Sunday 8 September 2013

Nativity of the BVM

The Nativity of the Mother of God is a Double of the Second Class with a Simple Octave. Prior to the changes to Octaves in 1913 it had a 'normal' Octave. This year the feast falls on the sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost (and second Sunday of September) which is commemorated in the relevant Offices and Mass.

The feast began with first Vespers yesterday afternoon. The antiphons Nativitas gloriosae etc, doubled, were sung with the psalms from the Common of the BVM (Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147). The Office hymn was Ave, maris stella. The antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were proper to the feast. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung, the antiphon on the Magnificat being In omnibus his for the Saturday before the second Sunday of September. At Compline the Sunday psalms were sung andTe lucis was sung to the melody of the Incarnation with the Doxology Jesu tibi sit gloria etc. The Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Nativitatem Virginis Mariae celebremus: * Christum ejus Filium adoremus Dominum, the hymn, from the Common, Quem terra. In the first nocturn the antiphons Benedicta tua etc are sung with psalms 8, 18 & 23. The lessons in the first nocturn are the Incipit of the Song of Songs, with much exquisite imagery, with repsonories proper to the feast. In the second nocturn the antiphons Specie tua etc are sung with psalms 44, 45 & 88. The lessons are taken from a sermon attributed to St. Augustine. Last year a learned reader commented that the sermon is actually from a sermon of (St) Fulbert of Chartres. In the third nocturn the antiphons Gaude, Maria virgo etc are sung with psalms 95, 96 & 97. St. Jerome provides the homily on St. Matthew's Gospel. The ninth lesson is of the Sunday.

At Lauds the antiphons Nativitas gloriosae etc are again sung, this time with the psalms of Sunday Lauds (Ps. 92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148). After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Hadrian.

At Prime the first of the antiphons used at Vespers and Lauds is sung with the festal psalms (Ps. 53, 118i & 118ii). In the short responsory the versicle Qui natus es is sung. The short lesson is In plateis. At the Hours the hymns are sung with the Doxology and tone of the Incarnation.

Mass is sung after Terce. In some countries a blessing of seeds, figs, grapes or other fruits takes place (the fruits in question depending on the climate of the place. The introit is Salve, sancta Parens, the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. In said Masses the third collect is of St. Hadrian. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the BVM, Et te in Nativitate and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

Vespers are of the feast. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. At Compline the Dominical psalms are sung and Te lucis has the proper Doxology.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God is merely commemorated at Lauds, said Masses and Vespers. The feast loses first Vespers so at Vespers yesterday there were no commemorations. The hymns of the Hours have the ordinary Doxology. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn. At Lauds a commemoration is sung of the Nativity of the BVM. At sung Mass there is a single collect. Yet another insult by wicked men to The Lady's honour

Icon: Russian, 18th century

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

A bas le 1962.

Anonymous said...

The 1962 version makes no sense.
I decided to check what mass would be said at a 'traditional Latin Rite' mass near me.

I was shocked when I was told it would be the Sunday and not the feast. I understood that by the Roncalli rules the Nativity of OL was '2nd Class'. That may sound to you and me like it ought to mean a Double of the 2nd Class but apparently it somehow doesn't. What kind of feast DOES outrank a lesser Sunday then? They come in four ranks in the 1962 system, don't they? Pope John's system may seem to be a simplification, but is just causing confusion.
Jack.


Rubricarius said...

Anonymous @9:55

Hear, hear! May the good LORD see to its re-abrogation in His good time.

Jack,
Clearly your Mass although in Latin was not traditional. The problem with the 1960 rubrics (far more of the Pacelli Commission's work and little to do with 'Ronacalli') is that ordinary Sundays have become the equivalent of DIICl. In the Old Rite that applied to Sundays like the 'Gesimas which outranked a DIICl feast.

+DM said...

As you mentioned, Rubricarius: The problem with the 1960 rubrics (far more of the Pacelli Commission's work and little to do with 'Ronacalli') .. oh, yes, indeed! How I tire of so-called Traditional Catholics putting everything on Roncalli and giving Pacelli a pass for what he allowed in the '50s. When they attend my Masses - and "get lost" with their hand missals from the "glorious 1950s," they quickly get the point.