XIII Sunday after Pentecost

The thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the fifth Sunday of August. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke's Gospel tell of the LORD and the ten lepers, only one of which thanked Him for being healed.

At Vespers yesterday the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Observa, fili for the Saturday before the fifth Sunday of August. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Louis of France and of St. Zephyrinus. After these commemorations the Suffrage of the Saints was sung. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins there are the usual three nocturns. The invitatory and hymn are as sung on previous 'green' Sundays. In the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from the Book of Ecclesiasticus. In the the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon of St. Chrysostom. In the third nocturn the lessons are a homily from St. Augustine on St. Luke's Gospel. At Lauds, after the collect of the Sunday, a commemoration is sung of St. Zephyrinus followed by the Suffrage of the Saints.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) Quicumque is sung as are the Dominical preces.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Zephyrinus, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Holy Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following feast of St. Joseph Calasanctius. The Suffrage is omitted due to the double feast as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' at Vespers there are neither commemorations nor Suffrage. The Sunday is the fourth Sunday in August. The preces are always omitted at Compline. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are neither commemorations nor Suffrage. At Prime both Quicumque and the preces are omitted. In Mass there is only one collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

XII Sunday after Pentecost

The twelfth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the fourth Sunday of August and the Sunday within the Octave of the Dormition (Assumption) of the Mother of God. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke contain the parable of the Good Samaritan.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus (sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation) and the antiphon on the Magnificat was Sapientia for the Saturday before the first Sunday of September. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of the preceding day within the Octave of the Virgin's Dormition with that most sublime of all collects, the priceless jewel of the Roman rite, Famulorum tuorum, followed by a commemoration of St. John Eudes. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline due to the Octave and double feast. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation.

At Mattins the invitatory and hymn are as on preceding 'green' Sundays. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Ecclesiasticus. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from the Book of Morals by St. Gregory the Great and in the third nocturn the homily on the Gospel is from the writings of the Venerable Bede. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds, after the collect of the Sunday, commemorations are sung of St. John Eudes and of the Octave. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted due to the double feast and Octave.

At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted but Jam lucis, and the hymns of the other Horae Minores, are sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation. The verse in the short resposory at Prime is Qui natus es.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. John Eudes, the third collect is of the Octave. The Creed is sung and the preface is that of the Blessed Trinity.

At Vespers the Office hymn is Lucis creator, sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Bernard, St. John Eudes and the Octave. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted and Te lucis is sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation.

In those ancient 'liturgical books of 1962' this year the XII Sunday after Pentecost is the third Sunday in August. The great Octave has been abolished. At Vespers yesterday afternoon the hymn was sung without the Doxology of the Incarnation. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Omnis sapientia and there were no commemorations. At Compline the preces are omitted, always. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons and they are from the Book of Wisdom. At Lauds there are no commemorations and no Suffrage. At Prime the verse in the short response is Qui sedes etc. At Mass there is a single collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations and no Suffrage.

Art: Jerome Nadal

The Assumption of the Mother of God

Gaudeamus omnes in Domino , diem festum celebrantes sub honore beate Mariae Virginis: de cujus Assumptione gaudent Angeli et collaudant Filium Dei. (Introit)

The great feast of the Assumption is a Double of the First Class with an Octave. The feast also appears as the Dormition of the Mother of God in some earlier MSS and is known by that name in the East to this day. The liturgical colour of the feast is white.

At First Vespers yesterday afternoon the first antiphons Assumpta est Maria etc are sung with psalms 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The chapter is from the feast In omnibus requiem and the Office hymn the hauntingly beautiful Ave, maris stella the first verse of which is sung kneeling. At Compline Te lucis is sung to the tone of feasts of the BVM and with the Doxology Jesu, tibi sit gloria etc.

At Mattins the invitatory, Venite, adoremus Regem regum, Cujus hodie ad aethereum Virgo Mater assumpta est in caelum, is proper to the feast. The hymn is Quem terra, pontus, sidera. In the first nocturn the antiphons Exaltata est etc are sung with psalms 8, 18 & 23. The lessons in the first nocturn, since the time of Pius V, are taken from the Incipit of the Canticle of Canticles, are particularly rich with vibrant, sensual, imagery:

Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth: for thy breasts are better than wine, smelling sweet of the best ointments. Thy name is as oil poured out: therefore young maidens have loved thee. Draw me: we will run after thee to the odour of thy ointments. The king hath brought me into his storerooms: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, remembering thy breasts more than wine: the righteous love thee. I am black but beautiful, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Cedar, as the curtains of Solomon.(1st lesson)

In the second nocturn the antiphons Specie tua etc are sung with psalms 44, 45 & 86. The lessons are from St. John Damascene's second discourse on the Dormition of the Virgin and again both exquisite and highly appropriate to the day:

"This day the holy and animated ark of the living God, she who conceived in her womb her Creator rests in the temple of the Lord, which was not made with hands. And her ancestor David leaps, and with him the Angels lead the dance, the Archangels make celebration, the Virtues ascribe glory, the Principalities exult, the Powers rejoice together, the Dominations are joyful, the Thrones keep holiday, the Cherubim utter praise, the Seraphim proclaim her glory. This day the Eden of the new Adam receives the living Paradise, wherein the condemnation was made void, wherein the tree of life was planted, wherein our nakedness was covered." (4th lesson)

In the third nocturn the antiphons Gaude, Maria virgo etc are sung with psalms 95, 96 & 97. The homily on the Gospel fragment is from St. Augustine's 27th Sermon on the Words of the Lord. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons Assumpta est Maria etc are sung with psalms 92, 99, 62, Benedicite and 148. The hymn O gloriosa virginum. The collect of the feast is one of the most sublime ever written:

Famulorum tuorum, quaesumus, Domine, delictis ignosce: ut, qui tibi placere de actibus nostris non valemus; Genitricis Filii tui, Domini nostri, intercessione salvemur.

Forgive, O Lord, we beseech thee, the sins of thy servants: that we who by our own deeds are unable to please thee, may be saved by the intercession of the Mother of thy Son our Lord.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns are sung with the proper Doxology and tone. In the short responsory Qui natus es de Virgine is sung, both today and throughout the Octave, and the lectio brevis is In plateis.

Mass is celebrated after Terce. The Rituale gives a Blessing of Herbs for this day which takes place immediately before Mass with Psalm 64, a series of versicles and responses, three collects, whose florid style, reminiscent of those for the Blessing of Palms, suggests a Gallican origin. The Mass formulary, Gaudeamus, is a particularly beautiful set of texts. The Gloria is sung. The Epistle is a sublime cento from the Book of Wisdom that also forms the chapters at the Office. The gradual Propter veritatem is very ancient. The Credo is sung and the preface is of the BVM, Et te in Assumptione.

In the afternoon at second Vespers all is as at first Vespers except the antiphon on the Magnificat which today is Hodie Maria Virgo caelos ascendit: gaudete, quia cum Christo regnat in aeternum. After the collect a commemoration is sung of the following feast of St. Joachim, father of the BVM. At Compline the Sunday psalms are sung and Te lucis is sung with the proper Doxology and tone.

Perhaps the most famous polyphonic setting of Ave Maris stella is that by Monteverdi from his 1610 Vespers of the Blessed Virgin:

The 'liturgical books of 1962' have seen considerable revision of the once beautiful feast with changes both in 1960 and, previously, with the introduction of novel texts in the 1950s. Vespers gets a new chapter, hymn and collect. The new collect was once admirably described by the erudite Rev. John Hunwicke as "a modern composition which I would describe as a dollop of dogma followed by a platitude". At Mattins in the first nocturn the first lesson is taken from Genesis and then, curiously, the second and third from the former Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. In the second nocturn the magnificent writings of St. Damascene are shortened by the inclusion of a sixth lesson from Pius XII's verbiage. The third nocturn has a homily of St. Peter Canisus on the new gospel pericope introduced in 1950. At Lauds there is a new chapter, a pedestrian and ugly hymn replacing O gloriosa virginum, and new collect. At Prime the lectio brevis is Dominus autem dirigat, of the season. At Prime and the Hours the tone of the hymns is that for greater feasts, not the Incarnation and the special Doxology is omitted. The 1950's creation is banal and ugly compared with the ancient texts. At Vespers there is no commemoration of St. Joachim. The Octave was abolished in 1955.

Icon: The Dormition by Theophanus the Greek, 14th century.

XI Sunday after Pentecost

The eleventh Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year is is the third Sunday of August. The Gospel pericopes from St. Mark contain the account of the LORD healing a deaf and dumb man with His spittle.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Omnis sapientia for the Saturday before the third Sunday of August. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of St. Clare. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline because of the occurring double feast.

At Mattins the invitatory and hymn are as sung on previous 'green' Sundays. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Wisdom. In the second nocturn the lessons are from the St. Ambrose's Book of Offices. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Gregory the Great. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds after the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Clare and St. Hermes. The Suffrage is omitted because of the occurring double feast.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted because of the occurring double feast.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Clare, there is no third collect. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Holy Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of SS Hippolytus and Cassian and of St. Clare. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline due to the occurring double feast.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' at Vespers on Saturday the antiphon on the Magnificat is Ego in altissimis for the Saturday before the second Sunday in August. There are no commemorations. Mattins is slashed down to one nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. Mass has only one collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Our Patron - St. Lawrence the Deacon

The feast of St. Lawrence is a Double of the Second Class in the Universal Kalendar and, amongst many other things, Patron of the Saint Lawrence Press. St. Lawrence's body is interred in the basilica of St. Lawrence-without-the-Walls in Rome. St. Lawrence was the first of the seven Roman deacons and known for his generosity to the poor. He was martyred in 258 according to tradition on a grid iron and asked his tormentors to turn him over as his flesh was roasted on the one side. The liturgical colour of the feast is red. St. Lawrence is listed in the Communicantes.

The Saint Lawrence Press came into being when the English branch of the SSPX stopped publishing the Ordo in 1983, a decade after it had been instigated by Fr. Peter Morgan and Mr. John Tyson. St. Lawrence was chosen as patron by the new publishers as he was a munificent deacon and whose feast had both a Vigil and an Octave.

Celebration of the feast began yesterday (with a Vigil by way of preparation) with first Vespers. The antiphons Laurentius ingressus est martyr etc were sung with psalms from the Common of Apostles, Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The chapter, antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were proper, the rest of the Office from the Common of Martyrs. A commemoration was sung of the preceding Office of St. John Mary Vianney.

At Mattins the invitatory Beatus Laurentius, Christi Martyr, triumphat coronatus in caelis: Venite, adoremus Dominum. The antiphons Quo progredis etc are sung in the first nocturn with psalms 1, 2 & 3. The lessons in the first nocturn are from the Book of Eccesiasticus. In the second nocturn the antiphons Beatus Laurentius etc are sung with psalms 4, 5 & 8. The lessons are from a sermon of St. Leo on St. Lawrence. In the third nocturn the antiphons Strinxerunt etc are sung 14, 16 & 20. The lessons in the third nocturn are from a sermon of St. Augustine on St. John's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung.At Lauds the antiphons Laurentius ingressus est martyr etc are sung with Dominical psalms.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons from Lauds, Laurentius etc., are sung with the festal psalms. At Prime the Dominical preces are omitted and the lectio brevis is Potens est autem. At the Hours the Dominical psalms are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung and the Common Preface is sung.

At second Vespers the antiphons Laurentius etc are again sung, at this Office with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. The V&R are proper to the feast. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast loses first Vespers. (St. John Mary Vianney is celebrated on the 8th August and so yesterday had ferial Vespers with the collect of the Vigil - very odd as in the traditional rite the Office of a Vigil ends at None). At the Hours the ferial antiphons and psalms are sung and at Prime the lectio brevis is of the season.

Icon: Orthodox Church of America.

X Sunday after Pentecost

Today is the tenth Sunday after Pentecost and the second Sunday of August. The Sunday is of semi-double rite and the liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericope at Mattins and Mass is the parable of the Publican and Pharisee from St. Luke's Gospel.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn, Jam sol recedit igneus, was sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation Jesu tibi sit gloria etc and to its melody. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Ego in altissimis for the Saturday before the second Sunday of August. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Dominic and of the feast of the Dedication of St. Mary of the Snows. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline because of the occurring double feasts. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology and melody of the Incarnation.

At Mattins there are the usual three nocturns. The invitatory and hymn are as sung on previous 'green' Sundays. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Ecclesiastes. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon of St. Chrysostom. In the third nocturn the lessons are from section from St. Augustine's 36th sermon on the words of the LORD. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds, after the collect of the Sunday, a commemoration is sung of St. Mary of the Snows.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns have the Doxology and melody of the Incarnation. At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted due to the occurring double feast.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Mary of the Snows. There is no third collect. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Holy Trinity and the last Gospel is that appointed for the feast of St. Mary of the Snows.

At Vespers there is a colour change to white and first Vespers of the Transfiguration of the LORD are sung. The antiphons Assumpsit Jesus etc are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn is Quicumque Christum quaeritis. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Mary of the Snows. The Suffrage is omitted due to the double feasts and at Compline the Dominical preces are omitted. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology Jesu tibi sit gloria, Qui te revelas parvulis etc.

In the 'ancient, immemorial rite' of the liturgical books of the 1960s the antiphon on the Magnificat at Vespers on Saturday was Sapientia for the Saturday before the first Sunday in August. There were no commemorations or Suffrage at Vespers. The hymns at Vespers and Compline were sung without the special Doxology and its melody. Mattins is cut down to one nocturn of three lessons. There are no commemorations at Lauds. At the Hours the hymns are without the Doxlogy of the Incarnation. At Mass there is a single collect and the last Gospel is In principio. Vespers are of the Sunday without any commemorations. At Compline Te lucis does not have the Doxology of the Transfiguration.