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