VI Sunday after Pentecost

The sixth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite. The liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Mark describe the Feeding of the Four Thousand with seven loaves and fishes.

At Vespers yesterday the psalms of Saturday were sung. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Apollinaris and of St. Christina. The Suffrage of the Saints was not sung nor were the Dominical preces at Compline because of the commemorated double feast. Yesterday was also the anticipated Vigil of St. James the Apostle but the Vigil is not commemorated at Vespers.

At Mattins there are the usual three nocturns. The invitatory and hymn are as sung on previous 'green' Sundays. In the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from the Second Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from St. Ambrose's Defence of David. Again St. Ambrose provides the homily in the third nocturn on St. Mark's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds a commemoration is sung of St. Christina, this is followed by the Suffrage of the Saints.

At Prime psalms 117, 118i & 118ii are sung. Quicumque is sung as the Dominical preces.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Christina, the third collect A cunctis. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

At Vespers the liturgical colour changes to festive red and Vespers are first Vespers of St. James the Apostle. The antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc were sung along with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The collect of the feast was proper. After the collect of the feast a commoration of the Sunday is sung. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at Vespers. The Vigil of St. James has been abolished. Mattins is cut down to one nocturn of three lessons. There are no commemorations or Suffrage at Lauds. At Prime there is neither Quicumque is sung nor the Dominical preces. Mass has a single collect. Vespers are of the Sunday without even a commemoration of St. James.

Art: Lambert Lombard's painting of the miracle of the seven loaves and fishes from Wikipedia.