XV Sunday after Pentecost

The fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, from Mattins, is green. This year it is the second Sunday of September. The Gospel pericopes sung at Mattins and Mass are from the seventh chapter of St. Luke's Gospel recount the raising by the LORD from the dead of the son of the widow of Nain.

Vespers yesterday afternoon were second Vespers of the Nativity of the BVM. Where possible the Hebdomarius was assisted by four cantors in white copes. The antiphons Nativitas gloriosae etc were sung with psalms 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn was the incomparable Ave Maris stella. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Sunday the antiphon on the Magnificat being In omnibus his. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology Jesu tibi sit gloria etc and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the liturgical colour changes to green and 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 Job. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from St. Gregory's Book of Morals. In the third nocturn the lessons are a homily from St. Augustine on St. Lukes's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds, after the collect of the Sunday, a commemoration of St. Gorgonius is sung 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. Gorgonius, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Holy Trinity.

Prior to the far-reaching reforms of 1911-13 the feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary was celebrated on the Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity of the BVM. One Mass of the feast (other than the Conventual Mass) may be celebrated. The proper Vultum tuum etc is sung, the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the third collect is of St. Gorgonius. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the BVM and the last Gospel of the Sunday.

Vespers are of the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following feast of St. Nicholas of Tolentino. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In those so traditional 'liturgical books of 1962' at Compline Te lucis is sung without the Doxology of the Incarnation. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there is neither any commemoration nor Suffrage. At Prime both Quicumque and the preces are always omitted on 'green' Sundays. At Mass there is only one collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations. At Compline no preces even though there were no commemorations at Vespers.