Sexagesima Sunday

Sexagesima Sunday is a semi-double of the second class and itsliturgical colour is violet. The Sunday is characterised by a very lengthy Epistle, from St. Paul's Latter Epistle to the Corinthians. The Gospel pericopes are from St. Luke and the parable of the sower with his seed landing on rock, amongst weeds and on the good ground. The anticipated Vigil of St. Matthias was commemorated in the Office of St. Peter's Chair at Antioch yesterday.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms were of Saturday. The chapter was proper to Septuagesima, Fratres: Libenter suffertis, and the Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Peter's Chair at Antioch, of St. Paul the Apostle.and of St. Peter Damian. The Suffrage was omitted due to the concurring double feasts and the Dominical preces were omitted at Compline.

At Mattins the antiphons and psalms are from the Psalter for Sundays. In the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from Genesis (Ch. 5 & 6), the beginning of the story of Noah. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Ambrose on Noah and the Ark and in the third nocturn the lessons are a homily from St. Gregory on the Gospel of the seed falling on good and poor ground. A ninth responsory, Cum turba plurima, is sung in place of the Te Deum.

At Lauds the 'second scheme' of psalms is sung: Pss 50, 117, 62, Canticle of the Three Children (Benedictus es) and 148. The antiphons at Lauds are proper for Sexagesima Sunday, Secundum magnam misericordiam as are the chapter and antiphon on the Benedictus. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Peter Damian. The Suffrage of All Saints is omitted.

At Prime the order of psalmody is Pss. 92, 99 (displaced at Lauds) 118i & 118ii. At the Hours the antiphons, Semen cecidit etc, and chapters are proper to Sexagesima Sunday. The Dominical preces are omtted at Prime.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is omitted, the second collect is of St. Peter Damian. Today there is no third collect. A Tract is sung after the Gradual, the Creed is sung , the Preface is of Trinity and Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal by the deacon facing the altar.

At Vespers there is a colour change to red and first Vespers of St. Matthias the Apostle are sung. The antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc are sung with the psalms (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116) from the Common of Apostles. The Office hymn is Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the, proper, collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Peter Damian. At Compline the Domincal preces are omitted.

In the once happily abrogated 'liturgical books of 1962' Vigils are not anticipated and the Vigil of St. Matthias has been abolished. ~At Vespers on Saturday there were no commemorations. Mattins is reduced to a single nocturn. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Prime the arrangement of psalms is Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii. At Mass there are is only one collect and Benedicamus Domino is suppressed in favour of Ite, missa est. Vespers are of the Sunday without any commemorations, even of an Apostle.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Septuagesima Sunday

Septuagesima Sunday is a semi-double Sunday of the second class. The liturgical mood became more sombre yesterday with Vespers of Septuagesima as penitential violet became the liturgical colour of the season. Although more sombre than the season after the Epiphany the short season of Septuagesima is not as penitential as Lent. Although the colour violet is used at Mass the ministers do not wear folded chasubles but dalmatic and tunicle for these three Sundays and for ferial days. The organ is still played until Ash Wednesday. However, from Septuagesima until Holy Saturday the dress of some prelates changes. Cardinals of the Court of Rome no longer wear scarlet choir dress but that of violet. Correspondingly bishops do not wear violet choir dress but their black, or mourning dress. In the case of the latter this is not to be confused with their habitus pianus, or house dress. The black choir cassock has a train, like the violet one, and the mozzeta or mantelletum are faced with violet. However, Protonotaries Apostolic and Domestic Prelates do not change their choir dress (except sede vacante).

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms were of Saturday. The chapter was proper and the Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrage of the Saints was sung. Alleluia was added, twice, to both Benedicamus Domino and to its response. After that Alleluia will not be heard again until the Vesperal Liturgy of Holy Saturday. At Compline after the Lesser Doxology, and at all Hours until Compline on Holy Saturday, Laus tibi Domine Rex aeterne gloriae is sung in place of Alleluia. The Dominical preces were sung at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Praeoccupemus as on preceding Sundays and the hymn Primo die. The antiphons and psalms are as on previous 'green' Sundays. In the first nocturn the Incipit of the Book of Genesis is read. In the second nocturn the lessons are from the Enchiridion of St. Augustine, in the third nocturn the lessons are a homily from St. Gregory on the Gospel of the labourers in the vineyard. The Te Deum is not sung but in its place is sung a ninth responsory, Ubi est Abel frater tuus?.

At Lauds the 'second scheme' of psalms is sung: Pss 50, 117, 62, Canticle of the Three Children (Benedictus es) and 148. The antiphons at Lauds are proper to the Sunday as are the versicle after the hymn Aeterne, chapter, antiphon at the Benedictus and collect. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrage is sung.

At all the Hours the antiphons and chapters are proper. At Prime the order of psalmody is changed and four psalms are sung, Pss. 92, 99 (displaced from Lauds) and the usual first two stanzas of Ps. 118. Quicumque is omitted but the Dominical preces are sung.

