Ordines update

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XXVII and Last Sunday after Pentecost

Today is the twenty-seventh, and last, Sunday after Pentecost. It is also the fifth Sunday of November and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew's Gospel contain the prophetic words of the LORD concerning the last days and the coming of the Antichrist. The texts of the twenty-fourth Sunday given in the Breviary and Missal are used today.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Super muros tuos for the Saturday before the fifth Sunday of November. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. John of the Cross and of St. Catherine. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted due to the double feasts as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum etc and the Office hymn is Primo die. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Prophet Micheas. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Basil on the thirty-third psalm. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aeterne rerum Conditor. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Catherine is sung. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted because of the occurring double feast.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Catherine. Today there is no third collect. The Creed is sung and the preface of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Sylvester, of St. Catherine and of St.Peter of Alexandria. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline due to the occurring and concurring double feasts.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is but a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal Nadal's image of the Antichrist enthroned whilst the clergy and people give him false worship.

Ordo 2019 - Now available!

Ordo MMXIX is now available to order. Royal Mail has changed its 'International Standard' (AirMail) prices so that for three or more copies the postage cost is actually slightly less than last year!

Please visit the Online Shop to place your order - please do make sure you select the correct postage option, i.e. to the UK, Europe (+ Turkey, Russia), Zone 1 (USA, Canada, South America) or Zone 2 (Australia, New Zealand etc). If you are unsure of which Zone you are in please visit here. There are then different options depending on the number of copies you require. E.g. if you want two copies (to the same address) then order one of '2 copies of Ordo 2019' etc rather than two single copies.

The Dedication of the Basilicas of SS Peter and Paul

The feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul is of greater-double rite and its liturgical colour is white. As it is a feast of the LORD it takes precedence over the twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost (the sixth after the Epiphany and the fourth Sunday of November). November 18th is shared by these two patriarchal basilicas as their Dedication feasts. Sadly, in both cases, the original structures no longer survive. St. Paul outside the Walls suffered a disastrous fire in the nineteeth century and Old St. Peter's was destroyed by the whims of vulgar fashion.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Domum tuam Dominus etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 and 147. The Office hymn was Caelestis urbs Jerusalem beata. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus and of the Sunday (the antiphon being Qui caelorum etc for the fourth Sunday of November). The Suffrage was omitted, as were the Dominical preces at Compline because of the double feast.

At Mattins the invitatory is Domum Dei decet sanctitudo etc and the Office hymn is again Caelestis urbs Jerusalem beata. In the first nocturn the antiphons Tollite portas etc are sung with psalms 23, 45 & 57. The lessons and their responsories are from the Apocalypse of St. John. In the seccond nocturn the antiphons Non est hic aliud etc are sung with psalms 83, 86 & 87. The lessons are proper to the feast. In the third nocturn the antiphons Qui habitat etc are sung with psalms 90, 95 & 98. The lessons in the third nocturn are from a homily of St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel (taken from the Octave Day of the Common). The ninth lesson is the homily of the Sunday by St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel (from the sixth Sunday after Epiphany). The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons Domum tuam, Domine etc are sung with Pss. 92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148. The Office hymn is Alto ex Olympi vertice. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. The Suffrage is omitted.

At Prime the antiphon Domum tuam, Domine is sung with psalms 53, 118i & 118ii. Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted on this double feast. The lectio brevis is is Et absterget Deus etc. At the other Hours the antiphons from Lauds are used in the normal manner.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday (the orations are from the VI Sunday after Epiphany). The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Blessed Trinity and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers all the antiphons, psalms, chapter and hymn are as were sung at first Vespers. The V&R and antiphon on the Magnificat are proper to second Vespers. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Elisabeth, of the Sunday and of St. Pontianus. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the ' 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul has been reduced to a III class feast and as such is simple ignored this year. The liturgy of the green Sunday has no commemorations at Vespers. Mattins is stripped down to a single nocturn of three lessons (the Incipit of the Prophet Osee which in the old rite are transferred to Monday). At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is a single collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Images: Compilation from Wikipedia

Historic (partial) recording of Sunday Vespers at St. Edmund's College

A friend of long standing, Mr. Alan Robinson, alerted me to an historically interesting 1937 recording of Sunday Vespers on YouTube from St. Edmund's College, Ware. The recording is reproduced from 78rpm vinyl and consists of part of Vespers, a sermon and Benediction.

Although, unfortunately, the psalmody is absent from the recording - it begins with the chapter Benedictus Deus - the recording is interesting as it has two commemorations sung after the collect of the ninth Sunday after Pentecost. This may be of practical use as an example for those migrating to the old rite from the 'EF' etc.

Following the Office hymn, versicle and its response the intonation of the antiphon on the Magnificat is missing and the recording jumps to the Doxology at the end of the canticle and then the chanting, in full, of the Magnificat antiphon:

Scriptum est enim: Quia domus mea domus oratiónis est cunctis géntibus; vos autem fecístis illam spelúncam latrónum. Et erat cotídie docens in templo.

The celebrant then chants the collect of the Sunday with its conclusion:

Páteant aures misericórdiæ tuæ, Dómine, précibus supplicántium: et, ut peténtibus desideráta concédas; fac eos, quæ tibi sunt plácita, postuláre. Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum: qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.

Then the antiphon for the first commemoration, of St. Vincent – being the feast observed the following day, is sung followed by its versicle and response (in the simple tone):

Similabo eum viro sapienti, qui ædificávit domum suam supra petram.

V. Amávit eum Dóminus, et ornávit eum.
R.Stolam glóriæ índuit eum.


The celebrant then chants Oremus followed by the collect for St. Vincent but without a conclusion:

Deus, qui, ad evangelizándum paupéribus et ecclesiástici órdinis decórem promovéndum, beátum Vincéntium apostólica virtúte roborásti: præsta, quǽsumus; ut, cujus pia mérita venerámur, virtútum quoque instruámur exémplis.

Then the commemoration of St. Camillus is made:

Hic vir despíciens mundum et terréna, triúmphans, divítias cælo cóndidit ore, manu.

V. Justum dedúxit Dóminus per vias rectas.
R. Et osténdit illi regnum Dei.

Then, again, Orémus but as this is the last commemoration (the Suffrage is omitted as there are concurring and occurring double feasts) the collect is sung with a conclusion:

Deus, qui sanctum Camíllum, ad animárum in extrémo agóne luctántium subsídium, singulári caritátis prærogatíva decorásti: ejus, quǽsumus, méritis, spíritum nobis tuæ dilectiónis infúnde; ut in hora éxitus nostri hostem víncere, et ad cæléstem mereámur corónam perveníre. Per Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum, Fílium tuum: qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum. R. Amen.

Today is the Patronal festival of St. Edmund's College so a blessed feast to all its present members and its Old Edmundians.

XXV Sunday after Pentecost

The twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the third Sunday of November. Texts for the fifth Sunday after the Epiphany are used along with those from the twenty-third Sunday. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew are of the parable of the mustard seed and the leaven. This year the Second Sunday of November, and its week, are omitted. Today is also the centenary of Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday in the United Kingdom.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Muro tuo for the Saturday before the third Sunday of November. After the collect of the Sunday (from the text for the fifth Sunday after Epiphany) commemorations were sung of the preceding feast of St. Andrew Avellino, of St. Martin of Tours and St. Mennas. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted due to the double feasts as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum etc and the Office hymn is Primo die. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Book of the Prophet Daniel. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Athanasius' Book to Virgins. In the third nocturn (from the texts appointed for the fifth Sunday after the Epiphany) the homily is from St. Augustine on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aeterne rerum Conditor. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of St. Martin and of St. Mennas. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The introit, gradual, Alleluia verse, offertory and communion texts are, again, those of the twenty-third Sunday. The rest of the texts are those of the fifth Sunday after the Epiphany. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Martin, the third collect is of St. Mennas. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

A Mass of Requiem may be celebrated for the War Dead. The anniversary Mass for the Dead is sung with one collect and the Dies Irae.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Martin of Rome and of St. Martin of Tours. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is only one collect.

XXIV Sunday after Pentecost

The twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the first Sunday of November and the Sunday within the Octave of All Saints. As this year the number of Sundays after Pentecost is greater than twenty-four, twenty-seven in fact, the texts for the twenty-fourth Sunday found in the Breviary and Missal are used on the last Sunday after Pentecost. For the three Sundays before that some of the texts of the Sundays that were not celebrated after the Epiphany are used. So today some of the propers from the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany are used with other texts coming from the twenty-third Sunday.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Vidi Dominum for the Saturday before the first Sunday in November. After the collect of the Sunday (taken from the texts for the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany) commemorations were sung of the Octave of All Saints, of St. Charles Borromeo and of SS Vitalis & Agricola. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted due to the Octave and concurring double feast as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum etc and the Office hymn is Primo die. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Book of the Prophet Ezechiel. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Gregory's Exposition on the Prophet Ezechiel. In the third nocturn (from the text for the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany) the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aeterne rerum Conditor. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of St. Charles, the Octave of All Saints and of SS Vitalis & Agricola.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted due to the Octave and double feast.

Mass is sung after Terce. The introit, gradual, Alleluia verse, offertory and communion texts are those of the twenty-third Sunday. The rest of the texts are those appointed for the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Charles, the third collect is of the Octave of All Saints and the fourth collect of SS Vitalis & Agricola. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

In places where the External Solemnity of All Saints is observed today the Mass Gaudeamus is sung in white vestments. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the Creed is sung, the preface is of the Blessed Trinity and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

Vespers are of the Sunday. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following day within the Octave of All Saints and of St. Charles Borromeo. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. The Octave of All Saints has been abolished. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is only one collect.

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