The Beheading of St. John the Baptist

The feast of the Decollation of St. John the Baptist is of greater-double rite and its liturgical colour is red. Texts for the feast are either proper or from the Common of a Martyr.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Martyrum Dominum, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn Deus, tuorum militum. In the first nocturn the antiphons In lege Domini etc are sung with psalms 1, 2 & 3. The lessons are proper to the feast taken from the Incipit of the Book of Jeremiah with responsories of the feast. In the second nocturn the antiphons Filii hominum etc are sung with psalms 4, 5 & 8. The lessons are from St. Ambrose. In the third nocturn the antiphons Justus Dominus etc are sung with psalms 10, 14 & 20. The homily is from St. Augustine and the Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Herodes enim tenuit etc are sung with psalms 92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148. The Office hymn is Invicte Martyr, unicum. The antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are proper to the feast. A commemoration is sung of St. Sabina.

At the Hours the antiphons Herodes enim tenuit etc are sung with the festal psalms. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii) the lectio brevis is Justus cor suum.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Sabina and the Common Preface is sung.

At Vespers the antiphons Herodes enim tenuit etc are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. The Office hymn is Deus, tuorum militum. The antiphon on the Magnificat is proper. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Rose of Lima and SS Felix and Adauctus. At Compline the Sunday psalms are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast has become a 'III class' feast. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. The antiphons and psalms are from the ferial psalter. The first and second lessons are from occurring scripture - a week different from the old rite - but two of the responsories from the old Office remain. At Lauds all is as in the usus antiquior but at the Hours the antiphons and psalms are of the ferial day. In sung Masses the commemoration of St. Sabina is omitted. At Vespers all is as in the usus antiquior except there are no commemorations. At Compline the psalms are ferial. In the forma ordinaria of the 1962 books the feast has gained a proper preface.