natus es is sung, as it has been each day of the Octave.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave Day, the third collect, although a Sunday within the Octave, is of SS. Timothy, Hippolytus and Symphorian. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Holy Trinity.

As today is also Sunday within the Octave one Mass, but not the Conventual Mass, may be celebrated of St. Joachim, Father of the BVM. Before the 1911-13 reform Sunday within the Octave of the Assumption was the day for the celebration of the feast of St. Joachim. Following the reform St. Joachim was permanently transferred to August 16th. However the Mass of certain feasts that were previously celebrated on certain Sundays, including that of St. Joachim, was still able to be celebrated on those Sundays. The Mass Dispersit is sung in white vestments. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the third of the Octave Day (in said Masses a fourth collect of SS. Timothy, Hippolytus and Symphorian is added). The Creed is sung, the Preface is of the Holy Trinity and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

Vespers are of the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Philip Benizi and of the Octave Day.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Sunday is cut down to one nocturn of three lessons. The Octave has of course been abolished. At Vespers there are no commemorations or Suffrage. At Lauds there is a commemoration of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. At Prime both Quicumque and the preces are omitted. In sung Mass there is one collect, Low Mass has a commemoration of the Immaculate Heart. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Fourth day within the Octave of the Assumption

The fourth day within the Octave of the Assumption is of semi-double rite. It is the only day now within the Octave to be celebrated as such due to the inclusion of double feasts of saints who had a particular devotion to the BVM.

The Office is as on the Feast itself, but the antiphons and psalms come from the Psalter for Wednesday. All hymns of Iambic metre are sung to the Doxology and tone on the Incarnation.

At Mattins in the first nocturn the lessons are taken as on the feast from the Canticle of Canticles with its exquisite poetry and symbolic language. The responsories of the feast are used. A section of the third lesson illustrates the beauty of the texts (these of course I noted in the preceding post were used as an epistle in the Sarum rite):

Favus distillans labia tua, sponsa, mel et lac sub lingua tua; et odor vestimentorum tuorum sicut odor thuris. Hortus conclusus soror mea sponsa, hortus conclusus, fons signatus. Emissiones tuae paradisus malorum punicorum cum pomorum fructibus, cypri cum nardo.

Thy lips, my spouse, are as a dropping honey comb, honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments, as the smell of frankincense. My sister, my spouse, is like a garden enclosed, a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed up. Thy plants are a paradise of pomegranates with the fruits of the orchard. Cypress with spikenard. (Translation by the nuns of Stanbrook Abbey)

In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from the Second Discourse of St. John Damascene on the Dormition of the Mother of God and are again beautiful and rich in their didactic content:

An ancient tradition has been handed down to us, that, at the time of the glorious falling-asleep of the blessed Virgin, all the Apostles, who were wandering throughout the world preaching salvation to the Gentiles, were caught up aloft in the twinkling of an eye, and met together in Jerusalem. And when they were all there, a vision of Angels appeared to them, and the chant of the heavenly powers was heard; and so with divine glory she gave up her soul into the hands of God. But her body, which bore God in an effable manner, being lifted up amid the hymns of Angels and Apostles was laid in a tomb in Gethsemane. There for three whole days the angelic song was heard. (Lesson IV)

But after three days, the chant of the Angels ceased, and the Apostles who were present (for Thomas, the only one who had been absent, came after the third day, and wished to adore the body which had borne God) opened the tomb; but they could by no means find her sacred body in any part of it. But when they only found those garments in which she had been buried, and were filled with indescribable fragrance which emanated from them, they closed the tomb. Amazed at this wonderful mystery they could only think that he, who had been pleased to take flesh from the Virgin Mary, to be made man, and to be born though he was God the Word, and the Lord of glory, he who had preserved her virginity without stain after childbirth, should also have been pleased to honour her pure body after her death, keeping it incorrupt, and translating it into Heaven before the general resurrection. (Lesson V)

In the sixth lesson St. John lists those present who had seen the body of the Virgin, including in addition to the Apostles, Timothy bishop of Ephesus (recipient of the Pauline Epistles), Dionysisus the Areopagite and Hierotheus.

The photograph is taken from a fascinating post on The New Liturgical Movement showing Spanish practices for the Assumption and featuring the Mystery of Elche, a mystery play that contains most of the elements that St. John Damascene describes. In this photograph S. John the Apostle is venerating the body of the dead Mother of God prior to her burial procession.

