Third Sunday after Pascha

The third Sunday after Pascha is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The Gospel pericopes from St. John's Gospel have the LORD telling the Disciples that in a little while He will be going to the Father. It is also the Sunday within the Octave of the Solemnity of St. Joseph. Prior to the reform of 1911-13 this feast was celebrated on the Third Sunday after Pascha but was subsequently moved to the third Wednesday after Easter. Privileged Votive Masses of the Solemnity of St. Joseph may be celebrated.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Vespers for Saturday were sung under the single antiphon, Alleluia. The chapter, Carissimi: Obsecro vos etc, was proper to the Sunday, the Office hymn was Ad regias Agni dapes. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Anselm, of SS Soter & Cajus and of the Octave of the Solemnity of St. Joseph. The Paschal Suffrage of the Cross was omitted due to the double feasts and Octave. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Paschal Doxology and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is the great proclamation of the Resurrection, Surrexit Dominus vere, Alleluia. The Office hymn is Rex sempiterne Caelitum. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the book of the Apocalypse of St. John. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from a sermon of St. Augustine and in the third nocturn St. Augustine also provides the homily on St. John's Gospel. At Lauds, after the collect of the Sunday, commemorations are sung of SS Soter & Cajus and of the Octave of St. Joseph. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is omitted.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns have the Paschal Doxology. At Prime the Dominical preces are omitted due to the Octave.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of SS Soter & Cajus, the third collect is of the Octave of St. Joseph. The Creed is sung and the Paschaltide preface is sung.

Masses other than Conventual Masses may all be of the Solemnity of St. Joseph. The Mass Adjutor is sung, as on the feast. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the Creed is sung. The preface is of St. Joseph and the last Gospel is of the Sunday. The liturgical colour is white.

At Vespers the Dominical psalms are sung under the single antiphon, Alleluia. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. George, of SS Soter and Cajus, and of the Octave of St. Joseph. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is omitted due to the double feasts and Octave. At Compline the Domincal preces are also omitted due to the Octave. (In England, of course, first Vespers of St. George are sung with a commemoration of the Sunday).

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' at there are no commemorations at either Vespers. The feast of the Solemnity of St. Joseph and its Octave have been abolished. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the ordinary Doxology. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At the Hours, and at Compline, the hymns are sung without the Paschal Doxology. At Mass there is a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal