Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

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

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms appointed for Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. The antiphon on the Magnificat was, as last week, Suscepit Deus. Commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Francis de Sales and of St. Martina. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted at Vespers as were the Dominical preces at Compline because of the concurrent double feast.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the hymn Primo die . Mattins has the usual three nocturns. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of St. Paul's Epistle to the Philippians. In the second nocturn the lessons are from the Book of Morals of St. Gregory the Great. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. At Lauds a commemoration is sung of St. Martha followed by the Suffrage of the Saints is sung. At Prime Quicumque is sung as are the Dominical preces .

At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Martina, the third collect is of the BVM, Deus, qui salutis. Pennafort, the third collect is for St. Emerentiana. The Credo is sung and the preface is that of the Blessed Trinity.

At Vespers commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. John Bosco and St. Martina. The Suffrage is not sung because of the concurrent double feast and the Domincal preces are omitted at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is reduced by two-thirds to one nocturn of three lessons. There is neither a commemoration nor the Suffrage at Lauds. At Prime Quicumque is omitted as are the Dominical preces. At Mass there is only one collect. St. Martina is omitted this year.

Art: Jerome Nadal

The Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle

The feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle is of greater-double rite. The feast is of particular significance to 'Rubricarius' as his Baptismal name is Paul. The liturgical colour of the feast is white.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the proper antiphons, Ego plantavi etc., were sung with the psalms from first Vespers of the Common of Apostles (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116). The chapter, hymn, versicle & response, antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were all proper to the feast. Commemorations were sung of St. Peter and then the preceding Office of St. Timothy. At Compline the Dominical psalms were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is proper, Laudemus Deum nostrum, In conversione Doctoris Gentium. The hymn is proper, as sung at Vespers, Egregie Doctor, Paule. The antiphons and psalms at the three nocturns are proper. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the Acts of the Apostles, detailing the account of Paul falling from his horse and the LORD asking, Saul, why he persecutes the brethren. In the second nocturn the lessons are provided from the writing of St. Augustine. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Bede. At Lauds the antiphons Ego plantavi etc are sung with the Dominical psalms. A commemoration is sung of St. Peter.

At the Hours the antiphons, Ego plantavi etc., are sung with festal psalmody in the usual order. At Prime the lectio brevis is proper to the feast, Saulus, adhuc spirans.

Mass is sung after Terce. Where the rubrics are observed properly six candlesticks are placed on the altar. The Mass is proper with the introit Scio cui credidi. The Gloria is sung, a commemoration is sung of St. Peter the Apostle. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Apostles.

At second Vespers the antiphons Ego plantavi etc are sung again with the psalms from Second Vespers of Apostles (Pss. 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138). Commemorations are sung of St. Peter and St. Polycarp. At Compline the Sunday psalms are sung.

Following the 'liturgical books of 1962' - God alone knows why anyone should follow such pernicious rubbish - the feast loses first Vespers and the festal Compline. Mattins is sliced down to one nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds the commemoration of St. Peter is truncated to the former oration being added to the oration of the feast under one conclusion. At the Hours the antiphons and psalms are of Tuesday, not of the feast. At Mass a commemoration of St. Peter is added to the collect of the day under one conclusion. The Creed is not sung. At Vespers again for a commemoration of St. Peter his oration is added to the oration of the feast under one conclusion. There is no commemoration of St. Timothy. Compline is ferial.

Icon: From an Orthodox Church in Pennsylvania featured here.

Third Sunday after the Epiphany

The third Sunday after the Epiphany is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew record the LORD healing the leper and the centurion's servant.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms appointed for Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Suscepit Deus. This antiphon is sung at Vespers on all Saturdays until the Saturday before Septuagesima. Commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of SS Vincent and Anastasius, then of St. Raymund of Pennafort and then of St. Emerentiana. After these commemorations the Suffrage of the Saints was sung. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the hymn Primo die . Mattins has the usual three nocturns. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. In the second nocturn the lessons are from an exposition of this Epistle to the Galatians by St. Augustine and in the third nocturn the homily is from St. Jerome. At Lauds commemorations are sung of St. Raymund of Pennafort and St. Emerentiana. After these commemorations the Suffrage of the Saints is sung. At Prime Quicumque is sung as are the Dominical preces .

At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is for St. Raymund of Pennafort, the third collect is for St. Emerentiana. The Credo is sung and the preface is that of the Blessed Trinity.

At Vespers commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Timothy and of St. Raymund of Pennafort. The Suffrage is not sung because of the concurrent double feast and the Domincal preces are omitted at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. The Suffrage is omitted at Vespers as are the Dominical preces at Compline Mattins is reduced by two-thirds to one nocturn of three lessons. There are neither commemorations nor Suffrage at Lauds. At Prime Quicumque is omitted as are the Dominical preces. At Mass there is only one collect. Neither St. Raymund of Pennafort or St. Emerentiana are commemorated at all this year.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Second Sunday after the Epiphany

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany is of semi-double rite. The Gospel fragment at Mattins and the Gospel at Mass are St. John's account of the Marriage Feast at Cana. The liturgical colour is green.

At Vespers on Saturday the antiphon on the Magnificat was Suscepit Deus (and the same is sung on all Saturdays until Septuagesima). Commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Paul the first Hermit and of St. Marcellus. As a double feast was commemorated the Dominical preces were not sung at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and this is sung until Septuagesima. The hymn is Primo die and that is sung until the first Sunday in Lent. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians. In the second nocturn a sermon of St. Chrysostom provides the lessons and, in the third nocturn, the homily is from St. Augustine. At Lauds a commemoration is sung of St. Marcellus followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Prime the Dominical Quicumque is sung as are the Dominical preces..

At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Marcellus, the third collect of the BVM Deus, qui salutis. The Creed is sung and the preface is that of the Trinity.

At Vespers commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Anthony of Egypt and St. Marcellus. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted due to the concurring double feast of St. Anthony.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is reduced to one nocturn of three lessons. No commemoration is made of St. Marcellus at Lauds or Mass. There is no Suffrage at Lauds, nor are there preces at Prime. Mass has a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

The Octave Day of the Epiphany

The Octave Day of the Epiphany is of greater-double rite.

At Mattins the invitatory and hymn are sung as on other days within the Octave, the special arrangement being for the feast only. The antiphons and psalms sung are those used on the feast, Afferte Domino etc. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the Epistle to the Corinthians, De quibus autem (for Thursday after the first Sunday after the Epiphany). The first responsory sung today is Hodie [pun intended!]. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon of St. Gregory the Theologian and in the third nocturn the homily if from St. Augustine.

At Lauds all is as on the feast, the antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc are sung with the Dominical psalms. However, the collect is proper to the Octave Day Deus, cujus Unigenitus.

At the Hours the hymns have the Doxology and melody of the Epiphany. The antiphons and psalm are sung as on the feast but with the proper collect of the Octave Day.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass formulary is the same as on the feast except the orations and Gospel are proper. The Gloria is sung, the Creed is sung and the preface and communicantes are of the Epiphany.

Vespers are of the Octave Day with commemorations of tomorrow's feast of St. Hilary of Poitiers and St. Felix.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Octave, and of course the Octave Day, have been abolished. The former Octave Day was 'resprayed' as the feast of the Baptism of the LORD in the 1955 stage of the reform and celebrated as a greater-double. In the 1960/61 revisions the feast became II Class. Mattins and Lauds are as in the Old Rite. At the Hours the ferial psalter with its antiphons is used. The hymns do not have the Doxology in honour of the Epiphany. At Mass the special communicantes used throughout the Octave in the Usus antiquor are not said.

Within the Octave of the Epiphany II

Yesterday, today and tomorrow, Wednesday, are days within the Octave of the Epiphany. They are of semi-double rank.

Mattins has the normal structure, as was resumed on the 7th, with the opening verse Domine, labia, invitatory psalm and hymn. The antiphons and psalmody is as on the feast (but the antiphons are not doubled) but in the third nocturn the psalm Fundamenta replaces the special arrangement of psalm 94. Yesterday, the Incipit of the Epistle to the Corinthians was read in the first nocturn (displaced from the Sunday within the Octave by the feast of the Holy Family) with the first responsory Hodie. Corinthians continues to be read throughout the Octave but with Tria sunt as the first responsory. The second nocturn lessons are from St. Maximus (yesterday), St. Fulgentius today and from St. Leo tomorrow. In the third nocturn the homilies are from St. Jerome (yesterday), St. Ambrose, today, and St Augustine on Wednesday.

At Lauds the antiphon on the Benedictus is proper for each day. At the Hours the antiphons and psalmody is as on the feast, the hymns having the Doxology and melody of the Epiphany. Today a commemoration is sung at Lauds, and was sung at Vespers yesterday, of St. Hyginus. At Prime the versicle Qui apparuisti is sung in the short responsory and the lectio brevis is Omnes de Saba venient.

At Mass, today, the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Hyginus, the third collect of the the BVM, Deus, qui salutis. The Credo is sung and the preface and communicantes are as on the feast. On other days within the Octave the second collect is of the BVM and the third for the Church.

Vespers are of the Octave with the antiphon on the Magnificat being proper to each day. Compline is festal.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' these days after the Epiphany become IV class ferial days of Epiphanytide. Mattins has one nocturn and the psalmody is ferial. At the Hours the hymns do not have the Doxology in honour of the Epiphany and again have ferial psalmody. Despite the ferial psalmody the antiphons are doubled. At Mass the texts of the Sunday 'after' the Epiphany are sung, the Gloria is sung, the additional collects and Credo are omitted. St. Hyginus gets a commemoration at Low Mass only today. Vespers has ferial psalmody as does Compline.

The Holy Family

The Feast of the Holy Family is celebrated on the Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany. The feast is of greater double rank. The feast was assigned by Leo XIII in 1893 to the third Sunday after the Epiphany. In 1921 Benedict XV moved its celebration to the Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany. If the Epiphany falls on a Sunday the Holy Family is anticipated on the following Saturday, the Octave Day of the Epiphany being celebrated on the Sunday.

The Office is proper. At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Jacob autem genuit Joseph etc are proper to the feast, the hymn O lux beata caelitum is sung. Commemorations of the Octave of the Epiphany and of the Sunday within the Octave are sung. There is a special Doxology at the end of all hymns (except the hymn at Mattins), Jesu tuis obediens, Qui factus es parentibus, Cum Patre summo ac Spiritu, Semper tibi sit gloria.

At Mattins the invitatory, hymn and antiphons are proper. In the first nocturn the lessons are from St. Paul's Epistle to the Colossians. The second nocturn lessons are from the brief of Leo XIII establishing the feast. In the third nocturn the homily is from the writings of St. Bernard. Unusually, the ninth lesson of the Sunday is not read. This is because the gospel fragment at Mattins, and the Gospel at Mass, are the same as that for the Sunday within the Octave. At Lauds the antiphons are again proper, Post triduum invenerunt Jesum etc., and refer to the Finding in the Temple and the LORD growing in wisdom at Nazareth. Commemorations are sung of the Sunday within the Octave and the Octave of the Epiphany.

The antiphons from Lauds are used as usual for the Little Hours. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii) in the short responsory the verse Qui Mariae et Joseph subditus fuisti is sung, the short lesson is Semetipsum exinanivit.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday within the Octave, the third collect is of the Octave. The Creed is sung, the preface and communicantes are of the Epiphany. The last Gospel is In principio.

In second Vespers the antiphons of Lauds are sung with the psalms from the Common of the BVM (unless the feast was reduced to a commemoration and first Vespers not sung in their entirety in which case the antiphons Jacob autem genuit Joseph etc and sung). A commemoration is made of the following day within the Octave and the Sunday within the Octave.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast is second class but gains a Vespers as it falls (always) on a Sunday. If Sunday is the 'Baptism of the Lord' (basically the Octave Day in the Old Rite) the feast of the Bapism is omitted. However, Mattins does have nine lessons. At Lauds no commemorations are sung. At the Little Hours the antiphons of Lauds are not sung but the antiphons and psalms of Sunday. At Prime psalm 117 is sung in place of psalm 53. The short lesson is that of 'Epiphanytide'. The hymns at the Little Hours do not have the Doxology of the feast. At Mass the Gloria is sung, there are no commemorations. The Credo is sung, the preface is of the Epiphany but the proper communicantes are not said. Vespers are without any commemorations. In the 'ordinary form' of the 1962 rite the feast is celebrated on the Sunday after the Nativity, unless that day is January 1st.

Within the Octave of the Epiphany

Today and tomorrow, Saturday, are days within the Octave of the Epiphany. They are of semi-double rank.

At Mattins the normal structure is resumed with the opening verse Domine, labia, invitatory psalm and hymn. The antiphons and psalmody is as on the feast (but the antiphons are not doubled) but in the third nocturn the psalm Fundamenta replaces the special arrangement of psalm 94. Lessons in the first nocturn continue to be taken from St. Paul's letter to the Romans. The first responsory is Tria sunt, not Hodie as on the feast. The second nocturn lessons are from St. Augustine today and from St. Leo on Saturday. In the third nocturn the homilies are from the writings of St. Gregory.

At Lauds the antiphon on the Benedictus is proper for each day. At the Hours the antiphons and psalmody is as on the feast, the hymns having the Doxology and melody of the Epiphany. At Prime the versicle Qui apparuisti is sung in the short responsory and the lectio brevis is Omnes de Saba venient.

At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the BVM, Deus, qui salutis, the third for the Church, Ecclesiae, or the pope. The Credo is sung and the preface and communicantes are as on the feast.

Vespers are of the Octave with the antiphon on the Magnificat being proper to each day. Compline is festal. On Saturday Vespers are of the following feast of the Holy Family with a commemoration of the Octave and the Sunday within the Octave.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the days after the Epiphany become IV class ferial days of Epiphanytide. Mattins has one nocturn and the psalmody is ferial. At the Hours the hymns do not have the Doxology in honour of the Epiphany and again have ferial psalmody. Despite the ferial psalmody the antiphons are doubled. On Saturday the ferial day is replaced by the Saturday Office of the BVM, so the texts that were proper to the Octave are not used at all that day, except, somewhat ironicly the lectio brevis as Omnes de Saba venient is used for 'Epiphanytide'. At Mass the Gloria is sung, the additional collects and Credo are omitted. Vespers has ferial psalmody as does Compline.

The Epiphany of the LORD

The feast of the Epiphany is a Double of the First Class with a privileged Octave of the Second Order. The Epiphany was kept in the East from the third century, or earlier, and spread to the West a century later. Originally, it seems, in the East at least that this 'manifestation' of the LORD was the same celebration as the Nativity. To this day those following the Armenian Rite keep Theophany (the Nativity & Epiphany as one feast) today - a happy Christmas to any Armenian readers!

The antiquity of the feast can be clearly seen in the structure of the Office of Mattins, unique to this day. The (historically later) Domine labia me, invitatory and hymn are ommitted and the Office begins with the first antiphon Afferte Domino. In the first nocturn the lessons are from Isaiah. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon on the Epiphany by St. Leo. In the third nocturn the usual invitatory psalm, Venite , is sung in the third nocturn, in a responsorial manner, with the verse Venite, adoremus eum: quia ipse est Dominus, Deus noster. A homily of St. Gregory is read in the lessons of the third nocturn. At Lauds the antiphons sung at Vespers yesterday, Ante luciferum genitus etc., are sung with the Dominical psalms.

At the Little Hours the antiphons from Lauds are sung with the festal psalms. At Prime in the short responsory a versicle Qui apparuisti hodie is sung today and during the Octave, the short lesson is Omnes de Saba. The Doxology Jesu, tibi sit gloria, Qui apparuisti gentibus etc is sung at the hymns of the Little Hours.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass, Ecce advenit, is proper. The Gloria and Credo are sung. The preface and communicantes in the Canon are proper to the feast.

After the Gospel of the Mass the Moveable Feasts for the year are traditionally announced. The chant is very beautiful. The text is as follows:

Noveritis, fratres carissimi, quod annuente Dei misericordia, sicut de Nativitate DNJC gavisi sumus, ita et de Resurrectione ejusdem Salvatoris Nostri gaudium vobis annuntiamus.

Die Vigesima Februarii, erit Dominica in Septuagesima.

Nona Martii, Dies Cinerum et initium jejunii Sacratissimæ Quadragesimæ.

Vigesima quarta, Sanctum Pascha DNJC cum gaudio celebrabimus.

Secunda Junii, erit Ascensio DNJC.

Duodecima Junii, Festum Pentecostes.

Vigesima tertia Junii, Festum Sacratissimi Corporis Christi.

Vigesima septima Novembris, Dominica prima Adventus DNJC, cui est honor et gloria in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

At Vespers the antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc are sung with psalms 109, 110, 11, 112 & 113.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the only textual changes today are the abolition of the Doxology in honour of the Epiphany at the hymns of the Little Hours and the duplication of antiphons at the same. Tomorrow however...

The Vigil of the Epiphany

The Vigil of the Epiphany is a semi-double of the second class and a priviliged Vigil of the second class. In the post-1570 Roman rite the Vigil of the Epiphany takes the place of the Office of the Sunday which occurs from the 1st to 5th January and has all the privileges of a Sunday both in concurrence and occurence. (c.f. rubric in the Breviary at the end of January 1st. Prior to the 1911-13 reform the celebration of the Octave Days of the comites Christi feasts as doubles meant that the Sunday, under the 1568-1911 rubrics, was moved until the first free day, the 5th and day of the ancient Vigil. Examining older books one can find two sets of formularies: one for the vacant Sunday with the collect Omnipotens as used today and one for the 'real' Vigil with the collect Corda nostra. These, distinct, celebrations were also found in Sarum practice and its closest surviving modern descendant the Dominican rite. With the 1911-13 reform reducing the rank of the comites Christi Octave Days the 'real' Sunday had the Feast of the Holy Name transferred from the Second Sunday after the Epiphany to the Sunday before the Epiphany or January 2nd. The 1948 Commission for General Liturgical Reform clearly didn't understand this and stated '..La vigilia ha semplicemente la liturgia della domenica dope il Natale..' Memoria sulla riforma liturgica p.47, #3. On p. 49 the proposal to abolish the Octave can be found.

A Vigil Mass of the Epiphany has been restored in the 2002 edition of the new Roman Missal. The 2002 MR gives the collect as:

Corda nostra, quaesumus, Domini, tuae majestatis splendor illustret, quo mundi hujus tenebras transire valeamus, et perveniamus ad patriam claritatis aeterne.

The Missal of Robert of Jumièges, a favourite of mine, gives the following version for the Vigil:

Corda nostra quaesumus Domine venturae festivitatis splendor illustret, quo mundi hujus tenebris carere valeamus, et perveniamus ad patriam claritatis aeterne.

A good example of where some scholarship after Vatican II has been of far higher calibre than that of the 1948 Commission.

At Mattins the invitatory, hymn, antiphons and psalms are those used for the Circumcision. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the eighth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans with the responsories from the Circumcision. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon by St. Augustine and in the third nocturn the homily is from St. Jerome's commentary on the second chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel. At Lauds and the Hours again the antiphons are those from the Circumcision, O admirabile commercium etc. The chapter is proper to the Vigil, the antiphon on the Benedictus is proper, Dum medium silentium, and the collect is proper, Omnipotens. A commemoration is sung of St. Telesphorus Pope & Martyr.

At the Hours the antiphons of Lauds are sung and the psalmody is festal. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii) the preces are omitted, the lectio brevis is Itaque jam non est servus. The hymns of the Little Hours are sung with the Doxology and melody in honour of the Incarnation.

At Mass, sung after Terce, the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Telesphorus, the third collect of the BVM, Deus, qui salutis. The Credo is sung and the preface is of the Nativity.

Vespers are first Vespers of the Epiphany. The antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc are sung with the psalms from the First Vespers of the Common of Apostles. The chapter, Surge, illuminare, Jerusalem is from Isaiah, the Office hymn Crudelis Herodes. For the feast and its octave a Doxology in honour of the LORD's manifestation is sung at all hymns of Iambic metre: Jesu, tibi sit gloria, Qui apparuisti Gentibus, Cum Patre, et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Vigil is abolished and the day is another fourth class feria of Christmastide. Mattins has one nocturn and three lessons. St. Telesphorus is commemorated at Lauds and said Masses but with the collect Gregem tuum from the Pian fiddlings with the Commons. The hymns of the Little Hours are sung without the Doxology of the Incarnation. Vespers are the same as the Old Rite. At Compline Te lucis is sung without the proper Doxology.

Octave Day of the Holy Innocents

The Octave Day of the Holy Innocents is of simple rite. The liturgical colour, unlike the feast itself, is red.

At Mattins the invitatory and hymn are as on the feast but the psalmody is ferial. In the nocturn the first and second lessons are from the Epistle to the Romans, the third lesson is proper to the feast and is followed by the Te Deum. At Lauds the psalmody is ferial but the chapter, hymn, antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are as on the feast.

At the Little Hours the psalmody is again ferial, the hymns have the Doxology and melody in honour of the Incarnation. At Prime the lectio brevis is Hi empti sunt.

Mass is sung after Sext. The Mass is as on the feast but the Gloria is sung, the second collect is Deus, qui salutis the third collect Ecclesiae. Unlike the feast the Alleluia and its verse are sung in place of the Tract. The preface is that of the Nativity. Although a simple ranking Octave Day private Votive Masses are not allowed this day.

Vespers are of the Vigil of Epiphany. The antiphons O admirabile commercium etc are sung with the psalms of Vespers for feasts of the BVM. A commemoration is sung of St. Telesphorus.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the day is a ferial day of Christmastide. The Holy Innocents have lost their Octave. Although of Christmastide the hymns of the Hours do not have the Doxology or melody of the Incarnation. The Mass is as on January 1st with one collect. Vespers are of the feria - the Vigil of the Epiphany has been abolished too. In the 'Ordinary Form' of the 1962 books again there are ferial days of Christmastide unless the Epiphany has been anticipated when they become days of Epiphanytide!

Octave Day of St. John the Evangelist

Today is the Octave Day of St. John the Evangelist. It is of simple rite. The liturgical colour is white.

At Mattins the invitatory and hymn are as on the feast but the psalmody is ferial. In the nocturn the first and second lessons are from the Epistle to the Romans, the third lesson is proper to the feast from the writing of St. Augustine on St. John. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the psalmody is ferial but the chapter, hymn, antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are as on the feast.

At the Little Hours the psalmody is again ferial, the hymns have the Doxology and melody in honour of the Incarnation. At Prime the lectio brevis is In medio Ecclesiae.

Mass is sung after Sext. The Mass is as on the feast. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is Deus, qui salutis the third collect Ecclesiae. The preface is that of the Apostles. (Rubricarius was fortunate to assist at such a celebration this morning in Greenwich, at a very rubrical altar with two candlesticks). Private Votive and Requiem Masses are forbidden today.

Vespers are of the Octave Day of the Holy Innocents, the liturgical colour is red. The antiphons and psalms are from the ferial Psalter, from the chapter as on the feast.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the day is a ferial day of Christmastide. The feast of St. John has lost its Octave. The Doxology or melody of the Incarnation is not sung at the Hours. The Mass is as on January 1st with one collect. Vespers are of the feria. Likewise in the 'Ordinary Form' of the 1962 rite the day becomes a feria of the Christmas season. However, in some countries, like England, the Epiphany was anticipated yesterday and so today becomes a weekday after Epiphany (or the Holy Name following the latest editio typica of the Ordinary Form Missal). Interestingly the 'EF' mess at Spanish Place in London yesterday was of the Epiphany I am informed from an impeccable source.

The Holy Name of Jesus

The feast of the Holy Name of Jesus and is a Double of the Second Class. Today is also the Octave Day of St. Stephen. The liturgical colour of the day is white. This feast takes the place of the second 'vacant' Sunday after the Nativity or, when no Sunday falls between the Circumcision and the Epiphany, it is kept on January 2nd. The feast was granted to the Franciscan Order in 1530 to be kept on 14th January. In 1721 the feast was extended to the Universal Calendar to be kept on the second Sunday after the Epiphany. Following the 1911-13 reform the feast was moved to the Sunday between the Circumcision and Epiphany or kept on January 2nd if no such Sunday occurred. In the Sarum Rite the feast was kept on August 7th - the date still appears in the Calendar of the Book of Common Prayer.

At Mattins the invitatory is Admirabile nomen Jesu etc and the hymn Jesu, Rex admirabilis etc. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the Acts of the Apostles. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from a sermon of St. Bernard and a homily from St. Bernard on the Circumcision also provides the homily in the third nocturn. At Lauds the antiphons are proper, Oleum effusum etc. and the hymn Jesu, decus angelicum. A commemoration of the Octave Day of St. Stephen is sung.

At the Hours the psalmody is festal and the antiphons from Lauds are used in sequence as usual. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii) the short lesson is proper, Omne quodcumque. The Doxologies of the hymns at the Little Hours are changed in honour of the Incarnation, Jesu, tibi sit gloria etc.

The Mass is proper, In nomine Jesu, with Gloria, commemoration of the Octave Day of St. Stephen in private Masses. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Nativity.

At second Vespers the antiphons Omnis qui invocaverit etc are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 and 115. The Office hymn is Jesu, dulcis memoria. There is no commemoration of the following simple Octave Day of St. John.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' Mattins and Lauds are the same as the Old Rite but the Octaves of the Comites Christi feasts have been abolished so there is no Octave Day and consequently no commemoration of it. At the Hours the antiphons are from the Sunday Office, not the feast and there is no Doxology in honour of the Incarnation. At Prime psalm 117 is sung in place of psalm 53 and the short lesson is from the season, Ipsi peribunt. Vespers are the same.

Happy New Ordo!

Ordo MMXI begins today!

The postal service, both in the UK and abroad, has been very slow this year. One of the first orders this year was sent on the last Saturday in November by AirMail and only arrived at its destination with the customer in California this week - truly appalling! On Christmas Eve several orders arrived at the Saint Lawrence Press that had been posted on December 6th in the UK! It has not helped that I was late sending the paper and email reminders - I have not been well in 2010 and prayers for my good health would be appreciated.

Orders are being despatched as soon as they arrive but for those still awaiting their copies of the Ordo January 2011 can be found here as a pdf file.

Ordo MMXI has seen the insertion of letters to indicate psalmody at the request of a major customer, and long time friend, in the States. Many publishing houses of Ordines in the past incorporated these. The explanation for these letter can be found at the bottom of page 15. After the rank of each day three letters will be found indicating the psalmody for Mattins, Lauds and the Hours. So for today these are 'pdF'. This means the psalms at Mattins are proper; the Dominical psalms are sung at Lauds and the Festal (lower case f when it appears indicates ferial) psalms are sung at the Hours with psalm 53, Deus in nomine tuo, being the first psalm at Prime.

At the end of the day's entry two more letters appear to indicate the psalmody at Vespers and Compline. So for today we have 'pd'. Again this means that proper psalms are sung at Vespers, the Dominical psalms sung at Compline.

More examples will be worked through as we progress. Hopefully customers will appreciate this addition.

May 2011 bring many blessings to all customers and readers!

The Circumcision of the LORD and Octave Day of the Nativity

The feast of the Circumcision of the LORD and Octave Day of the Nativity is a Double of the Second Class. The liturgical colour of the feast is white.

Anciently, two if not three Masses were celebrated this day in Rome. There was the Octave Day of the Nativity, a Mass in St. Mary Major in honour of Mary, Mother of God (c.f. today's orations in the Missal and the 1970MR), and the Circumcision. Although the latter probably fused with the Octave Day at an early age. The eleventh century Missal of Robert of Jumieges (now recently re-published by the Henry Bradshaw Society) gives two sets of formularies: the first for the Octave Day all specifically referencing both the Circumcision and the Octave Day and, then, for the first Sunday after the Nativity are the set of orations as found in Pius V's Missal for today but with a proper preface.

At first Vespers yesterday the antiphons were proper, O admirabile commercium etc., and the psalms those for feasts of the BVM (Pss.109, 112, 121, 126 & 147). The Office hymn was Jesu, Redemptor omnium (as on the feast of the Nativity). The Doxology which has been sung since first Vespers of the Nativity Jesu, tibi sit gloria etc continues to be sung until the Epiphany. At Mattins the antiphons Dominus dixit ad me etc, are sung with proper psalmody. In the first nocturn lessons continue to be read from the Epistle to the Romans. Prior to the 1911-13 reform today chapter 3 and 4 of that letter formed the first nocturn lessons with the first verse 'What advantage then hath the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? and all of St. Paul's discourse on circumcison and the Gentiles. After that reform the readings from Romans started a day earlier, on the feast of St. Thomas Becket, with the result that the first part of chapter three is omitted and no longer formed the 'appropriated' first lesson for today. In the second nocturn the antiphons Speciosus forma etc are sung, the lessons are taken from St. Leo's seventh sermon on the Nativity of the LORD. In the third nocturn the antiphons In principio etc are sung and the homily is from the writings of St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel. At Lauds the same antiphons as at Vespers, O admirabile commercium, are sung with the Dominical psalms. The Office hymn is as on the feast of the Nativity, A solis ortus cardine.

At the Hours, as usual, the antiphons from Lauds are used in sequence. The Doxology in honour of the Incarnation is sung at all hymns of Iambic metre. At Prime O admirabile commercium is sung with the festal psalms (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii). In the short responsory the versicle Qui natus es is sung, as it has been from the feast of the Nativity and will be sung until the Vigil of the Epiphany inclusive. The lectio brevis is Ipsi peribunt. The chapters at the Hours of Sext and None are the same as those sung on the feast of the Nativity.

At Mass, sung after Terce, the composite nature of the day is apparent: the introit Puer natus, epistle, gradual, offertory and communion chant are of the Nativity; the orations are of the BVM and the Gospel of the Circumcision. The Gloria and Credo are sung and the preface and communicantes are of the Nativity.

At Second Vespers the antiphons O admirabile commercium are again sung with the same psalms as at first Vespers. (The versicle and response and the antiphon on the Magnificat are different to those sung at first Vespers).

In 'the liturgical books of 1962' textually there are only a few differences in the liturgy today. The Circumcision has been renamed Octave Day of the Nativity and raised to first class rank. At the Little Hours the antiphons are doubled and the tone of the hymns is that used on solemn feasts, the Doxology is ordinary.