Fourth Sunday after Pascha

The fourth Sunday after Pascha is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, as far as None on Sunday afternoon, is white. The Gospel pericopes are from the sixteenth chapter of St. John's Gospel where the LORD talks of His ascending to Heaven and the coming of the Paraclete.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Saturday were sung under the single antiphon Alleluia. The Office hymn was Ad regias Agni dapes. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. George and of St. Fidelis of Sigmaringa. The Commemoration of the Cross was omitted due to the double feast. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Paschaltide Doxology and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory and hymn are sung as previous Sundays of Paschaltide. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Epistle of St. James. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from the Treatise of St. Cyprian on the boon of patience. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Augustine. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Sunday psalms are sung under a single antiphon, Alleluia. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Fidelis of Sigmaringa. The Commemoration of the Cross is omitted.

At the Hours the hymns have the Paschaltide Doxology, the psalms are sung under a single antiphon consisting of a triple Alleluia. At Prime the Dominical psalms are sung (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii). The Dominical preces are omitted because of the commemoration of the double feast.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Fidelis of Sigmaringa. There is no the third collect today. The Creed is sung and the preface is of Paschaltide.

At Vespers there is a colour change to red and first Vespers of St. Mark the Evangelist are sung. The antiphons Sancti tui etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The chapter is Stabunt justi. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Fidelis of Sigmaringa. The Commemoration of the Cross is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline due to the commemorated double feasts.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is reduced to a single nocturn. At Lauds there are no commemorations. The hymns at the Little Hours do not have the Paschal Doxology. At Mass there is but a single collect. Vespers are of the Sunday without even a commemoration of St. Mark.

Art: Jerome Nadal