Spy Wednesday

Wednesday in Holy Week, Spy Wednesday, is a privileged ferial day. Although of simple rite no feast may take precedence over it. A feast is either commemorated or transferred depending on its rank. The liturgical colour of the day is violet.

At Mattins the invitatory is Hodie etc and the Office hymm Pange, lingua, gloriosi. Mattins has a single nocturn. The lessons are taken from the book of Jeremy the Prophet, the responsories are proper. At the second scheme of Lauds the antiphons are proper, Libera me etc sung with psalms 50, 64, 100, Exsultavit cor meum and 145. The Office hymn is O sol salutis. After the antiphon on the Benedictus, Simon, dormis etc., has been repeated after the canticle the choir kneels and the ferial preces are sung followed by the, proper, collect of the day. These same antiphons, Libera me etc., are sung at the Hours. At Prime (Pss. 25, 51, 52 & 96 the chapter is the ferial Pacem et vertiatem. The ferial preces are also sung at each of the Hours, again the choir kneeling.

At Mass, sung after None, the deacon and subdeacon wear folded chasubles. The formula is proper to the day with the introit In nomine Jesu.  After the Kyrie the celebrant sings Oremus, the deacon sings Flectamus genua and the subdeacon responds Levate. A collect is sung followed by an OT lesson from Isaiah which, in turn, is followed by a gradual. After the gradual has been sung the collect of the day is sung, preceded, as usual, with Dominus vobiscum etc., followed by the second collect,  Ecclesiae. The Passion according to St. Luke is sung (Luke 22:1-71; 23: 1-53). The preface is of the Cross, there is an Oratio super populum and the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino sung by the deacon facing the celebrant and altar. Vespers follow Mass. The Office hymn is Vexilla regis sung for the penultimate time this Lent. After the antiphon on the Magnificat, Ancilla dixit etc., has been repeated the choir kneel and the preces feriales are sung. The collect, Respice, will become very familiar during the Triduum. At Compline, sung at the usual time, the Dominical preces are also sung kneeling. After Compline the Palms decorating the sanctuary etc are removed and candles of unbleached wax placed upon the altar for Tenebrae.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the day is I class.  At the Hours the ferial preces are omitted. At Prime (Pss. 25, 51, 52 the chapter is the festal Regi saeculorum. At Mass there is no additional  collect, the Passion is shortened to Luke 22: 39-71; 23:1-53 - the special Gospel portion being sung with the rest of the Passion without distinction, the dismissal is Ite, missa est and the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle. Vespers are sung in the afternoon and are sung without the ferial preces. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.