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. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Peter Nolasco and of St. Francis de Sales. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted at Vespers as were the Dominical preces at Compline because of the double feasts.

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. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds, after the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Francis de Sales. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

At Prime Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Francis de Sales. There is no third collect. The Credo is sung and the preface is that of the Blessed Trinity.

At Vespers commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Martina and of St. Francis de Sales. The Suffrage is not sung because of the 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 commemoration nor the Suffrage at Lauds. At Mass there is only one collect.

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 and 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. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of St. Peter the Apostle 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, Egregie Doctor, Paule, as sung at Vespers. In the first nocturn the antiphons Qui operatus est etc are sung with psalms 18, 33 & 44. The first nocturn 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 antiphons Tu es vas electionis etc are sung with psalms 46. 60 & 63 The lessons are from St. Augustine's fourteenth sermon on the Saints. In the third nocturn the antiphons Saulus, qui et Paulus etc are sung with psalms 74, 96 & 98. The homily is from St. Bede on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons Ego plantavi etc are sung with the Dominical psalms. The Office hymn is from the Common, Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast 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 properly observed six candlesticks are placed on the altar as proper for a greater-double feast. 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). The hymn is Egregie Doctor, Paule. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung first of St. Peter and then of the following Office of St. Polycarp. At Compline the Sunday psalms are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast is cut down to III Class and loses first Vespers and the festal Compline. Mattins is cut 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 Wednesday, 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. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Agnes and then of SS Vincent and Anastasius. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted due to the occurring double feast and, for the same reason, at Compline the Dominical preces were not 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. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aterne rerum conditor. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of SS Vincent and Anastasius. This commemoration is followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Prime Quicumque is sung as are the Dominical preces .

At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of SS Vincent and Anastasius and the third collect is Deus, qui salutis. The Credo is sung and the preface is that of the Blessed Trinity.

At Vespers the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Raymund of Pennafort, SS Vincent and Anastasius and St. Emerentiana. After the last commemoration the Suffrage of the Saints is sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung 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 is no commemoration or Suffrage at Lauds. At Prime Quicumque is omitted as are the Dominical preces. At Mass there is only one collect. SS Vincent and Anastasius are omitted this year (except for the reading in the Martyrology yesterday).

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). After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Hiliary of Poitiers, St. Paul the first Hermit and of St. Maurus. 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 commemorations are sung of St. Paul the first Hermit and St. Maurus. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted because of the occurring double feast. At Prime Quicumque is omitted as are the Dominical preces..

At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Paul the first Hermit, the third collect of St. Maurus. The Creed is sung and the preface is that of the Trinity.

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

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 at Lauds or Mass. Mass has a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Octave Day of the Epiphany

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

At Vespers yesterday afternoon all was sung as first Vespers of the Epiphany except the collect which is proper to the Octave Day.

At Mattins the invitatory, Christus apparuit nobis, Venite adoremus, and hymn, Crudelis Herodis Deum, are sung as on other days within the Octave, the special arrangement being for the feast only. The antiphons Afferte Domino etc are sung, doubled, with the psalms of the feast. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the Epistle to the Corinthians, Si linguis hominum (for the Friday after the first Sunday after the Epiphany). The first responsory is Hodie. 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. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds all is as on the feast, the antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc are sung with the Dominical psalms. The Office hymn is O sola magnarum urbium. Thecollect 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.

Icon: Russian, 15th century, Wikipedia

Within the Octave of the Epiphany

With the great Octave of the Epiphany, an Octave of even higher ranking than even that of the Nativity, the three-fold theme of the feast is reinforced to the world by the witness of the celebration Liturgy.

The days within the Octave are of semi-double rite. The antiphons etc are as on the feast only they are not doubled. Before the Sunday in the Octave the lessons in the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from Romans, following the Sunday they are from Corinthians. Since 1921 the feast of the Holy Family has been permanently transferred to the Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany. The Octave and Sunday are commemorated in the Office and at Mass but there is no ninth lesson of the Sunday nor a proper last Gospel.

Each day within the Octave has proper lessons for the second and third nocturns at Mattins and proper antiphons for both the Benedictus and Magnificat. The lessons proper to the displaced Sunday, the Incipit from Corinthians, were transferred to Monday. A 'resumed' Mass of the Sunday - with both Gloria and Creed - was also celebrated on Monday. At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the BVM, Deus qui salutis, the third collect is Ecclesiae. When a feast occurrs, e.g. St. Hyginus on the 11th the second collect of the season is omitted. The Creed is sung each day and the preface and communicantes are proper to the Epiphany.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' this great feast has been stripped of its Vigil and Octave. In their place are fourth class ferial days of 'Epiphanytide'. On the Saturday the ferial day was outranked by the Saturday Office of the BVM. On Sunday there was no commemoration of the Octave or of the Sunday. These ferial days have the antiphons and psalm divisi from the Psalter and all the second and third nocturn lessons from the Octave have of course gone. The days retain their proper antiphons at the NT Canticles. The Doxology of the Epiphany vanishes from the hymns of the Horae Minores.

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.

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 omitted and the Office begins with the first antiphon Afferte Domino. Psalms 28, 45 & 46 are sung. The lessons in the first nocturn are from Isaiah. In the second nocturn the antiphons Omnis terra adoret te etc are sung with psalms 65, 71 & 85 and the lessons are from a sermon on the Epiphany by St. Leo. In the third nocturn the antiphon Venite adoremus eum etc is sung with Ps. 94, Venite , the usual invitatory psalm, in a responsorial manner. Psalms 95 and 96 are also sung in the third nocturn. The homily on St. Matthew's Gospel if from St. Gregory. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons sung at Vespers yesterday, Ante luciferum genitus etc., are sung with the Dominical psalms. The chapter is Surge, illuminare from Isaiah and the Office hymn is O sola magnarum urbium.

At the Little Hours the antiphons from Lauds are sung with the festal psalms. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii), 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 quinta Februarii, erit Dominica in Septuagesima.

Vicesima secunda Februarii, Dies Cinerum et initium jejunii Sacratissimæ Quadragesimæ.

Octava Aprilis, Sanctum Pascha DNJC cum gaudio celebrabimus.

Septima decima Maji, erit Ascensio DNJC.

Vicesima septima, Festum Pentecostes.

Septima Junii, Festum Sacratissimi Corporis Christi.

Secunda Decembris, 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. The Office hymn is Crudelis Herodes Deum. The antiphon on the Magnificat is Tribus miraculis.

A splendid setting of Tribus miraculis by Jacobus Gallus.

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. The Octave and, as noted yesterday, Vigil have been stripped from the feast.

Vigil of the Epiphany

The Vigil of the Epiphany is a semi-double of the second class and a privileged Vigil of the second class. The liturgical colour is white.

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 occurrence. (c.f. rubric in the Breviary at the end of January 1st). Prior to the 1911-13 reform the Octave Days of the comites Christi feasts were celebrated as doubles which meant that the Sunday, under the 1568-1911 rubrics, was moved to the first free day, the 5th, the date 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. The 1911-13 reform reduced the rank of the comites Christi Octave Days to simples and 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.

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. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds and the Hours again the antiphons are those from the Circumcision, O admirabile commercium etc. The Sunday psalms are sung (Pss. 92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148) The chapter is proper to the Vigil, the hymn A solis ortus cardine as sung for the Nativity and the Circumcision, and the antiphon on the Benedictus is proper, Dum medium silentium as is the collect, Omnipotens. After the collect of the Vigil 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 Creed is sung and the preface is of the Nativity.

Vespers are first Vespers of the great feast of the Epiphany. The antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc are sung with the psalms from the First Vespers of the Common of Apostles (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116). 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. The rest of the Office is proper. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology and tone of the feast.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Vigil is completely 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 in the 1940s. 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. The Ordinary Form of the 1962 rite has restored the Vigil in the 2002 Roman Missal.

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 texts: 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 proper O admirabile commercium etc were sung with the psalms 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. After the collect of the feast there were no commemorations.

At Mattins the invitatory is Christus natus es nobis, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn Jesu, Redemptor omnium. In the first nocturn the antiphons Dominus dixit ad me etc, are sung with psalms 2, 18 & 23. The 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 circumcision 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 sung6 & 95. The lessons are from St. Leo's seventh sermon on the Nativity of the LORD. In the third nocturn the antiphons In principio etc are sung with psalms 96, 97 & 98 and the homily is from the writings of St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the same antiphons as at Vespers, O admirabile commercium etc, 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 the antiphon 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 (Pss. Pss.109, 112, 121, 126 & 147). The versicle and its respond and the antiphon on the Magnificat are proper to Second Vespers of the feast. No commemoration is made of the following Feast of the Holy Name.

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.