VI Sunday after Pentecost

The sixth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, from Mattins onwards, is green. This year it is also the Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist and the Sunday within the Octave of SS Peter and Paul. The gospel pericopes from St. Mark's gospel describe the Feeding of the Four Thousand with seven loaves and fishes.

Vespers yesterday afternoon were second Vespers of SS Peter and Paul. The antiphons Juravit Dominus etc were sung with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn was Decora lux. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung. The Suffrage of the Saints was not sung nor were the Dominical preces sung at Compline because of the concurring double feast.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Nocte surgentes vigilemus omnes. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the twelfth chapter of the Second Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from St. Ambrose's Defence of David. Again, St. Ambrose provides the homily in the third nocturn on St. Mark's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds, following the collect of the Sunday, a commemoration is sung of the feast of the Commemoration of St. Paul the Apostle followed by a commemoration of St. Peter and the Octave of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. The Suffrage is not sung.

At Prime psalms 117, 118i & 118ii are sung. Both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Paul, the third collect is of St. Peter and the fourth collect is of St. John the Baptist. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

At Vespers the liturgical colour changes back to red and first Vespers of the feast of the Precious Blood are sung. The antiphons Quis est iste etc, proper to the feast, are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116). The Office hymn is Festivis resonent compita vocibus. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Octaves of St. John the Baptist and of SS Peter and Paul have been abolished. Mattins is cut down to one nocturn of three lessons. There are no commemorations at Lauds. Mass has a single collect. Vespers are of the feast of the Precious Blood without any commemoration of the Sunday.

V Sunday after Pentecost

The fifth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Vigil of St. John the Baptist was anticipated yesterday.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Paulinus. The Suffrage of the Saints was not sung due to the double feast. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted due to the occurring double feast.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Officie hymn isNocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Second Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from St. Gregory the Great's Book on Morals. In the third nocturn the homily on St. Matthew's Gospel is from St. Augustine. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrage of the Saints is sung.

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

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is A cunctis, the third collect is chosen by the Dean or rector. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

In 1913 Pius X moved the feast of St. John the Baptist from its ancient date to the third Sunday of June. Whilst the change was not long-lasting and the feast was restored to its ancient date all Masses today, except the Conventual Mass may be of St. John the Baptist. The Mass De ventre is sung in white vestments. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. Being a Sunday the Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity. The last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers the liturgical colour changes to white and first Vespers of the feast of St. John the Baptist are sung. The antiphons Ipse praeibit etc are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The Office hymn is Ut queant laxis resonare fibris. The hymn famously rises through a scale in its verses: Ut (Doh), Resonare, Mira, Famuli, Solve, Labii. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.are of the Sunday.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are neither commemorations nor Suffrage at Vespers. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. There is no commemoration Suffrage at Lauds. At Prime Quicumque is omitted as are the Dominical preces. Mass has a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

IV Sunday after Pentecost

The fourth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. Green vestments, hitherto worn only once this year - on the anticipated second Sunday after the Epiphany - make their return.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The chapter was O altitudo, from Romans, and the Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. This chapter and hymn are used now on all of the 'green' Sundays. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrage of the Saints was sung. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the 'summer' hymn Nocte surgentes is sung. In the first nocturn the lessons are taken from the First Book of Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon of St. Augustine and in the third nocturn the homily is from St. Ambrose on the Gospel account from St. Luke on the huge catch of fish at the lake of Genesareth. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrage of the Saints is sung.

At Prime Quicumque is sung as are the Dominical preces.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is A cunctis, the third collect is chosen by the Dean or rector. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday. The Office hymn is Lucis creator optime. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrage of the Saints is sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' green vestments re-appeared a couple of weeks ago. At Vespers there is no Suffrage at Vespers. At Compline the Domincal preces are never said. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds the Suffrage is omitted. At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted. Mass has a single collect. At Vespers the Suffrage is omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Sunday within the Octave of the Sacred Heart

Sunday within the Octave of the Sacred Heart, the third Sunday after Pentecost, is of semi-double rite. The structure of the Office is as last Sunday and again the liturgical colour is white. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke have the parable of the shepherd going after one sheep missing from his hundred strong flock.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Suavi jugo tuo etc, not doubled, were sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 115 & 129. The chapter was Carissimi, humiliamini etc and the Office hymn En ut superba criminum. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the Octave and of SS Primus and Felician. At Compline the Dominical psalms were sung and Te lucis had the Doxology and tone of the Octave.

