SS Peter and Paul

The feast of the Apostles SS Peter and Paul is a Double of the First Class with an Octave. The liturgical colour of the feast, and Octave, is red.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Petrus et Joannes etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The Office hymn was Decora lux. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Sunday. The Suffrage and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the texts come from the Common of Apostles except for the lessons and responsories. The invitatory is Regem Apostolorum Dominum, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Aeterna Christe munera. In the first nocturn the antiphons In omnem terram etc are sung with psalms 18, 33 and 44. The lessons are taken from the Acts of the Apostles. In the second nocturn the antiphons Principes populorum etc are sung with psalms 46, 60 and 63 and the lessons are from a sermon of St. Leo. In the third nocturn the antiphons Exaltabuntur etc are sung with psalms 74, 96 & 98. The homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons Petrus et Joannes etc are sung, doubled, with the Dominical psalms. The Office hymn is Beate Pastor.

At Prime and the Hours the festal psalms are sung with the antiphons of the feast. At Prime the lectio brevis is proper to the feast, Et Petrus etc.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the Creed is sung and the preface is of the Apostles.

At second Vespers the antiphons Iuravit etc, from the Common, are sung with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 and 138. The Office hymn is Decora lux aeternitatis. There are no commemorations. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the liturgical books of 1962' the Octave of SS Peter and Paul has been abolished along with a score of others. At the Hours the antiphons are doubled and at Prime the lectio brevis is of the season.