Second Sunday after the Epiphany

The second Sunday after the Epiphany is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, from Mattins this year, is green. The Gospel pericopes at Mattins and Mass are from St. John's account of the Marriage Feast at Cana.

Vespers yesterday afternoon were second Vespers for the Octave-Day of the Epiphany. The antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc were sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The Office hymn was Crudelis Herodes. After the collect of the Octave-Day commemorations were sung of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Suscepit Deus, of St. Hiliary and of St. Felix. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology and melody of the Epiphany and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and this will be sung until Septuagesima. The Office hymn is Primo die and this is sung at Sunday Mattins until the first Sunday in Lent. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians. In the second nocturn a sermon of St. Chrysostom provides the lessons and, in the third nocturn, the homily is from St. Augustine. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aeterne and that too is sung at Sunday Lauds until the first Sunday of Lent. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of St. Hiliary and of St. Felix. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted. At Prime both Quicumque iand the Dominical preces. are omitted.

At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Hiliary, the third collect is of St. Felix. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms of Sunday are sung. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Paul the first Hermit, of St. Hiliary and of St. Maurus. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the former Octave-Day, following the abolition of the Octave, has been re-branded the 'Commemoration of the Baptism of the Lord'. There were no commemorations at Vespers. Mattins is reduced to a single nocturn of three lessons. There are no commemorations at Lauds. At Mass there is a single collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal