St. Sylvester of Rome

Today is the feast of St. Sylvester I Pope and Confessor. The feast is of double rite and the liturgical colour of the day is white.

At Mattins in the first nocturn the Epistle to the Romans continues to be read. The second nocturn lessons are historical and in the third nocturn the homily is Sint lumbi from the Common of Confessor non-Pontiffs with the responsories of Confessor-Pontiffs. At Lauds the antiphons and psalms are taken from the Psalter for Fridays and a commemoration of the Octave of the Nativity is sung.

At the Little Hours the hymns have the Doxology and melody in honour of the Incarnation. The antiphons and psalmody are from the ferial psalter. At Prime the lectio brevis is Fungi sacerdotio.

At Mass, Sacerdotes tui, the Gloria is sung, a commemoration of the Octave of the Nativity made, the Credo is sung and the preface and communicantes in the Canon are of the Nativity.

Vespers are first Vespers of the Circumcision without any commemorations.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' today is a day within the Octave of the Nativity. At Mattins the antiphons and psalmody are festal but there is only one nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds a commemoration of St. Sylvester is made. At the Little Hours ferial antiphons and psalms are used, the hymns do not have the tone or Doxology in honour of the Incarnation. The Mass is Puer natus with a commemoration of St. Sylvester in Low Masses only. Vespers are the same as the Old Rite.

The icon is from the All Merciful Saviour Mission's selection of icons of Western Saints.

Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity

Today is the Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity. It is of semi-double rite. The displaced Sunday's Mass and Office are transferred from the 26th December this year to today. Whenever the Nativity or the feasts of St. Stephen, St. John or the Holy Innocents fall on a Sunday the Sunday is transferred with its Office.

At Mattins the Incipit of the Epistle to the Romans was traditionally assigned to the 30th but was moved to the 29th in the 1911-13 reform, so today the first nocturn lessons are a continuation from Romans. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Leo on the Nativity. In the third nocturn the homily is taken from St. Augustine's writings on the second chapter of St. Luke's Gospel. At Lauds the antiphons from the Nativity are sung with the Dominical psalms. The chapter and antiphon on the Benedictus are proper to the Sunday. A commemoration of the Octave of the Nativity is sung.

At the Hours the antiphons are from the Nativity and the psalmody is festal. At Prime Pss. 53, 118(i), 118(ii) are sung and the lectio brevis is proper to the Sunday, Itaque jam non est servus. The hymns of the Little Hours are of course sung to the melody of the Doxology in honour of the Incarnation, Jesu tibi sit gloria etc.

The Mass, Dum medium, is proper, the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave. The Credo is sung and the preface and communicantes are of the Nativity are sung.

Vespers of the Nativity are sung, from the chapter of the Sunday within the Octave with a commemoration of the following day's feast of St. Silvester and of the Octave of the Nativity.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' today is a day within the Octave of the Nativity. Mattins has the antiphons and psalmody of the Nativity (with the shortened Ps. 88 ) and one nocturn of three lessons from occuring scripture, the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans. In the Old Rite when the sixth day within the Octave was celebrated there were second nocturn lessons again from St. Leo and third nocturn lessons from St. Ambrose, these of course just get excised. Festal Lauds are celebrated. At the Hours ferial antiphons and psalmody are used. There is no proper Doxology (or melody) at the hymns of the Little Hours in honour of the Incarnation and the short lesson at Prime is 'of the season'. Mass is celebrated of a day within the Octave, Puer natus with but one collect. Vespers are of the Nativity with no commemorations.

St. Thomas of Canterbury

Today is the feast of St. Thomas of Canterbury, it is of double rite. In England the feast is a Double of the Second Class. The liturgical colour of the day is red. St. Thomas of Canterbury, or St. Thomas Becket, fell foul of the political machinations of King Henry II and was slain by the King's soldiers in Canterbury Cathedral on December 29th, 1170. The liturgical celebration of his feast entered Western calendars almost immediately after his canonisation.

Mattins has, as usual, three nocturns and nine lessons. The antiphons and psalms are taken from the Psalter for Wednesday. In the first nocturn the Incipit of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans is read. In the second nocturn the lessons are historical and in the third nocturn the lessons are from a homily of St. John Chrysostom on St. John's Gospel. At Lauds again the psalmody is ferial. A commemoration of the Octave of the Nativity is sung. At the Hours the psalmody is ferial, at Prime the lectio brevis is Justus cor suum.

At Mass the Gloria is sung, a commemoration of the Octave of the Nativity is made, the Credo is sung and the preface and communicantes are of the Octave of the Nativity.

Vespers are of the Octave of the Nativity but from the chapter of the following Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity with a commemoration of St. Thomas Becket and of the Octave of the Nativity.

Following the 'liturgical books of 1962' St. Thomas is reduced to a commemoration in the fifth day within the Octave of the Nativity. The liturgical colour of the day is white. However, festal psalmody is used at Mattins and Lauds, as on the feast of the Nativity (this contrasts with the practice for third order Octaves in the old rite when a double feast falls within them). Mattins is reduced to one nocturn of three lessons. At the Hours the antiphons and psalmody are ferial, at Prime the lectio brevis is of the season. Mass is of a day within the Octave, with Gloria, commemoration of St. Thomas (at read Masses only), Credo, preface and communicantes of the Nativity. Vespers are of the Nativity without any commemorations.

The Holy Innocents

The feast of the Holy Innocents is a Double of the Second Class with a simple Octave. Today the altars and ministers change their recent festive colours to the violet of mourning. In practice, in larger churches, the most decorated violet vestments used for the Vigil of the Nativity and for the 'Gesima' Sundays (and Gaudete and Laetare Sundays) would be used this day. The feast of the Holy Innocents is unique in the Roman rite in that it changes its liturgical colour depending on whether it falls on a weekday or a Sunday. This year as the feast falls on a weekday it is celebrated in violet. When it falls on a Sunday, as it did last year, the feast is celebrated in red. The origin of this practice is a compromise between the differences in Gallican and Roman praxis.

Much of the Office comes from the Common of Several Martyrs. Mattins has nine lessons. The hymn Audit tyrannus anxius is proper to the feast. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the Prophet Jeremiah. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from a sermon of St. Augustine on the Saints and in the third nocturn the eigth antiphon, Isti sunt, is proper and the homily on the Gospel is from the writings of St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is not sung but a ninth responsory in its place, Isti qui amicti sunt. At Lauds a comemmoration is sung of the Octave of the Nativity.

At the Little Hours the hymns have their Doxology changed in honour of the Incarnation, the festal psalms are sung and at Prime the short lesson is of the feast, Hi empti sunt

At Mass the Gloria is not sung, the second collect is of the Octave of the Nativity. The Alleluia and its verse given in the Missal is not sung today but in its place the Tract Effuderunt sanguinem Sanctorum. The Credo is sung and the preface and communicantes are of the Octave of the Nativity. The beautiful solemn tone of Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal, heard only on the Vigil of Christmas, Holy Innocents' Day and Masses pro re gravi.

Vespers are of the Nativity, but from the chapter of the Holy Innocents with a commemoration of the following day's feast of St. Thomas of Canterbury and of the Octave of the Nativity.

Following the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast of the Holy Innocents looses its penitential aspect (and Octave!) and is celebrated in red. The Te Deum replaces the ninth responsory. At the Hours the hymn tones and conclusions are ordinary and the psalmody is ferial. At Prime the short lesson is of the season. At Mass the Gloria and Alleluia are sung. The Tract and magnificent Benedicamus Domino are never heard. At Vespers there is only a commemoration of the Octave of the Nativity.

St. John the Evangelist

The feast of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist a Double of the Second Class with a simple Octave. The liturgical colour is white.

As for all days until Epiphany hymns of Iambic metre have the special Doxology and tone in honour of the Incarnation. The Office is largely taken from the Common of Apostles. Mattins has three nocturns. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the former Epistle of St. John. In the second nocturn the writings of St. Jerome provide the lessons and in the third nocturn the homily is from St. Augustine. At Lauds the antiphons Valde honorandus est etc are sung with the Dominical psalms, a commemoration of the Octave of the Nativity of the LORD is sung.

At the Hours the same antiphons, Valde honorandus est etc., are sung. At Prime the festal psalms are sung, the lectio brevis is In medio Ecclesiae.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung. A second collect if of the Octave of the Nativity. The Credo is sung. The preface and communicantes are of the Nativity.

Vespers are of the Nativity but from the chapter of St. John. A commemoration of tomorrow's feast of the Holy Innocents is made and of the Octave of the Nativity.

Following the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Doxology in honour of the Incarnation is omitted in the hymns of the Little Hours. At the Little Hours the ferial psalms are sung, at Prime the lectio brevis is of the season, not of the feast. At Vespers no commemoration is made of the Holy Innocents.

Miniature of St. John from Wikipedia.

St. Stephen the Protomartyr

Today is the feast of St. Stephen the Protomartyr, the feast is a Double of the Second Class with a simple Octave. The feast takes the place of the Sunday completely. The liturgical colour of the day is red. Many saints, originally more than now, were celebrated after the Nativity of the LORD. These were described as the 'comites Christi' . e.g. St. James the Lesser and King David. In 'modern' calendars we are left with St. Stephen, St. John the Evangelist, and the Holy Innocents.

Yesterday St. Stephen's Day was commemorated at Second Vespers of the Nativity. (Special rules apply to Vespers for the Octave of the Nativity). The Office is proper and Mattins has three nocturns of nine lessons. The Nativity of the LORD is commemorated at Lauds, Mass and Vespers. Hymns of Iambic metre have the special tone and Doxology in honour of the Incarnation.

At Mass, sung after Terce, the Gloria, the second collect is of the Nativity. The Credo are sung. The preface and communicantes are of the Nativity.

Vespers are Second Vespers of the Nativity, but from the chapter they are of St. Stephen with a commemoration of St. John the Evangelist and the Octave of the Nativity of the LORD.

Following the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity is celebrated, the liturgical colour is white. At Vespers yesterday there were no commemorations. Mattins is cut down to three lessons. St. Stephen is commemorated at Lauds and Low Mass. There is no commemoration of the Octave. The Doxology in honour of the Incarnation is omitted at the hymns of the Little Hours. At Prime the Dominical psalms are sung. At Vespers there is no commemoration of the Nativity or of St. John.

The Nativity of the LORD

The feast of the Nativity of the LORD is a Double of the First Class with a privileged Octave of the third order. The liturgical colour of the feast is white.

Mattins is ordinarily sung late in the evening, so that the Mass which immediately follows can begin at midnight. The Caeremoniale Episcoporum gives special instructions, Lib.II, Cap. XIV, 3, for Pontifical Mattins, but may be reasonably applied to other celebrations or arranging adequate candles to supply light for the service and talks of candelabris ferreis magnis to help provide this. One can easily see where the modern practice of candlelit nine lessons and carols comes from, but how unfortunate that the same effort is not made to celebrate solemn Mattins. The invitatory is proper, Christus natus es nobis: Venite adoremus. When intoning the hymn, Jesu, Redemptor omnium, the Hebdomadarius turns and bows to the altar. Mattins has three nocturns and the usual nine lessons. In the first nocturn the lessons are from Isaiah but, interestingly, are sung without a title. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from a homily on the Nativity by St. Leo. In the third nocturn three Gospel pericopes are sung, two from St. Luke and the third from St. John. After the Te Deum the collect is sung followed by Benedicamus Domino. Then the first of the three Masses for the Nativity is sung. The Gloria is sung (one theory of its origin in the Mass rite is from the song of the Angels on Christmas night to the shepherds) as is the Creed. The preface and communicantes are of the Nativity. At Lauds a different set of antiphons to those used at first Vespers, Quem vidistis pastores etc., with the Dominical psalms. Lauds immediately follows this Mass.

Later in the morning Prime is sung. All hymns of Iambic metre have the tone and Doxology in honour of the Incarnation, Jesu tibi sit gloria etc. The first antiphon from Lauds, Quem vidistis pastores, is sung with the festal psalms. In the short responsory the versicle Qui natus es de Maria Virgine is sung. Prime is followed by the second Mass, the Missa in aurora, that has a second collect to commemorate St. Anastasia. The Gloria and Creed are sung, the preface and communicantes are of the Nativity.

After Terce the third Mass is sung. This Mass too has the Gloria and Creed along with the preface and communicantes of the Nativity. As the Gospel pericope for this Mass is In principio the Gospel of the Epiphany, Cum natus esset Jesus, is read as a proper last Gospel.

Second Vespers has yet a third set of proper antiphons for the feast, Tecum principium etc., that are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 129 and 131. These antiphons and psalms will be used through the Octave. The following feast of St. Stephen is commemorated.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' at Mattins in the third nocturn, and for the Octave, psalm 88, Misericordias Domini is cut from 51 to 36 verses. The verses from Tu vero repulisti et despexisti to the end are omitted. The tone and Doxology in honour of the Nativity is not sung at the hymns of the Little Hours. In the third Mass the last Gospel is omitted and at Vespers no commemoration of St. Stephen is made.

A very blessed and Holy Christmass to all.

The Vigil of the Nativity

Uniquely in the Liturgical Year the Vigil of the Nativity changes rank after Mattins and from being a simple then becomes a double for Lauds onwards.

Mattins has one nocturn of three lessons. The invitatorium is Hodie scietis and the hymn Verbum supernum, the antiphons and psalms are from the ferial psalter for Thursday but the vericles, lessons and responsories are proper. The homily is taken from St. Jerome's commentary on the first chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel. At Lauds proper antiphons, Judaea et Jerusalem nolite timere etc, are sung with the psalms of Sunday. The chapter and antiphon on the Benedictus are proper too..

Prime is festal with the first antiphon from Lauds, as usual, and psalms 53, 118(i) and 118(ii). The Martyrology is sung with extra soleminity today. The Hebdomadarius dons a violet cope and preceded by acolytes bearing candles and a thurifer with incense enters the choir. After reverencing the choir and altar the Martyrology is censed, as a Gospel book, three times. The the choir rise and the Hebdomadarius chants 'Octavo Kalendas Januarii. Luna undevicesima. Anno a creatione mundi, quando in principio Deus creavit coelum et terram, quinquies millesimo centesimo nonagesimonono: A diluvio etc. listing the years since the birth of Abraham, the Exodus from Egypt, the anointing of David, the time since Daniel the Prophet, since the founding of Rome and the conception of the LORD by the Holy Ghost '...novemque post conceptionem decursis mensibus', then raising the pitch of the chant, whilst the choir kneel, he continues, 'in Bethlehem Judae nascitur ex Maria Virgine factus Homo'. Then in the tone of the Passion: 'Nativitas Domini nostri Jesu Christi secundem carnem.' The choir then rise and sit whilst in the normal tone the Hebdomadarius continues with the entries for the day: 'Eodem die natalis santae Anastasiae etc. The lectio brevis is proper to the Vigil. The antiphons from Lauds are used in sequence at the rest of the Hours.

After None Mass is sung. Today the ministers do not wear folded chasubles but dalmatic and tunicle. There is just one collect. The dismissal, Benedicamus Domino, is sung by the deacon to a most beautiful and ornate tone reserved for today, the feast of the Holy Innocents and pro re gravi Masses.

First Vespers of the Nativity are sung in the afternoon. The antiphons Rex pacificus etc are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. All hymns of Iambic metre have the Doxology Jesu, tibi sit glori, qui natus es de Virgine. for the Octave and up until the feast of the Epiphany.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there is no change of rank between Mattins and the rest of the day. The antiphons at Mattins and the Hours are doubled. At Prime the special short lesson is omitted and the one used for all of Advent sung. Not having folded chasubles the distinction of the lightening of the penitential tone is lost at Mass and the beautiful chant of the Benedicamus Domino is replaced by Ite, missa est. The hymns at the Little Hours through the Octave etc do not have the special tone and Doxology in honour of the Incarnation.

O Virgo virginum

On the 23rd December in the illustrious Sarum rite, and many other local rites and uses, the last of the Great 'O' Antiphons on December 23rd was not O Emmanuel as in the Roman rite, but O Virgo virginum. This meant that 'O Sapientia' instead of being sung on December 17th was sung on December 16th. A vestige of this practice can be found in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer which, although not providing texts, indicates 'O Sapientia' in the Kalendar on the 16th December.

The interesting website The Hymns and Carols of Christmas gives the texts and other information for O Virgo virginum and several other, less commonly occurring, 'O' antiphons from different sources.

O Virgo virginum, quomodo fiet istud? quia noc primam similem visa es, nec habere sequentem. Filæ Jerusalem, quid me admiramini? Divinum est mysterium hoc quod cernitis.

O Virgin of virgins! how shall this be? for never was there one like thee, nor will there ever be. Ye daughters of Jerusalem, why look ye wondering at me? What ye behold, is a divine mystery.

Dom Guéranger notes that this antiphon was used in the post-Tridentine Roman rite in Spain and some of her Dominions for the pro aliquibus locis feast of the Expectation of the BVM on 18th December. The old practice of having the antiphon on the 23rd seems to me at least an excellent one emphasising the inseparable link between the Mother of God and the mystery of the Incarnation. A beautiful acrostic was created (very common in the Sarum breviary) by taking the first letter of each antiphon in reverse order. So for the seven in the Roman Breviary this creates 'Ero Cras' which translates as 'Tomorrow, I will come'. With the addition of O Virgo virginum this becomes 'Vero Cras', 'Truly, tomorrow'.

'YouTube' has several video recordings. A plainsong one:


For a rather pleasing polyphonic version:


There were also other 'Lesser O's' (again texts from the excellent site of Doug Anderson noted above):

O Hierusalem, civitas Dei summi: leva in circuitu oculos tuos, et vide Dominum tuum, quia jam veniet solvere te a vinculis.

O Jerusalem, city of the great God: lift up thine eyes round about, and see thy Lord, for he is coming to loose thee from thy chains.

O Rex pacifice, Tu ante saecula nate: per auream egrede portam, redemptos tuos visita, et eso illuc revoca unde ruerunt per culpam.

O King of peace, that was born before all ages: come by the golden gate, visit them whom thou hast redeemed, and lead them back to the place whence they fell by sin.

O Gabriel, nuntius caelorum, qui clausis ianuis ad me introisti, et verbum annuntiasti: concipies et paries Emmanuel vocabitur.

O Gabriel! the messenger of heaven, who camest unto me through the closed doors, and didst announce the Word unto me : Thou shalt conceive and bear a Son, and he shall be called Emmanuel.

In the Roman rite the set of antiphons De Sion etc are sung at Lauds and the Hours. At Lauds the antiphon on the Benedictus is special to the 23rd December: Ecce completa sunt. The ferial preces are sung at Lauds and the Hours. Mass is celebrated after None and is of the preceding Sunday without the Alleluia and its verse. The second collect is Deus, qui de beate, the third collect Ecclesiae. The dismissal is Benedicamus Domino. At Vespers O Emmanuel is sung. The ferial preces are sung kneeling.

Nolite timere

Friends,

The wintry weather has brought much of the UK to a halt. No postal delivery has been received at the Saint Lawrence Press address since last Thursday.

Unfortunately, I have not been well and the paper reminder notices were late going out anyway. I am back 'at work' on the 27th and so will process orders that arrive by post (hopefully!) or email then.

I will also post a pdf file of January so customers can access this. Ordo MMX continues until January 4th and the postal service speeds up with Christmass out of the way, so there is a window of opportunity. I know this is of little use to customers without Internet access but...

Tones for the Martyrology on Friday

A commenter asked the other day about the chant for the solemn chanting of the Martyrology on the Vigil of the Nativity.

The chant is is given in the introductory pages of the Martyrologium:


The photograph above (click on it to expand) is from the 1914 editio typica. One can note (pun intended) the cadence as found in the old chant for the Evangelist of Passion. In later editions of the Martyrology this was simplified to match the revised tone in the Passion books.

Alternatively, that wonderful collection of chants by Dom Reiser, Laudes Festivae, gives the first part nicely printed out. The tone can be found on page 27 of the pdf file, page 1 of the actual publication. The Martyrology letter is 'p' so the moon to be announced Luna undevicesima.

Laudes Festivae also has some rather nice tones for the lessons of Christmass Mattins. They are given, not surprisingly, in the form found in the Monastic Breviary but a little cutting and pasting can bring them into a suitable format for the Roman rite (if one is going to do this better do the cutting and pasting now). There are also two very attractive settings of the Gospels for the first and third Masses!

'Twas the week before Christmass

The Liturgy of Advent intensifies from the 17th December. From that day not only are the Great 'O' Antiphons sung at Vespers but at Lauds and the Hours special sets of antiphons are sung for each weekday preceding the Vigil of the Nativity. From the 17th all Octaves of local feasts cease and private Votive and Requiem Masses are prohibited.

Both the Great 'O' Antiphons and the antiphon sets are to be found in the Breviary after the Third Sunday of Advent. Today, being Monday, the set of antiphons Ecce veniet etc are sung. At Lauds and the Hours the ferial preces are sung, with the choir kneeling. Today is also the Vigil of St. Thomas the Apostle but this does not get commemorated in the Office. However, Mass is of the Vigil of St. Thomas celebrated after None. The texts of the Mass come from the Common of Vigils, Ego autem etc. The ministers wear violet dalmatic and tunicle - a rare sight in Advent - there is no Gloria, the second collect is of Advent feria (Note the typo in Ordo MMX, mea culpa) the third collect of the BVM in Advent Deus, qui de beate. As the Gloria has not been sung Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal. Vespers are first Vespers of St. Thomas, a commemoration of the Advent feria is made, O clavis David is the 'O' antiphon used.

Tuesday is the feast of St. Thomas, a Double of the Second Class. At Lauds the commemoration of the Advent feria is made with an antiphon proper to the 21st of December, Nolite timere. Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the Advent feria is commemorated, the Creed is sung and the preface is of the Apostles. At Vespers the Advent feria is commemorated with the Great 'O' Antiphon O Oriens.

On Wednesday at Lauds and the Hours the antiphon set Prophetae praedicaverunt etc are sung. The ferial preces are sung, kneeling, at Lauds and the Hours. Mass, of the preceding Sunday, is celebrated after None. There is no Gloria, the second collect is of the BVM in Advent, Deus qui de beate, the third collect Ecclesiae or Deus omnium. The Alleluia and its verse are omitted. The dismissal is Benedicamus Domino. At Vespers the antiphon is O Rex Gentium, the ferial preces are sung, kneeling. At Compline the preces are sung, kneeling, too.

On Thursday at Lauds and the Hours the antiphon set De Sion etc are sung. At Lauds the antiphon on the Benedictus is proper to the day, Ecce completa sunt. The ferial preces are sung, kneeling, at Lauds and the Hours. Mass, of the preceding Sunday, is celebrated after None. There is no Gloria, the second collect is of the BVM in Advent, Deus qui de beate, the third collect Ecclesiae or Deus omnium. The Alleluia and its verse are omitted. The dismissal is Benedicamus Domino. At Vespers the antiphon is O Emmanuel, the ferial preces are sung, kneeling. At Compline the preces are sung, kneeling, too.

The Fourth Sunday of Advent

The Fourth Sunday of Advent is a semi-double Sunday of the second class. The liturigcal colour is violet. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke concern the preaching of St. John the Baptist preaching the baptism of repentance by the Jordan and the reference to Isaias "Prepare ye the way of the LORD: make straight His paths: every valley shall be filled: and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways plain: and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."

'Every valley' instantly associates in Rubricarius' mind with that musical genius G.F. Handel and 'Messiah':

(Here an extract taken from YouTube with Jon Humphrey and Robert Shaw. A very fine recording of 'Messiah', and one that suits Rubricarius' tastes, is with Rene Jacobs directing on Harmonia Mundi with the Choir of Clare College and Freiburger Barockorchester HMC 901928.29)

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons proper to the Sunday, Canite tuba., were sung with the psalms of Saturday. The Office hymn was Creator alme siderum and the Great 'O' Antiphon O Adonai in its entirety both before and after the Magnificat, with the choir standing. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Prope est jam Dominus: Venite adoremus and the hymn Verbum supernum prodiens. In the first nocturn the lessons are taken, as usual in Advent, from Isaias. In the second nocturn the lessons are again taken from St. Leo's sermon on the fast of the tenth month. The homily in the third nocturn is from the twentieth homily of St. Gregory on St. Luke's Gospel. At Lauds the antiphons that were sung at Vespers, Canite tuba etc., are sung with the Dominical psalms.

At the Hours the antiphons from Lauds are used in the usual sequence. At Prime the versicle in the responsory is Qui venturus es in mundum and the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The ministers wear violet folded chasubles. The Gloria is not sung. The second collect is of the BVM in Advent, Deus qui de beate, the third collect Ecclesiae or Deus omnium. The Creed is sung and the preface that of the Trinity. As the Gloria is not sung the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino.

At Vespers the antiphons Canite tuba etc are sung with the Dominical psalms. The hymn is again Creator alme siderum. The antiphon on the Magnificat is the Great 'O' Antiphon appointed for the 19th December O radix Jesse. The antiphon is sung in its entirety both before and after the canticle with the choir standing. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' Mattins is cut down to one nocturn of three lessons as usual. At Prime the Dominical preces are omitted. At Mass the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle, there is only one collect and the dismissal is Ite, missa est. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Ember Saturday in Advent

Today is the Ember Saturday in Advent. It ranks as a greater, non-privileged ferial day, of simple rite.

At Mattins the invitatory Prope est jam Dominus etc is sung and the hymn is Verbum supernum prodiens. The nocturn has three lessons from a homily of St. Gregory on St. Luke's Gospel. After the third responsory the second scheme of Lauds is sung (Pss. 50, 91, 63, the Canticle of Moses & 150) with the set of antiphons Intuemini etc. This set of antiphons for the Saturday before Christmas Eve is actually rather a modern introduction to the series of antiphons at Lauds and the Hours that are used from the 17th December. Prior to the 1911-13 reform on the Saturday before Christmas Eve the particular set of antiphons that fell on the day of the week of St. Thomas' feast were either anticipated or transferred to the Saturday. The hymn at Lauds is En clara vox. The antiphon on the Benedictus is Quomodo fiet istud etc. After the antiphon is sung in full after the canticle the choir kneels and the ferial preces are sung .

At the Hours the antiphons Intuemini etc are used in sequence. At Prime the fourth psalm is added (the one displaced by the Miserere in the schema of Lauds II, Ps. 149) and the chapter is Pacem et veritatem. The Dominical and ferial preces are sung with the choir kneeling. At the other Hours the short set of ferial preces are sung, again with the choir kneeling.

Mass is sung after None and has the usual, ancient, form, common to Ember Saturdays. The ministers wear folded chasubles. Four candles are on the altar. After the Kyrie there are a series of five structural units comprising of the invitation Oremus, followed by Flectamus genua, Levate, a collect, O.T. reading and gradual. Four of these readings are from Isaiah and the last from Daniel. After the pericope from Daniel instead of a gradual the hymn of the Three Men in fiery furnace is sung, Benedictus es, Domine, Deus patrum nostrorum and its collect Deus, qui tribus pueris. After this collect the second collect is of the BVM, Deus, qui de Beate and the third collect for the Church, Ecclesiae, or Deus omnium. Mass then continues as usual (with of course kneeling for the orations and from the Canon through to the Fraction as usual on penitential days) with Benedicamus Domino sung as the dismissal.

Vespers of the fourth Sunday in Advent are sung. The antiphons Canite tuba etc are sung with the Saturday psalms. The Office hymn is Creator alme siderum and the Great 'O' Antiphon O Adonai is sung. The Great 'O' Antiphons are sung from December 17th in the Roman rite (and from the previous evening in various Western variants on the Old Roman rite). These antiphons are 'doubled', i.e. they are sung entire both before and after the Magnificat even on days of simple rank. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung, standing.

Following the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Canticle of Moses at Lauds gets shortened from 65 to 27 verses. At Prime the fourth psalm is not added and the ferial chapter Pacem et veritatem is replaced by the festal (!) Regi saeculorum. The ferial preces are omitted at Prime and the Hours. The Mass has the option of the 'mini-Ember Day' consisting of just one additional unit of collect, pericope and gradual. There is no additional collect for the Blessed Virgin or for the Church. The dismissal is Ite, missa est and the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle. The doubling of the Great 'O' antiphons is no different to all other antiphons throughout the year. The Dominical preces are omitted at Compline.

Ember Friday in Advent

Today is Ember Friday in Advent. It ranks as a greater, non-privileged ferial day of simple rite.

At Mattins the invitatory Prope est jam Dominus etc is sung and the hymn is Verbum supernum prodiens. The nocturn has three lessons from a homily of St. Ambrose of Milan on St. Luke's account of the Visitation. After the third responsory the second scheme of Lauds is sung (Pss. 50, 142, 84, the Canticle of Habacuc & 147) with the set of antiphons Constantes estote etc. This set of antiphons is the first used this year of six sets for the ferial days before the Vigil of the Nativity. The hymn at Lauds is En clara vox, the antiphon on the Benedictus is Ex quo facta est etc. After the antiphon is sung in full after the canticle the choir kneels and the ferial preces are sung.

At the Hours the same antiphons, Constantes estote etc., are used in sequence. At Prime the fourth psalm is added (the one displaced by the Miserere in the schema of Lauds II, Ps. 98) and the chapter is Pacem et veritatem. The Dominical and ferial preces are sung with the choir kneeling. At the other Hours the short set of ferial preces are sung, again with the choir kneeling.

Mass is sung after None. The ministers wear folded chasubles. Four candles are on the altar. The second collect is of the BVM, Deus, qui de Beate, and the third collect for the Church, Ecclesiae, or Deus omnium. Mass then continues as usual (with of course kneeling for the orations and from the Canon through to the Fraction as usual on penitential days) with Benedicamus Domino sung as the dismissal.

Vespers are ferial. The Office hymn is Creator alme siderum and the first of the Great 'O' Antiphon's, O Sapientia, is sung. These antiphons are 'doubled', i.e. they are sung entire both before and after the Magnificat even on days of simple rank. After the antiphon has been repeated after the Magnificat the choir kneels and the ferial preces are sung. The collect is of the previous Sunday, Aurem tuam. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung, again kneeling.

Following the 'liturgical books of 1962' at Prime the fourth psalm is not added and the ferial chapter Pacem et veritatem is replaced by the festal (!) Regi saeculorum. The ferial preces are omitted at Prime and the Hours. At Mass there is no additional collect for the Blessed Virgin or for the Church. The penitential kneeling is reduced. The dismissal is Ite, missa est and the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle. One strange feature of 1962 Ember Wednesdays and Fridays is that whilst traditionally the Ember Day liturgy ended with the Mass sung after None, in the 1962 books Vespers becomes formally part of the Ember Day. In the traditional rite if Vespers were ferial, the collect from the preceding Sunday was sung as noted above. In the 1962 rite the collect from the Ember Day is used at Vespers, so today Excita, quaesumus is sung.