At Mass the Gloria is omitted. The ministers wear violet dalmatic and tunicle. The second collect is A cunctis, the third collect is chosen by the Dean or Rector. A Tract replaces the Alleluia after the Gradual, the Credo is sung and the Preface is of the Blessed Trinity. Benedicamus Domino is sung, by the deacon facing the altar, as the dismissal.

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms are those used on Sundays, the chapter is proper as in the antiphon at the Magnificat but the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrage of the Saints is sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Following the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Suffrage has been abolished. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn. At Prime the arrangement of psalms is truly bizarre with the festal arrangment of Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii (!) The Dominical preces are omitted. At Mass there is only one collect and Benedicamus Domino is suppressed in favour of Ite, missa est.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Anticipated Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

Today is the anticipated sixth Sunday after the Epiphany. Since the reform of 1911-13 the Sunday is of semi-double rite, with three nocturns, and its liturgical colour is green. Prior to that major reform anticipated Sundays were much simpler affairs. Indeed, they were of simple rite with a single nocturn consisting of the lessons for the homily of the Sunday, replacing those of occurring Scripture. The anticipated Sunday did not have first Vespers and its Mass was without the Creed. If on the Saturday before Septuagesima a feast of nine lessons occurred the Sunday was anticipated on the day of the week, closest to the Saturday, free of a feast of nine lessons. If no such day was available the Sunday was commemorated in the feast of nine lessons.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon all was sung as in the Psalter for Friday. The Office hymn was Hominis superne Conditor. The collect was proper to the anticipated Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of SS Faustinus and Jovita followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Compline, of Friday, the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Populus Domini, et oves pascuae ejus: * Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Summae Parens clementiae. The antiphons and psalms are from the Psalter for Saturday. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Epistle to the Hebrews (from the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany). The responsories are those of the anticipated Sunday. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon of St. Athanasius against the Arians and in the third nocturn the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons, psalms, chapter and hymn are from the Psalter for Saturday. The antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are proper to the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of SS Faustinus and Jovita followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Prime the chapter is Regi saeculorum. The Dominical preces are sung.

At the other Hours the antiphons and psalms are of the Saturday, the collect is of the Sunday. Mass is sung after Terce as normal for Sundays. At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of SS Faustinus and Jovita, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

At Vespers the liturgical mood and colour change. The altar is vested in violet and Vespers are of Septuagesima. After the collect of Septuagesima Sunday the Suffrage of the Saints is sung. The anticipated Sunday is not commemorated. Alleluia is added, twice, to both Benedicamus Domino and to its response. After that Alleluia will not be heard until the Vesperal Liturgy of Holy Saturday. At Compline after the Lesser Doxology, and at all Hours until Compline on Holy Saturday, Laus tibi Domine Rex aeterne gloriae is sung in place of Alleluia. The Dominical preces are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' anticipated Sundays have been abolished. Today is a IV class Office of the BVM on Saturdays. At Vespers of Septuagesima the Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew speak of the parable where the enemy sows cockle seed into the field sown with good seed.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms appointed for Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. The antiphon on the Magnificat was, as previous weeks, Suscepit Deus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. John of Matha and then of St. Cyril of Alexandria and of St. Apollinia. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted at Vespers as were the Dominical preces at Compline because of the concurrent and occurrent double feast.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn is Primo die . Mattins has the usual three nocturns. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of St. Paul's Epistle to Timothy. In the second nocturn the lessons are from the writing of St. Augustine on the Apostle. In the third nocturn the homily is, again, from St. Augustine. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aeterne. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of St. Cyril and of St. Apollonia. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted due to the occurring double feast.

At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Cyril, the third collect is of St. Apollonia. The Credo is sung and the preface is that of the Blessed Trinity.

At Vespers the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Scholastica and of St. Cyril. The Suffrage is again omitted due to the double feast as are the Domincal preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. There are no commemorations at Lauds. At Mass there is only one collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Candlemass - The Purification of the BVM

The Feast of the Purification of the BVM is a Double of the Second Class. The feast is generally known in English-speaking countries as Candlemass as before Mass candles for use throughout the year ahead are solemnly blessed. (When the feast falls on Septuagesima or one of other 'Gesima' Sundays the blessing of candles takes place on the Sunday but the feast is transferred to the following Monday.) The liturgical colour of the day is white but violet is used for the blessing of candles and procession.

