4th week after the Epiphany

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

The fourth Sunday after the Epiphany is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel at Mattins and Mass is from St. Matthew and is the account of the LORD stilling the storm at sea.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus and the antiphon on the Magnificat was Suscepit Deus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Francis de Sales and of St. Martina. The Suffrage 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 the Incipit of St. Paul's Epistle to the Philippians. In the second nocturn the lessons are from the Book of Morals of St. Gregory the Great. 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 Aterne rerum conditor. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is are sung of St. Martina followed by the Suffrage of the Saints.

At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are sung.

At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Martina, the third collect is Deus, qui salutis. The Credo is sung and the preface is that 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 feast of St. John Bosco and of St. Martina. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Domincal preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is reduced to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there is no commemoration nor Suffrage. At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted. At Mass there is but a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

3rd week after the Epiphany

Third Sunday after the Epiphany

The third Sunday after the Epiphany is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew record the LORD healing the leper and the centurion's servant.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms appointed for Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Suscepit Deus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of SS Vincent & Anastasia, of St. Raymund of Penafort and of St. Emerentiana followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn Primo die. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. In the second nocturn the lessons are from an exposition of this Epistle to the Galatians by St. Augustine and in the third nocturn the homily is from St. Jerome. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aterne rerum conditor. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of St. Raymnund of Penafort and of St. Emerentiania followed by the Suffrage of the Saints.

At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are sung.

At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Raymund of Penafort, the third collect is of St. Emerentiana. The Credo is sung and the preface is that of the Blessed Trinity.

At Vespers the Dominical psalms are sung (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 the St Timothy and of St. Raymund of Penafort. 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 Suffrage of the Saints has been been abolished as have the Dominical preces at Compline and Prime. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is but a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

2nd week after Epiphany

Second Sunday after the Epiphany

The second Sunday after the Epiphany is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes at Mattins and Mass are from St. John's account of the Marriage Feast at Cana.

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 Suscepit Deus which will be used on all Saturdays when Vespers are of the Sunday until Septuagesima. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Paul the first Hermit and of St. Marcellus. The Suffrage was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and this will be sung until Septuagesima. The Office hymn is Primo die and this will be sung at Sunday Mattins until the first Sunday in Lent. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians. In the second nocturn a sermon of St. Chrysostom provides the lessons and, in the third nocturn, the homily is from St. Augustine. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aeterne and that too is sung at Sunday Lauds until the first Sunday of Lent. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Marcellus followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are sung.

At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Marcellus, the third collect is Deus, qui salutis. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms of Sunday are sung. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following feast of St. Anthony the Abbot and of St. Marcellus. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline due to the double feasts.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is reduced to a single nocturn of three lessons. There are no commemorations nor Suffrage at Lauds. At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted. At Mass there is a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Notice - Orders to Italy

Unfortunately, due to Brexit-related issues, there are far too many problems with orders being sent to Italy. A significant number are not arriving although this is not happening with other EU countries.

We have, reluctantly, decided that we will no longer accept orders to destinations in Italy. Hopefully this will be a temporary situation. Another 'benefit' of this self-inflicted disaster and disgrace.

The Octave of the Epiphany

Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany - The Holy Family

The feast of the Holy Family is of greater-double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The feast was granted by Leo XIII in 1893 in response to numerous petitions from Ordinaries and originally placed on the third Sunday after the Epiphany. Following the reforms of 1911-13 - which aimed to remove the celebration of feasts assigned to Sundays - Benedict XV assigned it to the Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany and extended the feast to the Universal Kalendar. Although of only greater-double rite it is classed as a feast of the LORD and so takes precedence over the semi-double Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Jacob autem etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112 & 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn was O lux beata caelitum. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the Octave of the Epiphany (the antiphon on the Magnificat being proper to the 8th January, Lux de luce etc) and of the Sunday within the Octave. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology of the feast Jesu, tuis obediens etc.

At Mattins the invitatory is proper to the feast, Christum Dei Filium etc and the Office hymn is Sacra jam splendent. In the first nocturn the antiphons Cum inducerent etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 8, 18 & 23 and the lessons are from St. Paul's Epistle to the Colossians. In the second nocturn the antiphons Consurgens Joseph etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 44, 45 & 86 and the lessons are taken from a brief of Leo XIII. In the third nocturn the antiphons Ibant parentes Jesu etc are sung with psalms 95, 96 & 97. The homily is from St. Bernard on St. Luke's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons Post triduum etc are sung, doubled, with the Dominical psalms. The Office hymn is O gente felix hospita. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany and of the Octave of the Epiphany (the antiphon on the Benedictus being proper to the 9th January, Vidimus stellam ejus etc.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual order. The hymns of the Hours have the Doxology proper to the feast. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii) the versicle Qui Mariae et Joseph subditus fuisti is sung in the short responsory and the lectio brevis is Semetipsum exinanivit.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany and the third collect is of the Octave of the Epiphany. The Creed is sung, the preface and communicantes are of the Epiphany.

In the afternoon the antiphons Post triduum etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn is O lux beata caelitum. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Octave (the antiphon on the Magnificat being proper to the 9th January, Interrogabat etc) and of the Sunday within the Octave. At Compline Te lucis has the Doxology of the feast.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast of the Holy Family has been raised to II Class (in order for it to precedence over the Sunday). The Octave of the Epiphany has been abolished. At Vespers there were no commemorations. At Compline and the Hours the hymns have the ordinary Doxology. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Prime and the Hours the antiphons and psalmody are of the Sunday, at Prime the lectio brevis is of 'Epiphanytide'. At Mass there is a single collect. Vespers are of the feast without any commemorations.

The first week of January

The Holy Name

The feast of the Holy Name of Jesus is a Double of the Second Class and its liturgical colour is white. The feast was granted to the Franciscan Order in 1530 to be kept on 14th January. In 1721 the feast was extended to the Universal Calendar to be kept on the second Sunday after the Epiphany. Following the 1911-13 reform this feast takes the place of the second 'vacant' Sunday after the Nativity or, when no Sunday falls between the Circumcision and the Epiphany, it is kept on January 2nd. In the Sarum Rite the feast was kept on August 7th and that date still appears in the Calendar of the Book of Common Prayer. The Office of the feast begins with Mattins.

Yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of the Circumcision were sung. The antiphons O admirabile commercium were sung, doubled, with the same psalms 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147). The Office hymn was Jesu, redemptor omnium. After the collect of the feast there were no commemorations. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology and melody of the Incarnation and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Admirabile nomen Jesu etc and the Office hymn is Jesu, Rex admirabilis etc. In the first nocturn the antiphons Domine, Dominus noster etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 8, 18 & 23 and the lessons are from the Acts of the Apostles. In the second nocturn the antiphons Memores erunt etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 44, 45 & 86 and lessons are taken from a sermon of St. Bernard. In the third nocturn the antiphons Cantate Domino etc are sung, doubled. with psalms 95, 96 & 97. The homily is also from St. Bernard. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons are again proper, Oleum effusum etc sung, doubled, with psalms 92, 99, 62, Benedicite and 148. The Office hymn is Jesu, decus angelicum. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Octave Day of St. Stephen the Protomartyr.

At the Hours the antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual order with the festal psalms. The Doxologies of the hymns at the Little Hours are changed in honour of the Incarnation, Jesu, tibi sit gloria etc. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii) the short lesson is proper, Omne quodcumque.

The Mass is proper, In nomine Jesu. The Gloria is sung. In said Masses the second collect is of the Octave Day of St. Stephen the Protomartyr. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Nativity.

At second Vespers the antiphons Omnis qui invocaverit etc are again sung, doubled, with Psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 and 115. The Office hymn is Jesu, dulcis memoria. No commemorations are sung. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology and melody of the Incarnation and the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the co-title 'Circumcision' has been dropped although the texts remain the same. At Compline and at the Hours the hymns do not have their Doxologies changed. The Octave of St. Stephen, or at least what little had remained of it, has been abolished. At the Hours the antiphons and psalms are from the Sunday Office, not of the feast (at Prime Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) and the short lesson at Prime is from the season, Ipsi peribunt). At Mass there is a single collect.

Art: Jastrow, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons