The Seven Sorrows of the BVM

Today, Friday in Passion week, is the feast of the Seven Sorrows of the BVM. It is of greater-double rite. In the Breviary and Missal the texts for the feast are found in the Sanctoral at the end of March. The liturgical colour of the feast is white.

At Vespers yesterday morning the antiphons, Vadam ad montem etc, were proper to the feast and were sung with psalms 115, 119, 139, 140 & 141. The chapter, from Isaiah, was proper and the Office hymn was the moving Stabat Mater dolorosa. The antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were both proper to the feast.  After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the preceding feast of St. Justin and then of the Passiontide feria. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology Jesu, tibi sit gloria, Qui passus es pro servulis etc.

At Mattins the invitatory is proper, Dolores gloriosae etc. The hymn is Sancta Mater, a continuation of Stabat Mater. The antiphons and psalms are proper. The first antiphon, Astiterunt reges terrae, is of course the same antiphon sung at Tenebrae of Good Friday that will be sung on Mandy Thursday evening next week. In the first nocturn Pss. 2, 3 & 12 are sung followed by lessons from Isaiah. The responsories in all three nocturns are proper. In the second nocturn (Pss. 40, 55 & 56) the lessons are from a sermon of St. Bernard. In the third nocturn (Pss. 63, 87 & 108) the lessons are taken from a homily of St. Augustine on St. John's Gospel. The ninth lesson is the homily for Friday in Passion week from St. Augustine on St. John's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons Vadam ad montem etc, are proper and sung with the Dominical psalms. The Office hymn at Lauds is Virgo virginum. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Passiontide feria.

At Prime and the other Hours the hymns are sung to the special tone of the Doxology Jesu tibi sit gloria, Qui passus es pro servulis, Cum Patre et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula. At Prime the festal psalms are sung (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii). In the short responsory the verse Qui passus es propter nostram salutem is sung. The short lesson is proper to the feast Generationem ejus etc.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of Friday in Passion week. After the Tract Stabat Mater is sung as a sequence. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the BVM with the clause Et te in Transfixione and the last Gospel is of Friday in Passion week. Private Masses may be of the Friday in Passion week with a commemoration (and last Gospel)of the Seven Sorrows.

At Second Vespers this morning the antiphons, psalms, chapter and hymn are the same as were sung yesterday but the antiphon on the Magnificat is proper. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Passiontide feria. At Compline Te lucis is sung to with the tone of the proper Doxology.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Office of the Seven Sorrows has been reduced to a mere commemoration in the ferial Office of the Friday of the 'First Passion Week'. However a rubric in the 1962 Missal allows two Masses of the former feast to be celebrated for pastoral reasons where devotion to the feast exists.

Passion Sunday

Passion Sunday is the fifth and penultimate Sunday in Lent. It is a semi-double Sunday of the first class.

The most apparent and visually striking feature of this Sunday is the Roman practice of veiling all crosses and images with violet cloth. The custom seems to have developed from the words in the day's Gospel 'Jesus autem abscondit se' - but Jesus hid himself. The veiling takes place after Mass on Saturday morning before Vespers are sung.

Yesterday morning's Vespers, along with the veiling, brought in certain more penitential aspects to the Office. The Gloria Patri is omitted from the invitatory of Mattins, from the responsories of Mattins and from the short responsories of the Hours. It is also omitted from the Asperges ceremony before Mass on both Passion Sunday and on Palm Sunday. In Masses 'of the season' Gloria Patri is also omitted from the introit and Lavabo along with the psalm Judica me Deus. The Suffrage of the Saints is also omitted until after Trinity Sunday.

At Vespers yesterday morning the antiphons and psalms were those of Saturday, the chapter proper to the Sunday. The Office hymn, for the first time this year, was the poignant and magnificent Vexilla Regis prodeunt. This hymn is sung at Vespers throughout Passiontide and at the Mass of the Pre-Sanctified on Good Friday. The antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were proper to the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of St. Gabriel the Archangel. At Compline the Lesser Doxology was omitted from the short responsory. The Dominical preces were omitted due to the concurring double feast.

