Sunday 25 July 2021

St. James the Apostle


The feast of St. James the Apostle is a Double of the Second Class and the liturgical colour of the feast is red. St. James, often referred to as St. James the Great to distinguish him from St. James the Less (May 1st), suffered martyrdom by the sword under Agrippa I. His remains were transferred to Santiago di Compostella in northern Spain, resulting in the city becoming a major pilgrimage site in Medieval times. The ninth Sunday after Pentecost is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc from the Common of Apostles were sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung. The Suffrage was omitted as were the Domincial preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Apostolorum Dominum, venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Aeterna Christi munera. In the first nocturn the antiphons In omnem terram etc are sung, doubled, with Pss.18, 33 & 41. The lessons are Sic nos existimet homo from the former Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. In the second nocturn the antiphons Principes populorum ete are sung, doubled, with Pss. 46, 60 & 63. The lessons are proper to the feast. In the third nocturn the antiphons Exaltabuntur etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 74, 96 & 98. The homily is taken from St. Chrysostom's sixty-sixth sermon on St. Matthew's Gospel. The ninth lesson is of the Sunday, a homily from St. Gregory on St. Luke's Gospel. At Lauds the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc are sung, doubled, with Ps. 92, 99, 62, Bendicite & 148. The Office hymn is, again, Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Christopher. The Suffrage is omitted.

At the Hours the antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual order. At Prime the festal psalms are sung (Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii). The lectio brevis is Ibant Apostoli.

Mass is sung after Terce. The introit is Mihi autem nimis. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday (in private Masses the third collect is of St. Christopher). The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Apostles and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers the antiphons Juravit Dominus etc are sung with Pss. 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn is Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Anne and of the Sunday. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Following the 'liturgical books of 1962' the ninth Sunday after Pentecost is celebrated in place of the feast. There are no commemorations at Vespers. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn. At Lauds a commemoration of St. James is sung. At said Masses the second collect is of St. James. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Icon: Eighteenth century Russian icon of St. James from Wikipedia.

Sunday 18 July 2021

VIII Sunday after Pentecost


The eighth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke contain the parable about the unjust steward.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding feast of St. Alexius, of St. Camillus de Lellis and of St. Symphorosa and her children. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted due to the concurring double feast as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Office hymn isNocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from the third Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from a St. Augustine's City of God. In the third nocturn the homily on St. Luke's Gospel is from St. Jerome. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds, after the collect of the Sunday, commemorations are sung of St. Camillus de Lellis and of St. Symphorosa. 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 St. Camillus de Lellis, the third collect is of St. Symphorosa. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) and the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Vincent de Paul and of St. Camillus de Lellis. 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 either Vespers. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. There are no commemorations at Lauds. Mass has a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Sunday 11 July 2021

VII Sunday after Pentecost


The seventh Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the words of warning from the LORD concerning false prophets appearing as sheep but who, in reality, are wolves.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of the Holy Seven Brothers and of St. Pius I followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Office hymn is Nocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Third Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from am epistle of St. Jerome to Nepotianus. In the third nocturn the homily on St. Matthew's Gospel is from St. Hiliary. The Te Deum is sung. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Pius I 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. Pius I, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

At Vespers (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) the Office hymn is Lucis Creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of St.John Gualbert and of SS Nabor and Felix. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' at Vespers there are no commemorations. The Suffrage of the Saints has been abolished as have the Dominical preces at Compline and Prime. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Prime Quicumque is sung just once a year. At Mass there is a single collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Sunday 4 July 2021

VI Sunday after Pentecost

The sixth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Mark's Gospel describe the Feeding of the Four Thousand with seven loaves and fishes. This year it is also the Sunday within the Octave of the feast of SS Peter & Paul.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding feast of St. Leo II and of the Octave of SS Peter & Paul. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted due to the occurring double feast and Octave. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Nocte surgentes vigilemus omnes. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the twelfth chapter of the Second Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from St. Ambrose's Defence of David. Again, St. Ambrose provides the homily in the third nocturn on St. Mark's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds after the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of the Octave of SS Peter & Paul is sung. 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 of SS Peter& Paul. Being a Sunday within an Octave ordinarily there is no third collect. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

Prior to the reform of 1911-13, in the Universal Calendar, the first Sunday of July was the feast of the Most Precious Blood. All Masses, other than the Conventual Mass, may be of the feast and the liturgical colour is red. The Mass Redemisti nos is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the Creed is sung, the preface is of the Cross and the last Gospel is of the Sunday

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms of Sunday 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113 are sung. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria and of the Octave of SS Peter & Paul. 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 SS Peter & Paul has been abolished. Mattins is reduced to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there is neither commemoration nor Suffrage. Mass has a single collect.