First Sunday of Advent

The first Sunday of Advent is a semi-double Sunday of the first class and its liturgical colour, until Vespers, is violet. The liturgy of Advent is perhaps the most exquisite of the entire liturgical year with 'layers' of meaning for both the First and Second Comings of the LORD. There is a weave of expectant joy and penance to be found throughout the liturgical texts. The eschatalogical theme of last Sunday's Gospel continues with St. Luke's Gospel today and the Coming of the Divine Judge. Vespers on Saturday before Advent Sunday mark the beginning of the Pars Hiemalis or Winter volume of the Breviary.

The Vigil of St. Andrew the Apostle was anticipated yesterday.

During Advent bishops of the Roman rite exchange their violet choir cassocks for black ones (with train) which are worn with either a black mozzeta or black mattelletum with violet linings. Cardinals of the Court of Rome wear their 'winter' violet merino apparel (in contrast to their summer mourning dress of violet watered-silk) in place of their scarlet watered-silk.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons In illa die etc were sung, not doubled, with the psalms of Saturday. The Office hymn was Creator alme siderum.  After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was made of St. Saturninus.  The Suffrage was omitted being Advent. From this Vespers, until the end of None on the Vigil of the Nativity of the LORD, Alma Redemptoris etc is sung. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem venturum and this is sung in both the Dominical and ferial Offices of Advent until the third Sunday. The Office hymn is Verbum supernum. In the first nocturn the antiphons Veniet ecce Rex etc are sung, not doubled, with the usual psalms for Sunday. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the prophet Isaiah. In the second nocturn the antiphons Gaude et laetare etc are sung and the lessons are taken from the writing of St. Leo on the fast of the tenth month, the theme of which is preparing for the Coming. In the third nocturn the antiphons Gabriel Angelus etc are sung and the homily is from St. Gregory continuing the theme of Coming with his commentary on St. Luke's Gospel about the end times. A ninth responsory is sung and the Te Deum is omitted in the Office of Advent. At Lauds the antiphons proper to the first Sunday In illa die etc, are sung, not doubled, with the Dominical psalms. The Office hymn is En clara vox.  After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Saturninus is sung.  The Suffrage is omitted, as noted, during Advent.

At Prime the first antiphon from Lauds, In illa die, is sung, not doubled, with the usual Dominical psalms (117, 118i, 118ii). In the short responsory the versicle Qui venturus es in mundum replaces Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris for all of Advent except when an occurring feast has a proper versicle. The Dominical preces are sung. At the other Hours the remaining antiphons of Lauds are sung in the usual order.

Mass is sung after Terce. During Advent for ferial and Dominical Masses in the Roman rite, with the exception of the third Sunday Gaudete, the deacon and sub-deacon do not wear the dalmatic and tunicle but violet folded chasubles, an ancient feature of the Roman liturgy. The Gloria in not sung, the second collect is of St. Saturninus, the third collect is  Deus, qui de beatae. The Creed is sung, the preface that of the Blessed Trinity and, as the Gloria was not sung, the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino, sung by the deacon facing the altar, not turned towards the people.

At Vespers there is a colour change to red and first Vespers of the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle are sung. The antiphons Salve, crux pretiosa etc, proper to the feast are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The Office hymn is Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Vigil of St. Andrew has been abolished.  Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Compline on Saturday and at Prime there are no Dominical preces. At Mass the there is the novelty for the the Roman rite of the deacon wearing the dalmatic and the sub-deacon the tunicle in a penitential Mass of the season. Folded chasubles, so ancient and so quintessentially Roman, have been cast aside. There is only one collect and the dismissal is Ite, missa est. Vespers are of the Sunday with no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Ordo Recitandi MMXXI now available to order

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XXV Sunday after Pentecost

[Apologies to readers for the lack of a post on Sunday. Unfortunately I have had to care for an elderly relative who was discharged from hospital and needed more care, and time, than I anticipated.] 

Today is the twenty-fifth, and last, Sunday after Pentecost. It is also the fifth Sunday of November. The 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 Mass and Office come from the twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost which are always used on the last Sunday before Advent.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation. 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 the Presentation of the BVM and of St. Cecilia. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted due to the double feasts. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation and the Dominical preces were omitted.

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 is sung of St. Cecilia. 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. Cecilia. Today this is, ordinarily, 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 Office of St. Clement, of St. Cecilia and of St. Felicitas. 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. The Doxologies of the hymns at Vespers and Compline are not changed. 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.

XXIV Sunday after Pentecost (VI after Epiphany)

The twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the fourth Sunday of November. As this year the number of Sundays after Pentecost is greater than twenty-four, twenty-five in fact, the texts for the twenty-fourth Sunday found in the Breviary and Missal are used next Sunday, the last Sunday after Pentecost. This Sunday the texts of the propers of the sixth Sunday after the Epiphany, which was not celebrated before Septuagesima, are combined with texts 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 Qui caelorum for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of November. After the collect of the Sunday (taken from the texts for the sixth Sunday after the Epiphany) commemorations were sung of the preceding feast of St. Josaphat and of St. Albert the Great. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted due to the concurring and occurring 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 Hosea. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Augustine's City of God. In the third nocturn (from the sixth 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 a commemoration is sung of St. Albert the Great. The Suffrage is omitted.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted due to the 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 sixth Sunday after the Epiphany. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Albert the Great. Today, ordinarily there is no third collect. The Creed is sung and the preface is 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. Gertrude and of St. Albert the Great. 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.

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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 third Sunday of November as this year the second Sunday of November and its week are omitted. 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 Muro tuo for the Saturday before the third Sunday of November. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the Octave Day of All Saints and of the SS Four Crowned Martyrs. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

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 Daniel.In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Athanasius' book to Virgins. 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 commemorations are sung of the Octave Day of All Saints and of the SS Four Crowned Martyrs. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

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

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave Day of All Saints, the third collect is of the SS Four Crowned Martyrs. The Creed is sung as is the preface of the Blessed Trinity.

In England & Wales, being the Sunday closest to the 11th November, a Mass of Requiem may be celebrated, and usually is, for the War Dead. The anniversary Mass for the Dead is sung with one collect, the sequence Dies Irae and the preface for the dead. After the last Gospel the ceremony of Absolution over the catafalque may follow.

In the afternoon the liturgical colour changes to white and Vespers of the feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilca 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 the Octave Day of All Saints. 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 Octave for All Saints has been abolished. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn and three lessons. There are no commemorations at Lauds. There is a single collect at Mass. At Vespers, of the Sunday, there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

All Saints' Day

The feast of All Saints is a Double of the First Class with an Octave. The universal celebration of this feast developed from the dedication of the Pantheon in Rome to St. Mary and the Martyrs. This dedication took place on May 13th, 610. In some places, and the in Byzantine East to this day, a celebration of All Saints took place after Trinity Sunday. The celebration of the feast spread and Gregory IV transferred the feast and dedication to November 1st in 835. Louis the Pious spread the celebration throughout his empire and the feast entered the Universal Calendar. Sixtus IV gave the feast an Octave in the fifteenth century. The liturgical colour for the feast, and its Octave, is white. The twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost, and this year the first Sunday of November, is commemorated in the Office and at Mass. The feast was preceded by a Vigil yesterday. 

At Vespers, yesterday afternoon, the antiphons Vidi turbam magnam etc were sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The Office hymn was Placare, Christe, servulis. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Vidi, Dominum for the Saturday before the first Sunday of November). At Compline the Dominical psalms were sung and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is proper to the feast and octave, Regem regum Dominum venite adoremus, Quia ipse est corona Sanctorum omnium, and the Office hymn is Placare, Christe, servulis. In the first nocturn the antiphons Novit Dominus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 1, 4 & 8. The lessons are taken from the book of the Apocalypse. In the second nocturn the antiphons Domine, qui operati etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 14, 23 & 31 and the lessons are taken from a sermon of the Venerable Bede. In the third nocturn the antiphons Timete Dominum etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 33, 60 & 96. The homily on St. Matthew's Gospel is from St. Augustine. Today the eighth and ninth lessons of the feast are read together and the ninth lesson is the homily for the Sunday which is a commentary of St. Hiliary on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons Vidi turbam magnam etc are sung, doubled, with the Sunday psalms (Pss. 99, 92, 62, Benedicite & 148) and the Office hymn is Salutis aeterne dator.  After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons Vidi turbam magnum etc are sung in the usual order. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii) the lectio brevis is proper to the feast, Benedictio et claritas,.

Mass is sung after Terce. 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.

At second Vespers the antiphons Vidi turbam magnam etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. The Office hymn is Placare, Christe, servulis. After Benedicamus Domino etc the verse Fidelium is omitted and the choir sits as the festive white is removed and is exchanged for the black of mourning. Vespers of the Dead are then sung in choir. These begin with the antiphon Placebo Domino in regione vivorum sung, doubled, with Pss. 114, 119, 120, 129 and 127. Requiem aeternam etc is sung at the end of each psalm in place of Gloria Patri etc. After the psalms there is a versicle and response but no hymn. After the antiphon on the Magnificat the choir kneels for a Pater noster, some versicles and the collect. Following the 1911-13 changes Compline takes a special form, newly created in that reform, 'Compline of the Dead', with psalms 122, 141 and 142.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' both the Vigil and Octave of All Saints have been abolished. At Mattins there is no ninth lesson of the Sunday.  At Prime the lectio brevis is of the season and at the Little Hours the antiphons are doubled. At Mass the last Gospel is In principio. The 'double Vespers' has been abolished and Vespers for the Dead will not be sung until tomorrow afternoon.