At Mattins the invitatory is Hodie, si vocem Domini audieritis, Nolite obdurare corda vestra from Ps. 94 and a special rubric indicates the omission of that verse in the psalm. The hymn is Pange, lingua ...Lauream. The same invitatory and hymn are sung from today until the Sacred Triduum in the Office of the Season. The antiphons given in the Psalter for Sundays are sung. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the book of Jeremiah. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from the ninth sermon on Lent by St. Leo the Great. In the third nocturn the lessons are a homily of St. Gregory on St. John's Gospel. The Te Deum is omitted as on other Lenten Sundays and a ninth responsory, Quis dabit capiti, sung in its place. At Lauds the antiphons, Vide Dominum etc., are proper to the Sunday and the second scheme of Psalms sung (50, 117, 62, Benedictus es & 148). The chapter is proper to the Sunday and hymn is Lustra sex.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons, Ego daemoninum etc., are proper to the Sunday. At Prime the psalms are 92, 99 (displaced from Lauds) and the first two divisi of Ps. 118. At Prime the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The ministers wear folded chasubles. The Gloria is not sung. The second collect is for the Church, Ecclesiae. There is no third collect in Passiontide. As usual in Lent a Tract is sung after the Gradual. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Cross and the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino sung by the deacon whilst facing the celebrant and altar.

Vespers are first Vespers of the great feast of the Annunciaton with a corresponding colour change to white. The antiphons Missus est etc are sung with Ps. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The chapter is proper to the feast and the Office hymn is Ave, maris stella. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology (and tone) of the Incarnation: Jesu tibi sit gloria, Qui natus es de Virgine etc.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' Passion Sunday becomes rebranded as 'First Sunday of the Passion'. There is no commemoration at Vespers. Mattins is slashed down to three lessons as usual. At Prime the psalmody is Ps. 53 and the first two divisi of Ps. 118. The Dominical preces are omitted at Prime. At Mass there is only one collect and the dismissal is Ite, missa est. The ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle instead of folded chasubles. Vespers are of the Sunday, in violet, with a commemoration of the following feast of the Annunciation. At Compline the ordinary Doxlogy and tone are used for Te lucis.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Fourth Sunday in Lent

The Fourth Sunday in Lent is known as Laetare Sunday after the opening words of the Introit at its Mass Laetare, Jerusalem - Rejoice Jerusalem, and is also known as 'mid-Lent' Sunday and is also 'Mothering Sunday' in many countries including the United Kingdom. It is a semi-double Sunday of the first class. The distinguishing feature of this Sunday, in relatively modern times, is the permitted use of rose-coloured vestments. Rose is perceived as a lighter shade of violet and the use of rose vestments developed from the older praxis of a golden rose being given to female monarchs by the pope on this day. Cardinals of the Court of Rome wore rose choir dress too on this Sunday along with the corresponding Gaudete Sunday in Advent. For the rest of Lent Cardinals wore their 'winter violet' cassock, mantelletum and mozzeta (not the violet watered silk of their 'summer' violet). The 'winter' material was of merino but on Laetare Sunday they wore rose watered-silk and, presumably, hoped for mild weather. This practice disappeared during the 1920s.

At Vespers yesterday morning the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The chapter was proper to the Sunday and the Office hymn was Audi benigne Conditor. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of the preceding feast of St. Patrick was sung followed by a commemoration of St. Cyril of Jerusalem. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted due to the double feasts as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is, as on the previous Sundays of Lent, Non sit vobis and the hymn Ex more. The antiphons given in the Psalter for Sundays are used. In the first nocturn the lessons are from Exodus and the story of Moses and the Burning Bush. In the second nocturn they are from St. Basil the Great on fasting and in the third nocturn the lessons are a homily of St. Augustine on St. John's Gospel. At Lauds the antiphons, Tunc acceptabis etc., are proper to the Sunday and the second scheme of Psalms sung (50, 117, 62, the canticle Benedictus es, 148). The chapter is proper to the Sunday and hymn is O sol salutis. After the collect of the day a commemoration is sung of St. Cyril of Jerusalem. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted due to the occurring double feast.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons, Accepit ergo etc., are proper to the Sunday. At Prime the psalms are 92, 99 (displaced from Lauds) and the first two stanzas of 118. The Dominical preces are omitted and the short lesson is Quaerite Dominum.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is not sung. The second collect is of St. Cyril. There is no third collect today. A Tract is sung after the Gradual, the Credo is sung, the preface is of Lent and the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino, sung by the deacon facing hte celebrant and altar. As folded chasubles are not worn the organ may be played. In the absence of rose vestments violet ones are worn, the deacon and subdeacon wearing dalmatic and tunicle.

Vespers are of the following feast of St. Joseph with a colour change to white. A commemoration of the Sunday is sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' Vespers yesterday were sung at the same time as outside of Lent, without any commemorations. Mattins is cut down to three lessons. At Lauds there is no commemoration. At Prime the psalms are 53 and the first two divisi of Ps. 118. At Mass there is only one collect. The dismissal is Ite, missa est. Vespers is of the Sunday with a commemoration of St. Joseph.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Third Sunday in Lent

The third Sunday in Lent is a semi-double Sunday of the first class. No feast my be celebrated if it falls on such a Sunday. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke recount the LORD casting out evil from a demoniac.

At Vespers yesterday morning the antiphons and psalms were of Saturday, the chapter was proper to the Sunday, and the hymn Audi benigne conditor was sung. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of the preceding Office of the Forty Martyrs followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Non sit vobis and the hymn is Ex more, as on the other Sundays in Lent. The antiphons and psalms of Sunday are sung. In the first nocturn the lessons are from Genesis and the story of Joseph, his coat of many colours and his brothers casting him into a pit. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from the Book of St. Augustine on Joseph. In the third nocturn the lessons are a homily of the Venerable Bede on St. Luke's Gospel. A ninth responsory, Lamentabatur Jacob, is sung in place of the Te Deum.

At Lauds the antiphons are proper to the Sunday, Fac benigne etc., and the second scheme of Psalms sung (50, 117, 62, Benedictus es, 148). The chapter is proper to the Sunday and the Office hymn is O sol salutis. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrage of the Saints is sung.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons are proper to the Sunday, Et cum ejecisset Jesus etc. At Prime the psalms are Pss. 92, 99 (displaced from Lauds) and the first two divisi of Ps. 118. The Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The deacon and subdeacon wear violet folded chasubles, planetis plicatis, instead of the festive dalmatic and tunicle as on all Sundays (and ferial days) of Lent. There is no Gloria. The second collect is A cunctis, the third collect is Omnipotens. A Tract is sung after the Gradual, the Credo is sung, the preface is of Lent and the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino, sung by the deacon facing the altar and celebrant.

Vespers are of the Sunday, sung at the normal time. The antiphons and psalms are those used on Sundays, the chapter is proper and the Office hymn is Audi, benigne Conditor. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following feast of St. Gregory the Great. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted and the Domincal preces are not sung at Compline due to the commemorated double feast.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the there are neither commemorations nor Suffrage at Vespers. At Compline there are no Dominical preces. Mattins is cut down to the usual single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds the Suffrage of the Saints has been abolished. At Prime the psalms are Ps.53 and the first two divisi of Ps.118, the Domincial preces are omitted. At Mass the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle, as in Septuagesima, there is only one collect and the dismissal is Ite, missa est. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Second Sunday in Lent

The Second Sunday in Lent is semi-double Sunday of the first class. As on other Sundays in Lent no feast may be celebrated if it falls on such a Sunday. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew's Gospel give the account of the Transfiguration of the LORD.

At Vespers yesterday morning the antiphons and psalms were of the Saturday. The chapter was proper to the Sunday and the Office hymn was Audi benigne Conditor. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of St. Casimir and of St. Lucius. The Suffrage of the Saints was sung after the last commemoration. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Non sit vobis and the Office hymn is Ex more. The antiphons and psalms given for Sunday are sung. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the twenty-seventh chapter of Genesis and the story of Jacob and Esau. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from the Book of St. Augustine against lying and explain the mystery of Jacob's actions. In the third nocturn the lessons are a homily of St. Leo the Great on the Transfiguration of the LORD. A ninth responsory, Cum audisset Jacob, is sung in place of the Te Deum.

At Lauds the antiphons Domine labia mea aperies etc are proper to the Sunday and are sung with the second scheme of Psalms (50, 117, 62, Benedictus es and 148). The chapter is proper to the Sunday and hymn is O sol salutis. After the collect of the day commemorations are sung of St. Casimir and of St. Lucius followed by the Suffrage of the Saints.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons are proper to the Sunday. At Prime the psalms are 92, 99 (displaced from Lauds) and the first two stanzas of 118. The Dominical preces are sung and the short lesson is Quaerite Dominum.

Mass is sung after Terce. The deacon and subdeacon wear violet folded chasubles, planetis plicatis, instead of dalmatic and tunicle. There is no Gloria. The second collect is of St. Casimir, the third collect of St. Lucius. A Tract is sung after the Gradual, the Creed is sung, the preface is of Lent and the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino, sung by the deacon facing the altar and celebrant.

Vespers are of the Sunday, sung at the normal time. The antiphons and psalms are those used on Sundays, the chapter is proper and the hymn Audi, benigne Conditor. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Casimir followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' Vespers on Saturday are sung at the same time as any other day of the year. There are no commemorations and no Suffrage. At Compline preces are not sung. Mattins is cut down to one nocturn of three lessons as usual. At Lauds there are no commemorations and no Suffrage. At Prime the psalms are 53 and the first two divisi of Ps. 118 and the Domincial preces are omitted. At Mass the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle, as in Septuagesima, the second and third collects are omitted. The dismissal is Ite, missa est. At Vespers there is neither commemoration nor Suffrage.