In the third nocturn the lessons are from the 27th Sermon of St. Augustine on the Words of the Lord. The ninth lesson is for St. Agapitus the Martyr.

At Lauds a commemoration of St. Agapitus is sung. At Prime Qui natus es is sung in the short responsory, the lectio brevis is In plateis as on the feast.

Mass is sung after Sext. The Conventual Mass is that of the 'resumed' Mass of Pentecost XII which could not be celebrated due to the occurrence of the Feast of the Assumption on Sunday. According to Additiones I, #6 this Mass is of simple rite without Gloria and without Creed. The second collect is of the Octave and the third collect is for St. Agapitus. As the Gloria is not sung Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal and the colour of the vestments is green.

However, 'private' Masses may be of the Octave. The defintion of 'private' is actually quite complicated and suffice it to say, that a High Mass may be a private Mass. In the Mass of Octave, the glorious Gaudeamus, the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the resumed Sunday, the third collect is for St. Agapitus, the Credo is sung, the preface is of the BVM. As the Sunday's Gospel was read as a proper last Gospel on the feast itself it is not read as last Gospel today.

Vespers are of the following feast of St. John Eudes with a commemoration of the Octave.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' of course the Octave has been done away with. No proper Doxology is sung at the hymns, no Qui natus es etc. Ferial Vespers are sung.

Assumption Musings

It is quite interesting to see intelligent criticism of the 'makeover' the feast of the Assumption suffered in the 1950s on the blogosphere such as here and here.

Picking up my copy of F.E. Warren's translation of the Sarum Missal of 1526, the collect for the Mass of the Assumption, Veneranda nobis, different from our familiar Famulorum tuorum, caught my eye and seemed worthy of a little more thought.

'Let the honoured festival of today, O Lord, bring us continued aid; on which the Holy Mother of God underwent temporal death, yet could not be holden by the bonds of death because she bore incarnate of herself Thy Son our Lord. Who liveth etc.'

The other texts, apart from the collect are essentially the same as in the Roman rite. However, Sarum gives two Epistles, the first the familiar In omnibus requiem (the same as in the, slightly out of focus, photograph from a Book of Epistles and Gospels above) but the other is a cento from the Canticle of Canticles (3:11; 4:1, 7, 8, 10 -13, 15; 5:1, 6: 8, 9; 7: 6, 7). An interesting rubric directs that the two epistles are sung in alternation during days within the Octave ensuring that the second is sung on the Sunday within the Octave and on the Octave Day itself. The text of the cento reads thus:

'Go forth, ye daughters of Zion, and see King Solomon in the diadem, wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the joy of his heart. How beautiful art thou, my love, how beautiful art thou! thy eyes are dove’s yes, besides what is hid within. Thy hair is as a flock of goats, which come up from mount Galaad. Thou art all fair, O my love, and there is not a spot in thee. Come from Libanus, my spouse, come from Libanus, come: thou shalt be crowned from the top of Amana, from the top of Sanir and Hermon, from the dens of the lions, from the mountains of the leopards. How beautiful are thy breasts, my sister, my spouse! Thy breasts are more beautiful than wine, and the sweet smell of thy ointments above all aromatical spices. Thy lips, my spouse, are as a dropping honeycomb, honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments, as the smell of frankincense. My sister, my spouse, is a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed up. Thy plants are a paradise of pomegranates with the fruits of the orchard. Cypress with spikenard. The fountain of gardens; the well of living waters, run with a strong stream from Libanus. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat the fruit of his apple trees. I am come into my garden, O my sister, my spouse, I have gathered my myrrh, with my aromatical spices: I have eaten the honeycomb with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat O friends, and drink, and be inebriated, my dearly beloved. One is my dove, my perfect one is but one, she is the only one of her mother, the chosen of her that bore her. The daughters saw her, and declared her most blessed: the queens and concubines, and they praised her. Who is she that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in array? How beautiful are thou, and how comely, my dearest in delights! Thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breast to clusters of grapes.'

In the 1526 Missal the 14th of August is the Octave of the Holy Name of Jesus. The collect for Vespers of the Assumption appears to be the collect Deus, qui virginalem, which in the Roman rite is the collect for the Vigil of the feast. Veneranda nobis also appears as the collect for Mass of the Assumption in Henderson's translation of the 1502 Hereford Missal. It seems likely that Kalendar development caused the migration of Veneranda nobis to Mass. Gueranger mentions that in Rome a procession was held in honour of the Assumption linked to Vespers and that the collect used was Veneranda nobis, with Famulorum tuorum being sung at Mass on the feast. Looking at the Henry Bradshaw Society's volumes I have I noted this arrangement, or at least its implication, can be found in the following, mostly tenth-century, sacramentaries:

HBS CXIV The Leofric Missal
HBS CXVI The Sacramentary of Ratoldus
HBS CI The Fuldense Sacramentary
HBS CX The Sacramentary of Echternach

(Three further volumes I have show both collects but are unclear about their use: HBS CIX The Winchcombe Sacramentary, CVII The Durham Collectar and XI The Missal of Robert of Jumieges)

Moving on several centuries The Westminster Missal (available as a reprint of HBS I, V & XII) has the same arrangement as the Hereford and Sarum Missals referred to.

I would be interested to know whether the migration of Veneranda nobis to Mass is a practice confined to English use. Does anyone have examples from elsewhere? Looking at the richness and diversity of the traditional texts surrounding this lovely celebration, the Tradition of the Church, in both East and West, is clear that the Virgin died but death could not hold her. The events of 1950 muddied this clarity and resulted in the destruction of ancient texts and their substitution by mediocre and banal compostions. The delightful, charming and (frighteningly) erudite Fr. John Hunwicke describes the novel 1951 collect, Omnipotens, as 'a modern composition which I would describe as a dollop of dogma followed by a platitude' in his post linked to above.

The Assumption of the Mother of God

The feast of the Assumption is a Double of the First Class with an Octave. The feast also appears as the Dormition of the Mother of God in some earlier liturgical texts and is known by that name in the East to this day. The twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (the third Sunday of August) is commemorated at Vespers, Mattins, Lauds and Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons proper to the feast, Assumpta est Maria in caelum etc were sung with the psalms from the Common of the BVM. The Office hymn was the glorious Ave, maris stella. After the collect of the feast the Sunday was commemorated with the antiphon Omnis sapientia etc. Hymns of Iambic metre have the Doxology and tone in honour of the Incarnation.

At Mattins the invitatory is proper to the feast. In the first nocturn the antiphons Exaltata est etc are sung with psalms 8, 18 & 23. The lessons in the first nocturn, since the time of Pius V, are taken from the Incipit of the Canticle of Canticles, are particularly rich with vibrant, sensual, imagery:

Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth: for thy breasts are better than wine, smelling sweet of the best ointments. Thy name is as oil poured out: therfore young maidens have loved thee. Draw me: we will run after thee to the odour of thy ointments. The king hath brought me into his storerooms: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, remembering thy breasts more than wine: the righteous love thee. I am black but beautiful, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Cedar, as the curtains of Solomon.(1st lesson)

In the second nocturn the antiphons Specie tua etc are sung with psalms 44, 45 & 86. The lessons are from St. John Damascene's second discourse on the Dormition of the Virgin and again both exquisite and highly appropriate to the day:

"This day the holy and animated ark of the living God, she who conceived in her womb her Creator rests in the temple of the Lord, which was not made with hands. And her ancestor David leaps, and with him the Angels lead the dance, the
Archangels make celebration, the Virtues ascribe glory, the Principalities exult, the Powers rejoice together, the Dominations are joyful, the Thrones keep holiday, the Cherubim utter praise, the Seraphim proclaim her glory. This day the Eden of the new Adam receives the living Paradise, wherein the condemnation was made void, wherein the tree of life was planted, wherein our nakedness was covered." (4th lesson)

In the third nocturn the antiphons Gaude, Maria virgo etc are sung with psalms 95, 96 & 97. The homily on the Gospel fragment is from St. Augustine's 27th Sermon on the Words of the Lord. The ninth lesson is the homily of the commemorated Sunday from the writings of St. Bede.

At Lauds the antiphons Assumpta est Maria are sung with the Dominical psalms. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday.

At Prime the hymn is sung with the proper Doxology and tone. In the short responsory Qui natus es de Virgine is sung, both today and throughout the Octave, and the lectio brevis is In plateis. At the Hours the hymns are again sung with the Doxology and special tone.

