XXIII Sunday after Pentecost

The twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, until after None, is green. Today is also the fourth Sunday of November. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the passages where the LORD heals a woman with an issue of blood and raises Jairus' daughter from the dead.

As 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 Qui caelorum for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of November. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn is Primo die. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the Incipit of the book of the Prophet Osee. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Augustine's City of God. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Jerome on the ninth chapter of 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 is sung of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus followed by the Suffrage of the Saints.

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

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed is sung as is the preface of the Blessed Trinity.

In the afternoon the liturgical colour changes to white and Vespers of the feast of the Dedication of the Basilcas of SS Peter & Paul are sung. The antiphons Domum tuam etc are sung, doubled, with Pss.109, 110, 111, 112 & 147. The Office hymn is Caelestis urbs Jerusalem. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at Vespers. The Suffrage and the Dominical preces have been abolished. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn and three lessons. There are no commemorations at Lauds. At Prime Quicumque is only said on a single Sunday within the year. There is a single collect at Mass. At Vespers, of the Sunday, there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal