Second Sunday after Pascha

The Second Sunday after Pascha is sometimes referred to as 'Good Shepherd Sunday' from the words of the Epistle from I Peter "For you were as sheep gone astray: but you are now converted to the shepherd and bishop of your souls" and from the Gospel where the LORD proclaims "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep." The Sunday is also often referred to as Misericordia after the opening words of the introit. The Sunday is of semi-double rite and the liturgical colour of the Sunday is white.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Vespers for Saturday were sung under the single antiphon, Alleluia. The chapter, Carissimi: Christus passus est pro nobis etc, was proper to the Sunday, the Office hymn was Ad regias Agni dapes. The antiphon on the Magnificat reinforced the theme of the Sunday, Ego sum pastor ovium. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Anselm and of SS Soter and Caius. At Compline Te lucis was sung to the Paschal tone with the Doxology Deo Patri sit gloria etc and the Dominical preces were omitted due to the concurring double feast.

At Mattins the invitatory, Surrexit Dominus, and hymn, Rex sempiterne, are sung as last Sunday. Again, at the nocturns the psalms are sung under one antiphon. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the Acts of the Apostles. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from the first sermon on the Ascension of the Lord by St. Leo. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Gregory. At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148) are sung under a single antiphon. The Office hymn is Aurora caelum purpurat. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of SS Soter and Caius followed by the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross.

At the Hours the psalms are sung under an antiphon consisting of a triple Alleluia. At Prime the Dominical psalms are sung (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii), as are the Dominical preces.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of SS Soter and Caius, the third collect is of the BVM, Concede nos. The Creed is sung and the preface is of Paschaltide.

Vespers are of the Sunday, with the psalms sung under a single antiphon. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. George and of SS Soter and Caius. After the last commemoration the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at Vespers. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. There are no commemorations at Lauds. The Commemoration of the Cross has been abolished. At Prime there are no preces. The hymns at the Little Hours do not have the Paschaltide Doxology. At Mass there is only one collect. There are no commemorations at Vespers and no preces at Compline.

Art: Jerome Nadal