Decollation of St. John the Baptist

The feast of the Decollation of St. John the Baptist is of greater-double rite and its liturgical colour is red.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Herodes enim tenuit etc were sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Deus, tuorum militum. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the preceding feast of St. Augustine and of St. Sabina. At Compline the Dominical psalms were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Martyrum Dominum, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn Deus, tuorum militum. In the first nocturn the antiphons In lege Domini etc are sung with psalms 1, 2 & 3. The lessons are proper to the feast taken from the Incipit of the Book of Jeremiah with responsories of the feast. In the second nocturn the antiphons Filii hominum etc are sung with psalms 4, 5 & 8. The lessons are from St. Ambrose. In the third nocturn the antiphons Justus Dominus etc are sung with psalms 10, 14 & 20. The homily is from St. Augustine and the Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Herodes enim tenuit etc are sung with psalms 92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148. The Office hymn is Invicte Martyr, unicum. The antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are proper to the feast. A commemoration is sung of St. Sabina.

At the Hours the antiphons Herodes enim tenuit etc are sung with the festal psalms. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii) the lectio brevis is Justus cor suum.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Sabina and the Common Preface is sung.

At Vespers the antiphons Herodes enim tenuit etc are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. The Office hymn is, again, Deus, tuorum militum. The antiphon on the Magnificat is proper. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Rose of Lima and SS Felix and Adauctus. At Compline the Domincial psalms are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast has become a 'III class' feast. There is no first Vespers. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. The antiphons and psalms are from the ferial psalter. At the Hours the antiphons and psalms are of the feria. In sung Masses the commemoration of St. Sabina is omitted. At Vespers there are no commemorations. At Compline the ferial psalms are sung.

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