At Mattins the invitatory, hymn, antiphons and psalms are as on the feast of the Sacred Heart but the antiphons are not doubled. In the first nocturn the lessons are a continuation of the First Book of the Kings. The responses are of the Octave. In the second nocturn the lessons are from the Encyclical of Pius XI in 1928 that, inter alia, gave the feast an Octave. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Gregory on St. Lukes Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons Unus militum etc are sung, as on the feast, with the Dominical psalms. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the Octave and of SS Primus and Felician.

At the Hours the hymns have the Doxology Jesu tibi sit gloria, Qui Corde fundis gratiam etc. The antiphons from Lauds are sung in the normal sequence at the Hours. At Prime the festal psalms are sung (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii). In the short responsory the versicle Qui Corde fundis gratiam is sung. The lectio brevis is of the Sunday, Deus autem.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave, the third collect is of SS Primus and Felician. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Sacred Heart.

At Vespers the antiphons Unus militum etc, not doubled, are sung with psalms 109, 110, 115, 127 & 147. The Office hymn is En ut superba criminum. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of St. Margaret of Scotland and of the Octave. At Compline Te lucis has the Doxology and tone of the Octave.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Octave of the Sacred Heart has been abolished. The liturgical colour of the day is green. At Vespers on Saturday there were no commemorations. At Compline the psalms of Saturday were sung. Mattins is is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. Prime has the Dominical psalms and Qui sedes etc in the short responsory. None of the hymns have the Doxology of the abolished Octave. Mass has a single collect and the preface of the Trinity. At Vespers the antiphons and psalms of Sunday are sung, there are no commemorations.

Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christi

Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christi, the Second Sunday after Pentecost, is of semi-double rite. Today the altars and vestments of the traditional Roman rite are of the finest white in honour of the Octave of the feast of the Sacrament of the LORD's Passion, Death and Resurrection.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms were as on the feast of Corpus Christi. The antiphons Sacerdos in aeternum etc, not doubled, were sung with psalms 109, 110, 115, 127 & 147. The chapter was of the Sunday, the hymn and the following versicle & response were of the feast. The antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were of the Sunday followed by commemorations of the Octave and SS Marcellinus and Companions. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation, Jesu tibi sit gloria, Qui natus es de Virgine, Cum Patre et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula.

At Mattins the invitatory is Christum Regem adoremus dominantem Gentibus: Qui se manducantibus dat spiritus pinguedinem. The Office hymn is Sacris solemnis. The antiphons and psalms are as on the feast of Corpus Christi. The lessons are proper to the Sunday. In the first nocturn they are taken from the First Book of Kings. In the second nocturn they are taken from a sermon of St. Chrysostom to the people of Antioch and the homily in the third nocturn is from St. Gregory on St. Luke's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons are those sung on the feast of Corpus Christi, Sapientia etc. The chapter is of the Sunday, the hymn as on the feast. The antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are of the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the Octave of Corpus Christi and SS Marcellinus and Companions.

At the Little Hours the hymns are sung to the same tone as on the feast of the Nativity of the LORD (there of course being a deep link between the Incarnation and Corpus Christi) with the Doxology Jesu tibi sit gloria etc. At Prime the festal psalms are sung (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii), the versicle in the short responsory is Qui natus es for the feast and Octave, the short lesson is Filioli mei, of the Sunday.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave, the third collect of SS Marcellinus and Companions. The Creed is sung and the preface is that of the Nativity.

In Collegiate and Cathedral Churches a Mass of the feast is sung after None with Gloria, second collect of the Sunday, the Sequence Lauda Sion, Creed, preface of the Nativity and last Gospel of the Sunday. After this a Procession is made as on the feast.

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms are as at Second Vespers of the feast. The chapter is of the Sunday, the hymn, versicle & response of the feast and the antiphon on the Magnificat and collect of the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the Octave of Corpus Christi.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christi has been abolished. The Second Sunday after Pentecost is celebrated as a 'green' Sunday. Mattins is stripped down to one nocturn of three lessons with the invitatory and antiphons of the Sunday. There are no commemorations at either Vespers, Lauds or Mass. The hymn tones are not those of the Nativity, the Doxology has gone, the versicle at Prime is Qui sedes. The Octave of Corpus Christi has been abolished.