St. James the Apostle

The feast of St. James the Apostle is a Double of the Second Class and the liturgical colour of the feast is red. St. James, often referred to as St. James the Great to distinguish him from St. James the Less (May 1st), suffered martyrdom by the sword under Agrippa I. His remains were transferred to Santiago di Compostella in northern Spain, resulting in the city becoming a major pilgrimage site in Medieval times.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc from the Common of Apostles were sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Exsultet orbis gaudiis. The Suffrage was omitted as were the Domincial preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Apostolorum Dominum, venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Aeterna Christi munera. In the first nocturn the antiphons In omnem terram etc are sung with Pss.18, 33 & 41. The lessons are Sic nos existimet homo from the former Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. In the second nocturn the antiphons Principes populorum ete are sung with Pss. 46, 60 & 63. The lessons are proper to the feast. In the third nocturn the antiphons Exaltabuntur etc are sung with Pss. 74, 96 & 98. The homily is taken from St. Chrysostom's sixty-sixth sermon on St. Matthew's Gospel. At Lauds the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc are sung with the Sunday psalms. The Office hymn is, again, Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of St. Christopher. The Suffrage is omitted.

At the Hours the antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual order. At Prime the festal psalms are sung (Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii). The lectio brevis is Ibant Apostoli.

Mass is sung after Terce. The introit is Mihi autem nimis. The Gloria is sung, (in private Masses the second collect is of St. Christopher). The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Apostles.

At Vespers the antiphons Juravit Dominus etc are sung with Pss. 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn is Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Anne and of the ninth Sunday after Pentecost. The Suffrage is omitted.

Following the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast loses first Vespers. The Little Hours have the Saturday psalms and the lectio brevis at Prime is of the season. At Vespers there is no commemoration of St. Anne.

Icon: Eighteenth century Russian icon of St. James from Wikipedia.