Mass is celebrated after Terce. The Rituale gives a Blessing of Herbs for this day which takes place after the Asperges and immediately before Mass with Psalm 64, a series of versicles and responses, three collects, whose florid style, reminiscent of those for the Blessing of Palms, suggests a Gallican origin. The Mass formulary, Gaudeamus, is a particularly beautiful set of texts. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. The Epistle is a sublime cento from the Book of Wisdom that also forms the chapters at the Office. The gradual Propter veritatem is very ancient. The Credo is sung , the preface that of the BVM and the last Gospel of the Sunday. The composer Nicholas Wilton has set one of the chant verses, Optimam partem (communion), to two delightful arrangements.

In the afternoon Second Vespers are sung with a commemorations of tomorrow's feast of St. Joachim, father of the BVM, and of the Sunday of August. Compline is again festal with the proper Doxology at Te lucis.

The 'the liturgical books of 1962' have seen considerable revision of the once beautiful feast from changes in 1960 and the introduction of novel texts in 1950. Vespers gets a new chapter, hymn and collect. At Mattins in the first nocturn the first lesson is taken from Genesis and then, curiously, the second and third from the former Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. In the second nocturn the magnificent writing of St. Damascene are shortened by the inclusion of a sixth lesson from Pius XII's writings. The third nocturn has a homily of St. Peter Canisus on the new gospel pericope introduced in 1950. At Lauds there is a new chapter, a pedestrian and ugly hymn replacing O gloriosa virginum, and new collect. At Prime the lectio brevis is Dominus autem dirigat, of the season. At Prime and the Hours the tone of the hymns is that for greater feasts, not the Incarnation and the special Doxology is omitted. The 1950 mass is again banal and ugly compared with the ancient texts. The last Gospel of the Sunday is not read. At Vespers no commemoration is made of St. Joachim whose feast is celebrated tomorrow. The Octave was abolished in 1955.

Art: Icon from the Melkite tradition in Australia.

Vigil of the Assumption

The Vigil of the Assumption is of simple rite. Traditionally, it has been a day of fasting and abstinence in the West; in the Byzantine rites a far stricter 'Dormition fast' of preparation takes place from the beginning of August.

At Mattins the psalms are of Saturday. At the single nocturn three, proper, lessons from St. Chrysostom are sung. At Lauds the Second Scheme of psalms is used (based on the original ferial psalms before the 1911-13 reform), the ferial preces are sung, with the choir kneeling, followed by a commemoration of St. Eusebius M and the Suffrage of the Saints in the form used for feasts of the BVM. At Prime and the Hours the ferial preces are sung, again with the choir kneeling. At Prime the fourth psalm is added (i.e. Pss 93i, 93ii, 107 & 149 - a 'praise' psalm at Prime!), as is the case when the Second Scheme of Lauds is sung, and the chapter is the ferial Pacem .

Mass is sung after None. Violet vestments are worn, the ministers wearing dalmatic and tunicle not folded chasubles. The Mass is proper, Vultum tuum, the Gloria is not sung. The second collect is of St. Eusebius and the third collect is Deus, qui corda, of the Holy Ghost. As it is a 'kneeling day' all in choir kneel for the orations and from the Sanctus to the response after Pax Domini. As is the rule when the Gloria is not sung Benedicamus Domino is chanted as the dismissla by the deacon facing the altar rather than Ite, missa est.

A colour change from penitential violet to festive white takes place and First Vespers of the feast are sung with the dulcid and stunningly beautiful hymn Ave, Maris stella. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday follows (the antiphon Omnis sapientia is sung). The Doxlogy of the Incarnation, Jesu tibi sit gloria, Qui natus es de Virgine, Cum Patre et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula, is sung at hymns of Iambic metre to the special tone for the entire Octave.

In parts of Southern Italy mimetic burial processions take place in honour of the Virgin's repose very similar to the more widespread burial processions of the Lord on Good Friday. In contempory Byzantine praxis a burial procession for the Mother of God is becoming increasingly common within the celebration of an All-Night Vigil (Vespers, Mattins, Lauds & Prime) that spread from Jerusalem to Russia, with strong parallels to the Epitaphios processions on Good Friday. (The image above is from one such procession in Russia)

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' as usual much has been lost. At Lauds the ferial preces are omitted as is the Suffrage. At Prime only three psalms are sung, the chapter is the festal Regi saeculorum and the ferial preces are omitted. The ferial preces are omitted at the other Hours too. At Mass the collect for the Holy Ghost is omitted and in sung Masses the collect for St. Eusebius is omitted too. The dismissal is Ite, missa est and the period of kneeling at Mass has been shortened. There really is little, apart from the violet colour, to indicate the penitential nature of the Vigil.

Our Patron - Saint Lawrence

The feast of St. Lawrence is a Double of the Second Class in the Universal Kalendar and, amongst many other things, Patron of the Saint Lawrence Press. St. Lawrence's body is interred in the basilica of St. Lawrence-without-the-Walls in Rome. St. Lawrence was the first of the seven Roman deacons and known for his generosity to the poor. He was martyred in 258 according to tradition on a grid iron and asked his tormentors to turn him over as his flesh was roasted on the one side.

Celebration of the feast began yesterday (with a Vigil by way of preparation) with first vespers. The antiphons Laurentius ingressus est martyr etc were sung with psalms of vespers from the Common of Apostles. The chapter, antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were proper, the rest of the Office from the Common of Martyrs. A commemoration was sung of the preceding Office of St. John Mary Vianney.

At Mattins the invitatory Beatus Laurentius, Christi Martyr, triumphat coronatus in caelis: Venite, adoremus Dominum. The antiphons Quo progredis etc are sung in the first nocturn. The lessons in the first nocturn are from the Book of Eccesiasticus. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon of St. Leo on St. Lawrence and in the third nocturn the lessons are from a sermon of St. Augustine on St. John's Gospel. At Lauds the antiphons Laurentius ingressus est martyr etc are sung with Dominical psalms.

At Prime the feastal psalms are sung (53, 118i & 118ii) and the short lesson is Potens est autem. At the Hours the Dominical psalms are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung and the Common Preface are sung.

Second Vespers and Compline are celebrated in the afternoon. At second vespers the V&R are proper to the feast.

The SSPX stopped publishing the Ordo in 1983, due to Archbishop Lefebvre's imposition of 'the liturgical books of 1962' on various districts which had thereto used the Old Rite during his negotiations with Vatican authorities. Fr. Edward Black, the current superior of Australasia but formerly a superior of Great Britain, then asked my current fellow directors Mr. and Mrs. Warwick to take over the publication and distribution of the Ordo so the work and achievements since 1973 might not be totally lost. The St. Lawrence Press came into being and St. Lawrence was chosen as patron as he was a munificent deacon and whose feast had both a Vigil and an Octave.

The above photographs are of Ordo 1983. The SSPX's St. Michael's House address can be clearly seen. This was the last edition of the Ordo that the SSPX published.

The 1984 edition of the Ordo (photographs below) had a new cover design, that only lasted for one year - the 1985 edition was plain with the now familiar cover design by Gavin Stamp appearing from 1986. Note that the 1984 edition is no longer published by the SSPX but by the Saint Lawrence Press. (The Saint Lawrence Press Ltd was formed in 2001 and Ordo 2002 its first publication).




In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast loses first Vespers. At the Hours the ferial psalms are sung.

Icon: Orthodox Church of America.

XI Sunday after Pentecost

The eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, and the second Sunday of August, is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Mark contain the account of the LORD healing a deaf and dumb man with His spittle (c.f. rite of baptism).

At Vespers yesterday the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Ego te in altissimis for the Saturday before the second Sunday in August. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Cajetan and of SS. Cyriacus, Largus and Smaragdus. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline because of the occurring double feasts.

At Mattins there are the usual three nocturns. The invitatory and hymn are as sung on previous 'green' Sundays. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Ecclesiastes. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon of St. Chysostom. In the third nocturn a homily from St. Gregory on St. Mark's Gospel. At Lauds a commemoration is sung of SS. Cyriacus, Largus and Smaragdus followed by the Suffrage of the Saints.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) Quicumque and the Dominical preces sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of SS. Cyriacus, Largus and Smaradgus, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Holy Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. John Mary Vianney, SS Cyriacus, Largus and Smaragdus and St. Romanus. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline due to the occurring double feast.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Sunday is cut down to one nocturn of three lessons. At Vespers there are no commemorations or Suffrage. At Lauds too there is neither any commemoration nor Suffrage. At Prime both Quicumque and the preces are omitted. Mass has one collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

The Dedication of St. Mary of the Snows

This delightful feast is of greater-double rite and commemorates the dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major or Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. Popular tradition has it that a miraculous fall of snow delineated the original ground plan of the church that was dedicated during the pontificate of Liberius. The feast appears in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum. In the late Middle Ages it appears in Radolfo di Rivo's Liber de officis Ecclesiasticis as a feast particular to the Diocese of Rome. Pius V made it a double feast in the 1568 Breviary and Clement VIII raised it to a greater double thirty or so years later.

The feast began with Vespers yesterday afternoon. The antiphons Dum esset Rex etc were sung with the psalms of first Vespers from the Common of feasts of the BVM. The Office hymn is Ave, maris stella. A commemoration was sung of the preceding Office of St. Dominic. At Compline Te lucis was sung to the melody of hymns in honour of the Incarnation with the Doxology Jesu tibi sit gloria, Qui natus es de Virgine etc.

At Mattins the Office is again taken from the Common with the exception of the lessons in the second nocturn. In the first nocturn the lessons are Ego sapientia from the Proverbs of Solomon. In the second nocturn the lessons are proper to the feast and found in the Breviary on August 5th. In the third nocturn the lessons for the homily on St. Luke's Gospel are again from the Common, taken from the writings of the Venerable Bede. At Lauds the antiphons Dum esset Rex etc are sung with the Dominical psalms.

At the Little Hours the psalms are festal, the hymns have the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation. At Prime the versicle in the short responsory is Qui natus es and the short lesson In plateis.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass formularly is Salve, sancta Parens. The Gloria is sung, the Creed is sung and in the preface of the BVM Et te in Festivitate is inserted.

Vespers are first Vespers of the following feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, with a commemoration of the feast of the Dedication of St. Mary of the Snows.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast of St. Mary of the Snows has been reduced to a III class feast with one nocturn of three lessons. There is no first Vespers and no commemoration of the feast at Vespers of St. Dominic. At Mattins the antiphons and psalms are from the ferial psalter. At Lauds the first and second lesson are from the Thursday of the tenth week after Pentecost. At the Hours the hymns are sung to the ordinary tone and there is no Doxology in honour of the Incarnation. At Prime and the Hours the ferial psalter is used. At Mass the Creed is omitted. Despite being a II class the Transfiguration does not have first Vespers so Vespers today are Vespers of the Dedication of St. Mary of the Snows, with the ferial psalms, without a commemoration of the Transfiguration.

X Sunday after Pentecost

Today is the tenth Sunday after Pentecost and the first Sunday of August. The first Sunday of the months of August, September, October and November is the Sunday nearest the Kalends of the month so may actually be the last Sunday in the previous calendar month. This year the first Sunday of August is also the first Sunday in the month of August. The Sunday is of semi-double rite and the liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericope at Mattins and Mass is the parable of the Publican and Pharisee from St. Luke's Gospel.

At Vespers yesterday the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Sapientia for the Saturday before the first Sunday in August. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Ignatius of Loyola, of St. Peter in Chains, of St. Paul the Apostle and the Holy Machabbes. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline because of the occurring double feasts.

At Mattins there are the usual three nocturns. The invitatory and hymn are as sung on previous 'green' Sundays. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Proverbs of Solomon. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a Tract of St. Augustine on the 118th Psalm. In the third nocturn a homily from St. Augustine also provides the lessons. The seventh responsory is Domine, pater et Deus vitae meae. At Lauds commemorations are sung of St. Peter in Chains, St. Paul and the Holy Machabees.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted due to the occurring double feast of St. Peter in Chains.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Peter in Chains, the third collect of St. Paul, the fourth collect of the Holy Machabees. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Holy Trinity and the last Gospel is the Gospel for the feast of St. Peter in Chains rather than In principio.

Vespers are of the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Alphonsus, St. Peter in Chains, St. Paul the Apostle and St. Stehen I. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the first Sunday of August, September, October and November is always the first Sunday in the calendar month (hence the reason why the September Ember Days are often at variance in the Old Rite compared with the Extraordinary Form of the New Rite). The feast of St. Peter in Chains has been abolished from the calendar. Even if it had not been abolished it would not be commemorated. Neither are the Holy Machabees commemorated. Both Vespers, and Lauds, are without commemorations. Mass has one collect and the last Gospel is In principio as it always except for Palm Sunday when the blessing of Palms does not take place or when, in anticipation of the next (1964) phase of the refom, the last Gospel is simply omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal