The first week of Advent

First Sunday of Advent

The first Sunday of Advent is a semi-double Sunday of the first class and its liturgical colour is violet. As with the Sundays in Lent no feast may displace this Sunday. The liturgy of Advent is probably 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. 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. Vespers on Saturday before Advent Sunday mark the beginning of the Pars Hiemalis or Winter volume of the Breviary.

It should be noted - and it is question we have been asked several times - that Roman Ordines always follow the calendar year and never began with Advent Sunday.

   

The above is from a 1572 Roman ordo.

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. 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. 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 both 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 Deus, qui de beatae, the third collect is Ecclesiae etc. 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.

At Vespers the antiphons In illa die etc are sung, not doubled, with the Dominical psalms. The Office hymn is Creator alme siderum. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Saturnin. The Suffrage is omitted. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. The Dominical preces have been abolished at Compline and at Prime. 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. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

The 5th week of November

XXVI and last Sunday after Pentecost

The twenty-sixth, and last, Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. It is also the fifth Sunday of November. 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 St. Felix of Valois and of the Presentation of the BVM. 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 sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation.. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the Presentation of the BVM. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

At the Hours the hymns are sung with the Doxology and melody of the Incarnation. At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted because of the occurring double feast, the versice in the short response is Qui natus es.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Presentation. Today this is, ordinarily, no third collect. The Creed is sung. the preface is of the Blessed Trinity and the last Gospel is of the Presentation.

Vespers are of the Sunday. The Office hymn is Lucis creator, sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Cecilia and of the Presentation. 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. The Doxologies of the hymns at Vespers and the Hours 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 and the last Gospel is In principio.

Art: Jerome Nadal Nadal's image of the Antichrist enthroned whilst the clergy and people give him false worship.

Ordo Recitandi MMXXII now available!

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XXV Sunday after Pentecost (VI after Epiphany)

The twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the fourth Sunday of November. Texts for the sixth Sunday after the Epiphany are used along with those from the twenty-third Sunday in the same manner as last week. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew are of the parable of the mustard seed and the leaven. Today is also Remembrance Sunday in the United Kingdom.

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 (that for the sixth Sunday after Epiphany) commemorations were sung of the preceding feast of St. Didacus and of St. Josaphat. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted 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 Osee. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Augustine's Book the City of God. In the third nocturn (that appointed for 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 commemorations is sung of St. Josaphat. 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 introit, gradual, Alleluia verse, offertory and communion texts are, again, those of the twenty-third Sunday. The rest of the texts are those of the sixth Sunday after the Epiphany. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Josaphat. Today there in no third collect. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

In England and Wales a Mass of Requiem may be celebrated for the War Dead. The anniversary Mass for the Dead is sung with one collect and the Dies Irae.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Albert the Great and of St. Josaphat. 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.

Image: Missale Romanum 1572 Paris Google Books. As explained in the post above the introit Adorate is not actually sung today but Dicit Dominus from the XXIII Sunday.

Available soon!

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The 3rd week of November

Apologies for not posting the 1st week of November.

XXIV Sunday after Pentecost (V after Epiphany)

The twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the third Sunday of November and the Sunday within the Octave of All Saints. As this year the number of Sundays after Pentecost is greater than twenty-four, twenty-six, the texts for today and next Sunday are taken from the V and VI Sundays after Epiphany respectively, combined with the introit, gradual etc from the twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost. On the last Sunday, this year the twenty-sixth Sunday the texts in the Missal and Breviary appointed for the twenty-fourth Sunday are used in their entirety. This year the second Sunday of November and its week are omitted.

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 Muro tuo for the Saturday before the third Sunday in November. After the collect of the Sunday (taken from the texts for the fifth Sunday after the Epiphany) a commemoration of the Octave of All Saints was sung. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted due to the Octave 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 Daniel. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Athanasius’ book to Virgins. In the third nocturn (from the text for the fifth Sunday after the Epiphany) the homily is from St. Augustine 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 are sung of the Octave of All Saints.

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

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 fifth Sunday after the Epiphany. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave of All Saints. Today there is no third collect being a Sunday within an Octave. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

In places where the External Solemnity of All Saints is observed today the Mass Gaudeamus is sung in white vestments. 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.

Vespers are of the Sunday. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Octave Day of All Saints and of The Holy Crowned Martyrs. 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 second Sunday of November and its week are always omitted. The Octave of All Saints has been abolished. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is only one collect.