In the Byzantine East the feast is known as the Hypapante, the Meeting of the Lord, and was often so name in early Western liturgical books (e.g. several examples can be found in the comparison of Calendars given in 'Saints in English Calendars before 1100', Henry Bradshaw Society, Vol.CXVII). In the diverse Medieval uses an even more elaborate blessing than the form found in the Roman Missal outlined below can be seen with a preface of blessing, e.g. Sarum, which compares with the blessing of Palms and the Waters at Epiphany.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons used on the feast of the Circumcision were heard again, O admirabile commercium etc with the psalms of feasts for the Blessed Virgin (Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147). The chapter was proper to the feast and the Office hymn Ave, maris stella. The antiphon on the Magnificat was proper to the feast Senex Puerum portabat etc. After the collect of the feast commemorations of the preceding feast of St. Ignatius of Antioch and of the fourth Sunday after Epiphany were sung. At Compline the tone of Te lucis was that for feast of the Virgin with the Doxology in honour of the Incarnation Jesu, tibi sit gloria etc.

At Mattins the invitatory is proper, Ecce venit as templum sanctum suum Dominator Dominus: Gaude et laetare, Sion occurrens Deo tuo and the Office hymn is Quem terra. The antiphons and psalms for each nocturn come from the Common of the Blessed Virgin as does the Office hymn Quem terra, pontus, sidera. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the Book of Exodus and from Leviticus. The responsories are proper to feast and particularly beautiful. In the second nocturn the lessons come from a sermon of St. Augustine and in the third nocturn the homily if from St. Ambrose. The ninth lesson is the homily for the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons are proper to the feast, Simeon justus etc., and are sung with the Dominical psalms. The antiphon on the Benedictus is again proper to the feast, Cum inducerent etc. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung.

At the Hours the hymns have the melody of the BVM and the Doxology Jesu tibi sit gloria etc. The antiphons from Lauds, Simeon justus etc., are sung with the festal psalms. At Prime the psalms are Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii, in the short responsory the versicle Qui natus es de Virgine is sung and the lectio brevis is proper to the feast, Et placebit.

After Terce the blessing of candles takes place. The celebrant vests in a violet cope and the ministers in violet folded chasubles. The altar is vested in white but a violet antependium placed over the festal one etc. The organ is silent (as is always the case when folded chasubles are used).

At the Epistle corner the celebrant sings five prayers of blessing in the ferial tone. Incense is then blessed, lustral water sprinkled over the candles whilst the celebrant says Asperges me and then the candles are then incensed. At the centre of the altar the celebrant receives a candle from the senior canon present, kissing the candle before taking it. In no canon or senior cleric is present the celebrant kneels before the altar and takes his own candle. Candles are then distributed while the antiphon Lumen ad revelationem is sung interpolated into the canticle Nunc dimittis. Those receiving the candles kiss them, first, then the celebrant's hand. At the conclusion of the distribution the antiphon Exsurge, Domine is sung with a Doxology and the candles lighted. After the distribution the celebrant returns with the ministers to the Epistle corner and chants Oremus. As the feast falls on a Sunday the deacon does not sing Flectamus genua. The celebrant sings the collect Exaudi. The procession then takes place. The subdeacon of the Mass takes the processional cross. The procession goes around the church with lighted candles during the singing of three antiphons Adorna thalamum, Responsum accepit Simeon and Obtulerunt. These text are clearly ancient and found, almost verbatim, in the Menaion of the Byzantine rite.

After the Procession the ministers change from violet vestments to white and Mass is celebrated. The Gloria is sung. The second collect is of the Sunday. The Creed is sung and the preface is that of the Nativity, the feast being a 'satellite' of Christmas. Lighted candles are held by all during the chanting of the Gospel, including the celebrant, and from the beginning of the Canon until after the distribution of Communion. The last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At second Vespers the antiphons Simeon justus etc and chapter from Lauds are used again with the psalms of the Blessed Virgin, the antiphon on the Magnificat is proper. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. From Compline the Marian antiphon changes from Alma, Redemptoris to Ave, Regina caelorum etc.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast although of II class gains a first Vespers when it falls on a Sunday. However, being classed as a feast of the LORD no commemoration of the Sunday was made at Vespers. Mattins and Lauds are the same as the Old Rite except there is no ninth lesson of the Sunday at Mattins and there is no commemoration of the Sunday at Lauds. At the Little Hours the Dominical antiphons and psalter are used although the versicle Qui natus is sung in the short responsory at Prime. The lectio brevis is of the season, not of the feast. The Doxology in honour of the BVM is omitted at all the hymns of the Little Hours which are sung to a different tone.

At the blessing of candles white vestments are used rather than violet. The five collects of blessing have the usual 'long conclusion' omitted and in its place the 'short conclusion' - e.g. Per eundem Dominum nostrum. Amen. The verse Exsurge, Domine is omitted, the command of Flectamus genua is always omitted even in Septuagesima and at Mass Judica me Deus etc is excised as on several other days in the 1962 missal. There is no commemoration of the Sunday at Mass and the last Gospel is In principio. At Vespers there is no commemoration of the Sunday.

Icon of the Hypapante from St. John's Parish of the Melkite Eparchy in Australia.