The feast of the Holy Apostles SS Philip and James is a Double of the Second Class and its liturgical colour is red. In Western rites SS Philip and James have been honoured together as the relics of the two Apostles were placed together in the confessio of the Church of the Apostles in Rome at its consecration in the sixth century. The anniversary of this, the church's dedication in 560, is May 1st and so the feast of two Apostles has graced this day in Western Kalendars for nearly 1500 years. St. Philip, tradition tells us, was from Bethsaida. He was crucified at Hierapolis in Phrygia. St. James the Less was from Cana and was the first bishop of Jerusalem. St. Paul says (Galatians 1:19) 'I did not see any apostle except James the brother of the Lord'. St. James was cast from the pediment of the Temple on the orders of the Jewish High Priest and then clubbed to death.
The feast began with first Vespers yesterday afternoon. The antiphons were proper to the feast, Domine, ostende nobis Patrem etc, sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The chapter was Stabant justi and the Office hymn is Tristes erant Apostoli. The antiphon on the Magnificat, Non turbetur etc., and collect are proper to the feast. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Catherine of Siena. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Paschaltide Doxology and the Dominical preces were omitted.
At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Apostolorum Dominum Venite adoremus, the antiphons Stabunt justi etc are sung with the psalms from the Common of Apostles. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of letter of St. James from the fourth Sunday after Easter. These lessons are followed by the responsories from the Common, Beatus vir, qui metuit Dominum, alleluia etc. In the second nocturn the lessons are proper to the feast. The Gospel in the third nocturn is from St. John and the pericope contains the passage where the LORD tells St. Philip that if he wishes to see the Father to see Him and that in the Father's house there are many mansions. The Te Deum is sung.
At Lauds the antiphons Domine ostende nobis Patrem etc are sung with psalms 92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148. The Office hymn is Paschale mundo gaudium and is sung with the Paschal Doxology. At the Hours the same antiphons are sung in the usual sequence. The Office hymns have the Paschal Doxology and the feastal psalms are sung at the Hours. At Prime the lectio brevis is Scimus quoniam.
Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass is proper, Exclamaverunt etc. The Gloria and Credo are sung and the preface is of the Apostles.
At second Vespers the antiphons Domine ostende nobis Patrem are sung again this time with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn is Tristes erant Apostoli. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the following Office of St. Athanasius.
The 'liturgical books of 1962' plummet to a nadir today as the ancient feast of SS Philip and James has been cast aside until May 11th, the first 'free' liturgical day, and May 1st becomes the repugnant 'Joe the Worker' day. Pacelli's Commission for General Liturgical Reform had discussed making May 1st a Marian feast but settled on S. Giuseppe Artigiano (c.f. minutes of meeting 45; 19 Oct 1954 and 59; 17 Jan 1956 in Giampietro, N., 'Il Card. Ferdinado Antonelli e gli sviluppi della riforma liturgica dal 1948 al 1970', Studia Anselmiana, Rome, 1998). Clearly feasts of antiquity were not considered particularly sacred - but then again neither was anything else - so from 1956 the beautiful, albeit relatively modern, feast of the Solemnity of St. Joseph - which will be celebrated on Wednesday of this week - and its Octave were abolished and the feast of the Holy Apostles swept aside to May 11th.
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9 comments:
Ironically, the vestments worn today were red - until San Giuseppe Comunista bumped these two Apostles out of the way.
This week is tricky because the lovely feast of St. Joseph coincides with Holy Cross. Thank you for answering the question regarding Office hymns.
That's a disturbing factual realization.Thanks for pointing it out to us.
We will never know,this side of the grave,the levels of infiltration,duplicity,and destruction that took place behind the scenes from 1948-1970.
As you are probably aware, dear Rubricarius, those celebrating the Byzantine rite yesterday commemorated – in a fashion – the Apostle, S. James the GREATER. Do we have any official western knowledge of this interesting occurrence?
I've wondered if the Eastern Rites (all of them including Mozarabic) officially changed their rites of Holy Orders and Sacraments as the conciliar church circa late 60's/early 70's?
One of the greatest blessings Jesus Christ gave us Catholics were the 5 Bishops who kept the traditional rites of Holy Orders alive for future generations!
Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for giving us Shepards who loved you and your Church.
Anonymous 7th May,
The Mozarabic rite is Western, from Spain. WRT ordination rites as far as I am aware all of the various groups adopted the 1947 changes to the Pontificale affecting the ordination and consecration rites.
I meant the June 1968 Pontificale.
Thank you for correcting me about Mozarabic being Western.(I knew they were located in Spain but that's it)
I have tried in vain to find info on who and what changed after June 1968 but the internet is slim pickings.
All I can find is a few comparisons of 1947/1968
& a few sites who are pro/con on June 1968.
From the little info I have found after searching for years,it seems not many people have tackled this subject.
Nor is there any info on who changed holy orders after June 1968.
I'm not arguing about who and what is valid I just want to find info and its almost impossible.
I have my own opinion on this subject but out of respect I will keep it to myself.
Anonymous,
I don't really know to be honest but suspect the answer is mixed and depends on the Eastern rite in question. Generally there has been a tendency for Eastern rites to move away from Latinisations - with some notable exceptions. Why not look on some Eastern rite web discussion boards where there will be people able to answer your question?
Good idea thank you for the advice.
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