The Third Sunday of Advent

The third Sunday of Advent, often referred to as Gaudete Sunday from the words of its introit, Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico gaudete sees a lightening of the Advent mood. 'Rejoice in the LORD always; again I say rejoice.' The same words begin the Epistle from Philippians (4:4). The Sunday's rank is a semi-double of the second class. The Gospel pericopes from St. John contain 'The Record of John', so beautifully set to music by Orlando Gibbons, with the Baptist's famous words "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the LORD."

(A recording of Gibbon's masterpiece from YouTube above.)

For this Sunday, mirroring Laetare Sunday in Lent, the penitential mood is lightened with the deacon and sub-deacon wearing violet dalmatic and tunicle rather than their folded chasubles or, with the use of rose vestments. The absence of folded chasubles means that the organ may be played.

At Vespers yesterday the antiphons were proper to the Sunday, Veniet Dominus etc., sung with the psalms of Saturday. Although within an Octave of the Blessed Virgin the concluding verse of Creator alme siderum was in the ordinary form as the Doxology is not sung on the Sunday within the Octave following the 1911-13 reform. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Damasus and of the Octave. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted due to the occurring Octave.

At Mattins the invitatory is Prope est jam Dominus: Venite adoremus. This invitatory is now used until the 23rd of December inclusive. In the first nocturn the lessons are taken, as usual in Advent, from Isaias. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from St. Leo's sermon on the fast of the tenth month. The homily in the third nocturn is from the writings of St. Gregory on St. John's Gospel and the record of the Baptist. At Lauds the antiphons that were used at Vespers are again sung. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of the Octave is sung.

At the Hours the antiphons from Lauds are used in the usual sequence. At Prime the versicle in the responsory is Qui venturus es in mundum and the Dominical preces are omitted due to the occurring Octave.

(A 'rose' chasuble of Adrian Fortescue DD. Purplish-rose ground with a large gold pattern woven into the fabric, velvet silk orfreys with gold edging)

Mass is sung after Terce. The ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle. The Gloria is not sung. The second collect is of the Octave. There is no third collect, as is the normal rule for Sundays within Octaves. The Creed is sung and the preface that of the Trinity. As the Gloria is not sung the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino.

(The veil and stole from Dr. Fortescue's extant rose set of vestments. Note the decoration and width of the stole ends.)

At Vespers commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Lucy and of the Octave. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' at both Vespers there are no commemorations. The Octave of the Virgin has been abolished. Mattins is stripped down to one nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is only one collect and the dismissal is Ite, missa est.

Art (top): Jerome Nadal depicts today's Gospel where the Jews sent priests and Levites to interrogate St. John the Baptist.

The Second Sunday of Advent

The second Sunday of Advent (and the third and fourth) are semi-doubles of the second class in rank. The Gospel pericopes, from St. Matthew, concern St. John the Baptist in prison sending two of his followers to meet the LORD.

At Vespers on Saturday the proper antiphons from Lauds were sung, Ecce in nubibus caeli etc, with the psalms of Saturday. Commemorations were sung of St. Sabbas and St. Peter Chrysologus. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted because of the occurring double feast.

At Mattins in the first nocturn the lessons are a continuation of Isaiah and today contain the beautiful symbolism of the Rod of Jesse. In the second nocturn this theme is continued as the lessons are taken from St. Jerome's Expositon on Isaias the Prophet. Like so much of the Advent liturgy these readings are exquisite:

Therefore upon this flower, which shall suddenly come forth from the stock and root of Jesse through the Virgin Mary, the Spirit of the LORD shall rest: for truly in him all the fulness of the Godhead was pleased to dwell corporeally: the spirit was not poured out upon him by measure, as it was upon the other Saints: but as we read in the Hebrew Gospel used by the Zazarenes: The whole fountain of the Holy Ghost shall be poured forth upon him. For the LORD is a Spirit; and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is liberty.

(Lesson VI, Stanbrooke Abbey translation.) In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Gregory.

At Lauds the antiphons are proper, Ecce in nubibus caeli etc as were sung at Vespers. A commemoration is sung of St. Sabbas. At Prime the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce, the deacon and subdeacon wear folded chasubles. The Gloria is not sung in the seasonal liturgy of Advent. The second collect is of St. Sabbas, the third collect of the BVM in Advent, Deus, qui de beate. The Creed is sung and the preface that of the Trinity. Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal.

At Vespers the antiphons from Lauds are, again, used. A commemoration is sung of tomorrow's feast of St. Nicholas.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers, Lauds or Mass. Mattins is cut down to one nocturn of three lessons. At Mass the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle and the dismissal is Ite, missa est.

Art: Jerome Nadal

St. Andrew the Apostle

The feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle, the 'First Called', is a Double feast of the Second Class. It was preceded yesterday by a Vigil, which because of Advent, was not part of the Office but just the celebration of Mass. According to St. John's Gospel St. Andrew was a disciple of St. John the Baptist, whose testimony first led him and St. John the Evangelist to follow Jesus. St. Andrew at once recognised Christ as the Messiah. St. Andrew preached the Gospel in Asia Minor and, according to Eusebius, as far as Kiev. St. Andrew is the patron saint of such diverse countries as Scotland and Russia. According to tradition he was crucified at Patras in Achaea. Devotion to St. Andrew was strong in the medieval period and many Western Kalendars such as the venerable Sarum Rite had an octave for the feast. In the Roman liturgy clearly St. Andrew was once regarded as more important than in modern times hence his inclusion in the Libera nos.

The liturgy of the day is festal and began with first Vespers of the feast yesterday afternoon. The antiphons Salve, crux pretiosa etc were sung with the psalms for the Common of Apostles. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Advent feria. Compline was feastal and the preces were omitted.

At Mattins the antiphons are proper, Vidit Dominus etc. There are the usual three nocturns of nine lessons. At Lauds the antiphons sung at Vespers are sung with the Dominical psalms. A commemoration is sung of the Advent feria.

At the Horae Minores festal psalmody is sung. At Prime the lectio brevis is Isias enim dicit.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sugn, the second collect is of the Advent feria (the collect Excita from Advent Sunday). The Creed is sung and the preface if of the Apostles.

At second Vespers a commemoration is sung of the Advent feria.

According to the 'liturgical books of 1962' St. Andrew's feast loses first Vespers. At Prime and the other Horae Minores ferial psalmody is sung, the lectio brevis is of the season.

The First Sunday of Advent

The beautiful liturgical season of Advent begins with Vespers on the Saturday before Advent Sunday. The first Sunday of Advent is a semi-double of the first class. The liturgy of Advent is perhaps the most exquisite of the entire liturgical year with 'layers' of meaning for both the First and Second Comings of the LORD. There is a weave of expectant joy and penance to be found in the liturgical texts. The first Sunday of Advent is a semi-double Sunday of the first class. The eschatalogical theme of last Sunday's Gospel continue with St. Luke's Gospel today and the Coming of the Divine Judge. During Advent bishops exchange their violet choir cassock for a black one with mozzeta or mattelletum with violet linings. Cardinals of the Court of Rome wear their 'winter' violet merino apparel (in contrast to their summer mourning dress of violet watered-silk) in place of their watered-silk scarlet.

Vespers yesterday marked the beginning of the Pars Hiemalis, or Winter Volume, of the Breviary. The antiphons In illa die etc are sung with the psalms of Saturday. The Office hymn is Creator alme siderum. After the collect of the Sunday the usual Suffrage is omitted during Advent. (An occurring or concurrent feast would be commemorated.) From this Vespers the Marian Antiphon sung is Alma Redemptoris Mater. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem venturum and this is sung in the Dominical and ferial Offices of Advent until the third Sunday. The hymn is Verbum supernum and the antiphons Veniet ecce Rex etc are sung. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the prophet Isaiah. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from the writing of St. Leo on the fast of the tenth month, the theme of which is preparing for the Coming and, in the third nocturn the homily is from St. Gregory continuing the theme with his commentary on St. Luke's Gospel about the end times. A ninth responsory is sung and the Te Deum omitted in the Office of Advent. At Lauds the antiphons sung at Vespers are again sung, with the Dominical psalms. The hymn is En clara vox. As noted above, the Suffrage is omitted.

