Sexagesima Sunday

Sexagesima Sunday is a semi-double of the second class. The Sunday is characterised by a very lengthy Epistle, from St. Paul's Latter Epistle to the Corinthians. The Gospel pericopes are from St. Luke and the parable of the sower with his seed landing on rock, amongst weeds and on the good ground.

At Vespers yesterday the antiphons and psalms were of Saturday, the chapter, antiphon at the Magnificat and collect were proper to Sexagesima Sunday. The hymn, Jam sol recedit igneus, was sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of the preceding Office of the Apparition of the BVM at Lourdes followed by a commemoration of the Seven Founders of the Servite Order. The Suffrage was omitted due to the occurring double feasts. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation and the Dominical preces were omitted due to the occurring double feasts.

At Mattins, as the antiphons and psalms are those used on Sundays. In the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from Genesis (Ch. 5 & 6), the beginning of the story of Noah. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Ambrose on Noah and the Ark and in the third nocturn the lessons are a homily from St. Gregory on the Gospel of the seed falling on good and poor ground. A ninth responsory, Cum turba plurima, is sung in place of the Te Deum.

At Lauds the 'second scheme' of psalms is sung: Pss 50, 117, 62, Canticle of the Three Children (Benedictus es) and 148. The antiphons at Lauds are proper for Sexagesima Sunday as are the antiphon at the Benedictus and collect. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the Seven Founders of the Servite Order.

At Prime the order of psalmody is Pss. 92, 99 (displaced at Lauds) and the usual first two divisi of Ps. 118. The Dominical preces are omitted due to the occurring double feast. At the Hours the antiphons and chapters are proper to Sexagesima Sunday.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is omitted, the second collect is of the Seven Founders of the Servite Order. There is no third collect. A Tract is sung after the Gradual, the Creed is sung , the Preface is of Trinity and Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal by the deacon facing the altar.

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms are those of Sundays, the chapter is proper as is the antiphon on the Magnificat. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the Seven Founders of the Servite Order. At Compline the Domincal preces are omitted because of the double feasts commemorated at Vespers.

Following the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at Vespers and the hymn has the ordinary Doxology as does Te lucis at Compline. Mattins is reduced to one nocturn. At Lauds no commemoration is made of the Seven Founders of the Servite Order. At Prime the arrangement of psalms is Pss. 53, 118(i), 118(ii). At Mass there are is only one collect and Benedicamus Domino is supressed in favour of Ite, missa est. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal