Fourth Sunday after Pascha

The fourth Sunday after Pascha is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, from Mattins to None inclusive this year, is white. The Gospel pericopes are from the sixteenth chapter of St. John's Gospel where the LORD talks of His ascending to Heaven and the coming of the Paraclete.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of the Apostles SS Philip and James were sung. The antiphons Domine ostende nobis Patrem were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn was Tristes erant Apostoli. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the Sunday and of St. Athanasius. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross was omitted due to the double feasts. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Paschaltide Doxology and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Surrexit Dominus and the Office hymn, Rex sempiterne as on previous Sundays of Paschaltide. In the first nocturn the lessons are Omme datum optium from Monday with the responsories of the Sunday. This is due to the Incipit of the Epistle to James being read yesterday in the first nocturn of the feast of SS Philip and James c.f. rubric in the Breviary). In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from the Treatise of St. Cyprian on the boon of patience. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Augustine. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Sunday psalms are sung under a single antiphon, Alleluia. The Office hymn is Aurora caelum purpurat. After the collect of the Sunday a commemorations is sung of St. Athanasius. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is omitted due to the occurring double feast.

At the Hours the hymns have the Paschaltide Doxology, the psalms are sung under a single antiphon consisting of a triple Alleluia. At Prime the Dominical psalms are sung (Pss. 117, 118(i) & 118(ii). The Dominical preces are omitted.

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

At Vespers the liturgical colour again changes to red and first Vespers of the Invention of the Holy Cross are sung. The antiphons O magnum pietatis opus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The Office hymn is Vexilla regis, last heard towards the end of the Mass of the Pre-Sanctified on Good Friday morning, but the verse O Crux ave differs by one line, Paschale quae fers gaudium. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Athanasius. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is omitted. At Compline the Dominical psalms are sung, Te lucis is sung with the Paschal Doxology and the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' yesterday second Vespers of the deplorable "St Jerz the Werz' were sung with a commemoration of the Sunday. Mattins is reduced to a single nocturn. At Lauds there are no commemorations. The hymns at the Little Hours do not have the Paschal Doxology. At Mass there is but a single collect. At Vespers, of the Sunday, there are no commemorations. The feast of the Invention of the Holy Cross has been struck from the Calendar.
Art: Jerome Nadal