St. Bartholomew the Apostle

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

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

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Apostolorum Dominum, venite adoremus. In the first nocturn the antiphons In omnem terram etc are sung with psalms 18, 33 & 44. The lessons are Sic nos existimet homo from the former Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. In the second nocturn the antiphons Principes populorum etc are sung with psalms 46, 60 & 63 followed by lessons proper to the feast. In the third nocturn the antiphons Exaltabuntur etc are sung with psalms 74, 96 & 98. The homily is taken from a commentary by St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel. At Lauds the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc are sung with the Sunday psalms.

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

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

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

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

Icon: Melkite Eparchy in Australia