Within the Octave of All Saints

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

The Office is as on the feast except that the antiphons and psalmody are taken from the relevant day of the week. The antiphons are not, of course, doubled. At Mattins today the first nocturn lessons are the Incipit of the book of the prophet Ezechiel, transferred from Sunday to today with their responsories. 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 etc, 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 the feast of St. Charles a commemoration of the Octave, and of SS Vitalis and Agricola, is sung at Lauds and Mass. Vespers are of the feast with a commemoration of the Octave.

On Saturday the fifth day within the Octave is celebrated. The first nocturn lessons are from Ezechiel, the second nocturn lessons are from St. Bede and the homily from St. Augstine. Mass is of the Octave with the introit Gaudeamus etc, Gloria, second collect Deus, qui corda, third collect Ecclesiae and the Creed.

Prior to the 1568 revision of the Breviary the lessons during the Octave were different. Gregory DiPippo, the author of the excellent series on Holy Week and the History of the Breviary, has begun another series of posts, here and here, illustrating these older lessons from the 1529 Breviary of the Roman Curia for the second day within the Octave of All Saints. A recommended read during the Octave.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Octave has been abolished and fourth class ferial 'green' days replace the days once graced by the celebration of the Octave. Scripture is from the fifth week of October with the history of the Machabees. St. Charles is reduced to a third class feast of three lessons. On Saturday the Saturday celebration of the BVM takes place.