At Prime the first antiphon from Lauds is used with the usual Dominical psalms (117, 118(i), 118(ii)). In the short responsory the versicle Qui venturus es in mundum replaces Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris for all of Advent except when an occuring feast has a proper versicle. The Dominical preces are sung. At the other Hours the other antiphons of Lauds are sung in the usual order.

Mass is sung after Terce. During Advent the deacon and sub-deacaon do not wear the dalmatic and tunicle but violet folded chasubles, an ancient feature of the Roman liturgy. Some previous musings about these wondrous vestments and their use may be found here. The Gloria in not sung, the second collect is of the Blessed Virgin in Advent, Deus, qui de beate, the third collect Ecclesiae. The Creed is sung, the preface that of the Blessed Trinity and, as the Gloria was not sung, the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino.


The above photograph is taken from Orbis Catholicus showing a fine traditional celebration at the Pantheon in Rome a couple of years ago. The photograph below, from a Polish site, Fidelitas, shows the FSSP using folded chasubles recently (note also four pluvialistae).


At Vespers the antiphons In illa die etc are sung with the Dominical psalms. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Saturninus. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' so much has been excised from the Breviary that there are only two volumes not four. Advent Sunday marks the beginning of the Pars Prior, which runs until first Vespers of Trinity Sunday. There are no preces at Compline. Mattins is cut down to just one nocturn of three lessons. At Prime there are no preces. At Mass the deacon wears the dalmatic, and the sub-deacon the tunicle. Folded chasubles, so ancient and so quintessentially Roman, have been tossed aside. There is only one collect and the dismissal is Ite, missa est. Grim!

Art: Jerome Nadal

Ordo Recitandi 2011

Ordo Recitandi 2011 is available for despatch now, indeed some two hundred copies have already been sent to customers. Paper reminder forms have been posted today - probably the last year we will be able to do this as the postage for a letter to the USA now costs 67p and just to send one across the English Channel to France now costs 60p.

The Ordo may be ordered by following this link.

Ordo 2011 has had some improvement work in relation to previous editions. The 2011 edition, at the request of a valued customer and friend in the USA, has letters that signify the type of psalm that is to be sung at the Canonical Hours. This was a feature of many Ordines produced in the past such as the Burns Oates versions from here in England.

The reader will need to consult the bottom of page 15 for the details of the explanation. However, in each day's entry immediately after the rank of day there are now three small letters, e.g. '(pdF)' on January 1st. These indicate the psalmody for Mattins, Lauds and the Hours: 'p' indicates the psalms are proper; 'd' indicates the Dominical psalms are sung at Lauds; and 'F' indicates the Festal psalms are sung at the Hours, i.e. at Prime the first psalm is Deus, in nomine tuo. At the end of the day's entry two other letters indicate the psalmody for Vespers and Compline: for January 1st these have the indicators '(pd)': 'p' indicates proper psalms at Vespers; and 'd' the Dominical psalms at Compline.

January 1st is a straight forward example but some days are more complex, e.g. St. Agnes on January 21st where we have '(pdf)'. This means proper psalms at Mattins, Dominical psalms at Lauds but ferial - note the use of lower case 'f' - psalms at the Hours. Whether the second scheme of Lauds is sung, and the fourth psalm added to Prime is also indicated. We trust that users will find this addition helpful.

Remember you can email your order form to us: mail@ordorecitandi.org.uk

XXVI and Last Sunday after Pentecost

Today is the twenty-sixth and last Sunday after Pentecost. It is also the fifth Sunday of November. The day is of semi-double rite and the liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the prophetic words of the LORD concerning the last days and the coming of the Antichrist.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Saturday were sung. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Super muros tuos for the Saturday before the fifth Sunday of November. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Felix of Valois and then of the Presentation of the Virgin. Jam sol recedit igneus was sung with the Doxology, and melody of, Jesu tibi sit gloria etc. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted because of the occurring double feasts as were the Dominical preces at Compline. At Compline, and the other Hours the hymns are sung with the Doxology and melody as at Vespers.

At Mattins in the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Michah the Prophet. (The week ahead, with its completion of the series of Minor Prophets, often sese many of the Incipits move to ensure their reading. This year their movements are relatively constrained with Monday's Incipit of the Book of Nahum being read as the first lesson on Tuesday). In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Basil the Great on the thirty-third psalm. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. At Lauds, after the collect of the Sunday, a commemoration of the Presentation is sung. At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted because of the occurring double feast. In the short responsory the versicle is Qui natus es.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Presentation. There is no third collect. The Creed is sung and the preface of the Blessed Trinity and the last Gospel is of the Presentation.

Vespers are of the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Cecilia and of the Presentation. Lucis creator is sung with the melody and Doxology Jesu tibi sit gloria. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted because of the occurring double feasts.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations or Suffrage at Vespers, and therefore no special Doxology. Mattins is cut down to one nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there is neither commemoration nor Suffrage. At Mass there is but one collect and the last Gospel In principio. Vespers are of the Sunday without any commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal Nadal's image of the Antichrist enthroned whilst the clergy and people give him false worship.

XXV Sunday after Pentecost

Today is the XXV Sunday after Pentecost and the fourth Sunday of November. The day is of semi-double rite and the liturigcal colour is green. The introit, gradual etc are as last week but the pericopes at Mass, and the lessons for the third nocturn at Mattins are from the sixth Sunday after the Epiphany. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew are the parable of the mustard seed.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Saturday were sung. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Qui caelorum for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of November. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Didacus and then of St. Josaphat. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted because of the occurring double feast as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins in the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Osse the Prophet. In the second nocturn the lessons are from the book of St. Augustine on City of God. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. At Lauds, after the collect of the Sunday, a commemoration of the St. Josaphat is sung. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

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

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Josaphat. There is no third collect. The Creed is sung and the preface of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Albert the Great and of St. Josaphat. The Dominical preces are omitted because of the occurring double feasts.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations or Suffrage at Vespers. Mattins is cut down to one nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there is neither commemoration nor Suffrage. At Mass there is but one collect. Vespers are of the Sunday without any commemorations.

XXIV Sunday after Pentecost

Today is the XXIV Sunday after Pentecost and third Sunday of November. The day is of semi-double rite and the liturigcal colour is green. When November 5th is a Sunday then that Sunday is the second Sunday in November and the scriptural readings at Mattins continue to be read from Ezechiel on the Sunday and the week following. However, in most years, including this one, the Second Sunday and its week are omitted and after the first week the Third Sunday is celebrated. The Missal provides complete texts for twenty-four Sundays after Pentecost. Where there are more Sundays after Pentecost, depending of course on the date Holy Pascha falls, then after the twenty-third Sunday has been celebrated the Epistles and Gospels that had not be read on Sundays after the Epiphany are transferred to this time. These pericopes are combined with fixed texts for the introit, gradual etc. Today the pericopes from the V Sunday after the Epiphany are sung at Mass with corresponding third nocturn readings at Mattins. Today is also the Sunday within the Octave of All Saints (before the 1911-13 reform the Sunday would have been celebrated in white vestments because of the Octave). The Gospel pericopes are the parable from St. Matthew's Gospel of the enemy sowing cockle in the planted field.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Saturday were sung. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Muro tuo for the Saturday before the Third Sunday of November. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of the Octave of All Saints. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted because of the Octave as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins in the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Daniel the Prophet. In the second nocturn the lessons are from the book of St. Athanasius to Virgins. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Augustine on St. Matthew's Gospel. At Lauds, after the collect of the Sunday, a commemoration of the Octave is sung. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted because of the occurring Octave.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave. As today is a Sunday within an Octave there is no third collect. The Creed is sung and the preface of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following day within the Octave of All Saints (with the antiphon from I Vespers of the feast) and of the Four Holy Crowned Martyrs.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations or Suffrage at Vespers. The Octave of All Saints has, of course, been abolished. Even though no feast is commemorated the Domincial preces are omitted at Prime and Compline. Mattins is cut down to one nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there is neither commemoration nor Suffrage. At Mass there is but one collect. Vespers are of the Sunday without any commemorations. The Second Sunday of November and its week are always omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Third Day within the Octave of All Saints

The days within the Octave are of semi-double rite and the liturgical colour being white as on the feast itself.

The Office is as on the feast except that ferial psalmody is used and, of course, the antiphons for the psalms are not doubled. At Mattins today the first nocturn lessons are the Incipit of the book of the prophet Ezechiel, transferred from Sunday to today. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Bede and in the third nocturn St. Augustine's writings provide the homily.

The prescribed Mass today is of the 'resumed Sunday' celebrated in green vestments without Gloria and Creed. The second collect is of the Octave and the third Deus, qui corda. As the Gloria is not sung the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino. 'Private' Masses are permitted of the Octave with the introit Gaudeamus, Gloria, second collect of the resumed Sunday, third collect Deus, qui corda and the Creed.

Vespers are for the feast of St. Charles Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan, with a commemoration of the Octave and SS Vitalis and Agricola.

On Thursday, Friday and Saturday the fifth, sixth and seventh days within the Octave are celebrated.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' fourth class ferial days replace the former days once graced by the celebration of the Octave. St. Charles is reduced to a third class feast of three lessons. On Saturday the Saturday celebration of the BVM takes place.

All Souls' Day

All Souls' Day is of Double rank. Since 1917 it has a standing almost like that of a primary Double of the First Class of the Universal Church. Only if it falls on a Sunday is it transferred to the following Monday. The day gained an independent Office after the 1911-13 reform. Prior to then Vespers, Mattins and Lauds of the Dead was sung in addition to the Office of the second day within the Octave of All Saints (as indeed was the Office of the Dead sung on the Mondays of Lent and Advent and certain other days). The reforms of Pius X gave the day its own Office with the creation of Little Hours of the Dead and some adjustments to the lessons of Mattins. The day excludes the occurrence of any other Office.

At Mattins the invitatory and psalms are those used for Mattins of the Dead. In the first nocturn the antiphons Dirige etc (hence the English term Dirge) are sung with psalms 5, 6 & 7. As at Vespers yesterday Requiem aeternam is sung in place of Gloria Patri at the end of each psalm. The lessons are taken from the Book of Job. The first lesson, Parce mihi, is the first lesson from the Office of the Dead but the second and third lessons are now proper to the day in their current arrangement. Homo natus de muliere etc, the second lesson (the fifth lesson before 1911), is highly poignant being familiar as a Funeral Sentence in the Book of Common Prayer, its source being the Sarum Office. In the second nocturn the antiphons In loco pascuae etc are sung with psalms 22, 24 & 26. The lessons in the second nocturn are new and taken form the book of St. Augustine on the care for the Dead. In the third nocturn the antiphons Complaceat etc are sung with psalms 39, 40 and 41. The lessons are from the First Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians (pre-1911 these too were taken from the Book of Job). At Lauds the antiphons Exsultabunt etc are sung with psalms 50, 64, 62, Ego dixi and 150. After the antiphon on the Benedictus has been sung at the end of the canticle the choir kneels, as at Vespers yesterday, and a Pater noster is said followed by a series of versicles and their responses and the collect Fidelium.

The Hours have a special form. At Prime the Office begins after the silent recitation of the Pater, Ave and Credo with psalms 87, 27 & 31 without antiphons. Although the Miserere is sung at Lauds the displaced psalm is not transferred to Prime as on other days. At the reading of the Martyrology a special preamble is read, Hac die Commemoratio Omnium Fidelium Defunctorum..., before the announcement of the next day Tertio Nonas Novembris.etc. The psalms are sung either to the tone in directum or to a tone introduced with the Office of All Souls Day. Terce follows a similar, simplified, form and has psalms 37i, 37ii & 55. Sext psalms 69, 84 & 85 and None psalm 101 divided into three sections. The Office of the day ends with None.

In the Universal Church three Masses may be celebrated by every priest on this day. This practice was first observed in Spain with an indult from Benedict XIV and extended to the Universal Church by Benedict XV in 1915 after the carnage of the First World War. The accepted practice of Collegiate churches is for the first Mass to be celebrated after Lauds, the second after Prime and the third after None. In all three Masses the sequence Dies irae is sung and the preface of the Dead is sung. Common practice is to have the Absolution of the Dead at a catafalque after the principal Mass.

Vespers are for the third day within the Octave of All Saints.

In 'the liturgical books of 1962' the sequence Dies irae may be omitted in the second and third Masses when they are not sung. The last Gospel is omitted when the Absolution takes place. Vespers of the Dead are sung today, rather than yesterday and Compline of the Dead too is transferred from yesterday to today. However, it seems that in popular celebration this inversion has had little effect. There are some interesting photographs here of 'All Souls' Night' - the night between the 1st and 2nd of November from Lithuania.

All Saints' Day

The feast of All Saints is a Double of the First Class with an Octave. The universal celebration of this feast developed from the dedication of the Pantheon to St. Mary and the Martyrs. This dedication took place on May 13th 610. In some places, and the in Byzantine East to this day, a celebration of All Saints took place after Trinity Sunday. The celebration of the feast spread and Gregory IV transferred the feast and dedication to November 1st in 835. Louis the Pious spread the celebration throughout his empire and the feast entered the Universal Calendar. Sixtus IV gave the feast an Octave in the fifteenth century. The liturgical colour for the feast, and octave, is white.

At Mattins the invitatory is proper as is the hymn, Placare, Christe, servulis. In the first nocturn the lessons are taken from the book of the Apocalypse. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from a sermon of the Venerable Bede and, in the third nocturn, the homily on the Gospel is from St. Augustine. At Lauds the antiphons Vidi turbam magnam etc are sung with the Sunday psalms (Pss. 99, 92, 62, Benedicite & 148).

The antiphons sung at Lauds are used at the Hours in the usual way. Prime has the festal psalms (53, 118i, 118ii) and the lectio brevis is proper, Benedictio et claritas, to the feast.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria and Creed are sung.

At second Vespers the psalms are those used for Apostles but the fifth psalm is Ps. 115, Credidi.

After Benedicamus Domino the verse Fidelium is omitted and the choir sits as the festive white is removed and is exchanged for the black of mourning. Vespers of the Dead are then sung. These begin with the antiphon Placebo Domino in regione vivorum. Psalms 114, 119, 120, 129 and 127 are sung. Requiem aeternam etc is sung at the end of each psalm in place of Gloria Patri etc. After the psalms there is a versicle and response but no hymn. After the antiphon on the Magnificat the choir kneels for a Pater noster, some versicles and the collect. Following the 1911-13 reform Compline takes a special form 'Compline of the Dead' with psalms 122, 141 and 142.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' most of the rite, for once, remains as it was. However, at Prime the lectio brevis is of the season. Vespers of All Saints are sung but not Vespers of the Dead as they, rather strangely, get treated as Vespers of All Soul's Day.

Christ the King

Today is the feast of Christ the King, a Double of the First Class. It is also the twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost and the first Sunday of November. The feast of Christ the King was instituted by Pius XI in 1925. It is an interesting example of another feast being permanently celebrated on a Sunday in contrast to the ideology of the reform that had taken place just over a decade before its promulgation. The liturgical colour of the feast is white and the Office is proper.

At Mattins the invitatory is Jesum Christum, Regem regum Venite adoremus. In the first nocturn the lessons are taken from St. Paul's Epistle to the Colossians. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from Pius XI's encyclical Quas primas. In the third nocturn the homily on St. John's Gospel is taken from the writings of St. Augustine. The ninth lesson is the homily appointed for the twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost. All three lessons of that may be read as one by the enthusiastic. At Lauds the antiphons Suscitabit etc are sung with the Sunday psalms. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons Suscitabit etc are sung with the feastal psalms. The Doxology is sung with all the hymns of the Hours. At Prime the versicle in the short responsory is Qui primatum in omnibus tenes and the lectio brevis In ipso.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the Creed is sung. The preface is proper to the feast and the last Gospel is that of the Sunday.

Vespers are first Vespers of the great feast of All Saints. The antiphons Vidi turbam magnam etc are sung with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn is Placare, Christe, servulis (sung with the Doxology of the concurrent feast). After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the preceding Office of Christ the King and of the Sunday.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' at Mattins in the third nocturn, the third psalm (Ps. 88) gets stripped of over half its verses. Verses Tu vero repulisti... to Benedictus Dominus in aeternam, fiat, fiat, 39 - 53, are omitted. The former eighth lesson is split into two to provide an eighth and ninth lesson as the homily of the Sunday is omitted as a ninth lesson. (If the Sunday were commemorated at Mattins it would be the fifth Sunday of October, not the first of November. So from now until the third Sunday the Mattins lessons in the 1962 rite will be a week behind those in the traditional rites). At Lauds there is no commemoration sung of the Sunday. At Prime and the Hours the Doxology for the feast is omitted. At Prime the lectio brevis is of the season. At Mass there is no commemoration of the Sunday and the last Gospel is In principio. Vespers are second Vespers of Christ the King with a commemoration of All Saints but no commemoration of the Sunday.

Vigil of All Saints

The Vigil of All Saints is anticipated today as the 31st October falls on a Sunday this year. The Vigil is of simple rite and the liturgical colour is violet. The ferial tone is used for the orations and for the preface and Pater noster at Mass.

At Mattins the invitatory, hymn, antiphons and psalms are those of Saturday but the lessons, Descendens Jesus, are taken from the Common of Several Martyrs with the responsories taken from the Saturday of the fourth week of October. At Lauds the second scheme of psalmody is sung with Pss. 50, 91, 63, the O.T. canticle Audite, caeli & 150. After the antiphon on the Benedictus is repated the ferial preces are sung with the choir kneeling. After the collect of the Vigil the Suffrage of the Saints is omitted (prior to the 1911 reform the series of Suffrages were sung as on any Vigil or ferial day.

At Prime the fourth psalms, Ps. 149, that is allocated to the first schema of Lauds is added to the three psalms for Saturday. Both the Dominical and ferial preces are sung, the choir kneeling. At the other Horae Minorae the short series of ferial preces are sung, again with the choir kneeling.

Mass is sung after None. The ministers wear violet dalmatic and tunicle. There is no Gloria. The second collect is of the Holy Ghost, Deus,qui corda, the third collect either for the Church or the pope. As it is a 'kneeling day' the choir kneels for the prayers and from the Sanctus until Pax Domini. As the Gloria is not sung the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino.

Vespers are first Vespers of the feast of Christ the King with a corresponding colour change to festive white. The Office is proper and the antiphons Pacificus vocabitur etc are sung with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The hymn is Te saeculorum Principem. For the feast all hymns of Iambic metre are sung with the Doxology Jesu, tibi sit gloria, Qui sceptra mundi temperas, Cum Patre et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula. After the collect of the feast the Sunday is commemorated. The antiphon on the Magnificat is Vidi, Dominum for the Saturday before the first Sunday in November.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Vigil of All Saints has been abolished. Today is kept as a fourth class Office of the BVM on Saturday. At Vespers there is no commemoration of the Sunday (if there were the antiphon for the Saturday before the fifth Sunday in October would be used). At Compline and the other Horae Minorae the special Doxology is omitted.

SS Simon and Jude Apostles

The feast of SS Simon and Jude is a Double of the Second Class. The feast of these two apostles is kept on the anniversary of the transfer of their relics to Old St. Peter's in Rome in the seventh century. St. Simon is traditionally believed to have been martyred by a curved sword and St. Jude, also known as Thaddaeus, was martryed by a club. The two probably met, preaching the Gospel, in Mesopotamia.

Yesterday a Vigil preceded the feast. At Mattins there were three, proper, lessons. The second scheme of Lauds was used, the penitential form beginning with the psalm Miserere (actually the pre-1911 ferial Lauds). The ferial preces were sung, kneeling at Lauds and all the Hours. At Lauds the Suffrage of the Saints was sung after the collect of the Vigil.

Mass was sung after None. The deacon and sub-deacon wore dalmatic and tunicle, not folded chasubles. The chant for the Mass was ferial, the second collect was Concede nos, and the third for the Church or pope. Being a 'kneeling day' all in choir kneel for the orations and from the Sanctus to the response after Pax Domini. As there was no Gloria , following the usual rule, Benedicamus Domino is the dismissal.

Vespers were first Vespers of the Holy Apostles SS Simon and Jude. The antiphons from the Common of Apostles, Hoc est praeceptum meum etc are sung with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. At Mattins the antiphons and psalms are taken from the Common of Apostles. The lessons in the first nocturn are the Incipit of St. Jude's Epistle. In the second nocturn the fourth lesson is an historical one and the fifth and sixth from a sermon of St. Gregory. In the third nocturn the homily on St. John's Gospel is from the writings of St. Augustine.

At Lauds the Dominical psalms are sung under the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc. Prime is festal with psalm 53 and the lectio brevis Ibant Apostoli. Festal psalmody is used at the Little Hours.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria and Creed are sung and the preface is that of the Apostles.

Vespers are second Vespers of the feast (Pss. 109, 112, 115, 125 & 139).

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Vigil for the feast has been stripped away completely and in its place a 'Fourth Class' ferial day. First Vespers of the feast has been stripped away too to be replaced by ferial Vespers. However, Mattins at least retains its three nocturns. At the Little Hours the ferial antiphons and psalter are used. At Prime the lectio brevis is of the season, not of the feast.

XXII Sunday after Pentecost

The twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite. This year it is the fourth Sunday of October. The liturgical colour is green. It is also Missionary Sunday. A rescript of the SRC in 1926 set aside the last Sunday but one of October to be a day of special prayer for missionary work. To the collects of the day at Mass is added the prayer Pro Propagatione Fidei from the Votive Mass for that purpose. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the account of the Pharisees trying to trap the LORD over tribute to Caesar and the LORD's rebuttal of "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God those things that are God's."

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Saturday were sung. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Exaudiat Dominus for the Saturday before the Fourth Sunday in October. After the collect of the Sunday commemoration was sung of St. Raphael the Archangel. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted because of the occurring double feasts and at Compline the Dominical preces were omitted for the same reason.

At Mattins in the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Second Book of the Machabees. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a tract of St. Chrysostom on the forty-third psalm. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Hiliary on St. Matthew's Gospel. At Lauds, after the collect of the Sunday, a commemoration is sung of St. Raphael the Archangel. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

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

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Raphael. The third collect is Deus, qui omnes homines from the Votive Mass for the Propagation of the Faith. The Creed is sung, the preface of the Blessed Trinity and the last Gospel is of St. Raphael.

Vespers are of the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of SS Chrysanthus and Dari and of St. Raphael the Archangel.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations or Suffrage at Vespers. Liturgical celebration of St. Raphael is omitted this year. Even though no feast is commemorated the Domincial preces are omitted at Prime and Compline. Mattins is cut down to one nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there is neither commemoration nor Suffrage. At Mass the collect for the Propagation of the Faith is added to the collect of the Sunday under one conclusion, the last Gospel is obviously In principio. Vespers are of the Sunday without any commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal