The Octave of the Ascension

Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension

The Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The theme of the great feast of the Ascension continues with most of the texts coming from the feast. However, unlike on the feast itself, the antiphons at the Greater Hours are not doubled. The Gospel pericopes from St. John contain the beautiful words of the LORD promising the gift of the Paraclete.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons for the feast, Viri Galilaei etc, were sung (not doubled) with the psalms of the feast (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116). The chapter was of the Sunday, the Office hymn was of the Ascension, Salutis humane Sator, and the antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were proper to the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding feast of St. Augustine of Canterbury, of St. Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi and of the Octave. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross was omitted due to the double feasts and Octave. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Ascension Doxology Jesu tibi sit gloria, Qui victor in caelum redis etc, but the Dominical preces were omitted because of the Octave.

At Mattins the invitatory, hymn and antiphons, Elevata est etc., are as on the feast, but the antiphons are not doubled. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the First Epistle of St. John, the responsories are of the feast. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from a sermon on the Ascension by St. Augustine and the same Father provides the third nocturn lessons reflecting on St. John's Gospel. At Lauds all is from the feast, but with the antiphons not doubled, except the chapter, antiphon on the Benedictus and collect. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of St. Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi and of the Octave.

At the Little Hours the hymns are sung with the melody and Doxology of Ascension. At Prime the festal psalms (Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii) are sung rather than the Dominical ones (117, 118i, 118ii) the short lesson is Si quis loquitur. The Dominical preces are omitted due to the Octave etc.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi, the third collect of the Octave. The Creed is sung, the preface and communicantes are of the Ascension.

Where the External Solemnity of the Ascension is celebrated on Sunday the Mass of the feast is celebrated with a commemoration, and last Gospel, of the Sunday.

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms are as on the feast. The chapter, antiphon on the Magnificat and collect are of the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of the Octave, of St. Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi and of St. Felix I The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Octave is abolished having been stripped from the feast in 1956 so today becomes the Sunday after the Ascension. At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms were sung under a single antiphon as in the rest of Paschaltide. There were no commemorations. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn, the invitatory and hymn of the Ascension are sung but the psalms are those for Sunday under a single antiphon. At Lauds the psalms are sung under a single antiphon and there are no commemorations. At Prime the Dominical psalms are sung (117, 118i & 118ii) although the short lesson is, perhaps surprisingly, Viri Galilaei for Ascensiontide. The hymns of the Hours do not have the Ascension Doxology. In Mass there is but a single collect. The preface of the Ascension is sung but not the proper communicantes in the Canon. Vespers are of the Sunday, the psalms sung under one antiphon - as on other Sundays after Pascha - there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal.

The fourth week of May

Fifth Sunday after Pascha

The fifth Sunday after Pascha is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The Gospel pericopes from St. John describe how the LORD tells His disciples to ask for anything in His name after He has ascended to the Father. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week are the Rogation Days of the Lesser Litanies before the feast of the LORD's Ascension on Thursday.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Saturday were sung under the single antiphon Alleluia. The Office hymn was Ad regias Agni dapes. After the collect of the Sunday the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross was sung. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Paschal Doxology and the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Surrexit Dominus vere, Alleluia and the Office hymn is Rex sempiterne Caelitum. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the first Epistle of St. Peter. In the second nocturn the lessons are from the writing of St. Ambrose on faith in the Resurrection and in the third nocturn the lessons are a homily of St. Augustine on St. John's Gospel on the LORD's words "Amen, amen, I say to you: if you ask the Father anything in my name, he will give it to you." The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aurora. After the collect of the Sunday the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is sung.

At the Hours the hymns are sung with the Paschal Doxology. At Prime the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is Concede nos, the third collect Ecclesiae etc. The Creed is sung and the preface is of Paschaltide.

At Vespers the Dominical psalms are sung under the single antiphon Alleluia. The Office hymn is Ad regias Agni dapes. After the collect of the Sunday the Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is sung. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Paschal Doxology and the Dominical preces are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Paschal Doxology is not sung at Compline or at the Little Hours. The Dominical preces have been abolished. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross has been abolished. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn. At Mass there is but a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

The third week of May

Fourth Sunday after Pascha

The fourth Sunday after Pascha is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour 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 the psalms of Saturday were sung under the single antiphon, Alleluia. The Office hymn was Ad regias Agni dapes. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was of St. John Baptist de La Salle. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross was omitted due to the double feast. 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 the Incipit of the Epistle of St. James. 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 (92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148) 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. John Baptist de La Salle. 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. John Baptist de La Salle. Today there is no third collect. The Creed is sung and the preface is of Paschaltide.

At Vespers the Dominical psalms (109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) are sung under the single antiphon, Alleluia. The Office hymn is Ad regias Agni dapes. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Ubald and of St. John Baptist de La Salle. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is omitted due to the occurring double feasts and the Dominical preces are omitted at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at Vespers. 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.

Art: Jerome Nadal

The second week of May

Third Sunday after Pascha - Sunday within the Octave of the Solemnity of St. Joseph

The third Sunday after Pascha is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The Gospel pericopes from St. John's Gospel have the LORD telling the Disciples that in a little while He will be going to the Father. It is also the Sunday within the Octave of the Solemnity of St. Joseph. Prior to the reform of 1911-13 this feast was celebrated on the third Sunday after Pascha but was subsequently moved to the third Wednesday after Easter. Privileged Votive Masses of the Solemnity of St. Joseph may be celebrated as noted below.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Saturday were sung under the single antiphon, Alleluia. The chapter, Carissimi: Obsecro vos etc, was proper to the Sunday and the Office hymn was Ad regias Agni dapes. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Stanislaus, of the Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel and of the Octave of the Solemnity of St. Joseph. The Paschal Suffrage of the Cross was omitted due to the Octave and double feasts. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Paschal Doxology and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is the great proclamation of the Resurrection, Surrexit Dominus vere, Alleluia. The Office hymn is Rex sempiterne Caelitum. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the book of the Apocalypse of St. John. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from a sermon of St. Augustine and in the third nocturn St. Augustine also provides the homily on St. John's Gospel. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aurora caelum purpurat. After the collect of the Sunday, commemorations are sung of St Michael the Archangel and of the Octave of St. Joseph. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is omitted.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns have the Paschal Doxology. At Prime the Dominical preces are omitted due to the Octave and double feast.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Michael the Archangel, the third collect is of the Octave of St. Joseph. The Creed is sung, the Paschaltide preface is sung and the last Gospel is of St. Michael the Archangel.

Masses other than Conventual Masses may all be of the Solemnity of St. Joseph. The Mass Adjutor is sung, as on the feast. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the Creed is sung. The preface is of St. Joseph and the last Gospel is of the Sunday. The liturgical colour is white.

At Vespers the Dominical psalms, 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113 are sung under the single antiphon, Alleluia. The Office hymn is Ad regias Agni dapes. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Gregory Nazianzen, of St. Michael the Archangel and of the Octave of St. Joseph. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is omitted due to the double feasts and Octave. At Compline the Domincal preces are also omitted due to the Octave.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast of the Solemnity of St. Joseph and its Octave have been abolished with the execrable 'Joe the Worker' day replacing it on May 1st. There were no commemorations at Vespers. At Compline and at the Hours Te lucis is sung with the ordinary Doxology. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is a single collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Solemnity of St. Joseph

The feast of the Solemnity of St. Joseph Spouse of the Blessed Virgin and Patron of the Universal Church is a Double of the First class with an Octave. It is the primary feast of St. Joseph (c.f. 19th March) although is now a feast that is largely forgotten or even sadly unknown after the liturgical changes of the last century. The feast was introduced into the Universal Kalendar by Pius IX in 1847 originally as the 'Patronage of St. Joseph' as a Double of the Second Class to be celebrated on the third Sunday after Easter. In 1870 the feast had 'Patron of the Church' added to its title. In 1911 the feast was renamed the Solemnity of St. Joseph and became a primary Double of the First Class. In 1913 the celebration was moved to the Wednesday after the second Sunday after Easter with an Octave. Although relatively modern the feast is a fine example of typology with the Patriarch Joseph being used as an OT 'type' of the foster-father of the LORD. The feast of St. Monica is commemorated in the Office and Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Jacob autem etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The chapter was proper and the Office hymn was Te Joseph celebrent agmina Caelitum. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the preceding feast of the Invention of the Holy Cross. At Compline the Dominical psalms were sung and Te lucis was sung with the Paschal Doxology.

The Office is proper. At Mattins the invitatory is Laudemus Deum nostrum In veneratione beati Joseph, protectoris nostri, alleluia and the Office hymn is, again, Te Joseph. The antiphons of the nocturns are proper and, as at Vespers, rather beautiful:

I. Angelus Domini apparuit in somnis Joseph, dicens: Surge, et accipe Puerum et Matrem ejus, et fuge in Ægyptum; et esto ibi, usque dum dicam tibi, alleluia.

II. Angelus Domini apparuit in somnis Joseph, dicens: Surge, et accipe Puerum et Matrem ejus, et vade in terram Israel; defunct sunt enim qui quaerebant animam Pueri, alleluia.

III. Consurgens Joseph, accepit Puerum et Matrem ejus, et venit in terram Israel; et habitavit in civitate, quae vocatur Nazareth, alleluia.

In the first nocturn the lessons are from the book of Genesis and are extended in comparison to those for St. Joseph's 19th March feast. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon on St. Joseph by St. Bernardine of Siena and in the third nocturn the homily is from St. Augustine on the Gospel fragment from St. Luke. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons from Vespers are sung with the Sunday psalms (92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148). The Office hymn is Caelitum Joseph decus. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of St. Monica.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns are sung with the Paschaltide Doxology. At Prime the festal psalms (53, 118i & 118ii) are sung under the first antiphon of Lauds and the lectio brevis is Fílius accréscens Joseph.

Mass is sung after Terce and is proper, with the introit Adjutor. The Gloria is sung. (In private Masses the second collect is of St. Monica). The Creed is sung and the preface is that of St. Joseph.

At second Vespers the antiphons, psalms and hymn are those that were sung yesterday at first Vespers. The Office hymn is Te Joseph. The versicle and its respond along with the antiphon on the Magnificat are proper to second Vespers. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the following Office of St. Pius V. At Compline the Dominical psalms are sung.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Solemnity of St. Joseph simply does not exist as this beautiful feast was suppressed in 1956 to be replaced by the appalling 'San Giuseppe Comunista'. The 19th March returned to being the primary feast of St. Joseph.  The vast majority of 'traditionalists', who vociferously support the 'liturgical books of 1962', are completely and blissfully ignorant of the existence of the Solemnity of St. Joseph yet alone its abolition. A few who are aware of it substitute the Office of the feast for the execrable Joe the Worker travesty of May 1st. Whilst the Benedictine Order had the choice of adopting either the Worker feast or keeping the former Solemnity of St. Joseph on May 1st on a congregation by congregation basis (as they did with the next texts of the Assumption) I am unaware of this exemption pertaining to anyone else.

The first week of May

SS Philip and James Apostles

The feast of the Holy Apostles SS Philip and James is a Double of the Second Class and its liturgical colour is red. In Western rites SS Philip and James have been honoured together as the relics of both Apostles were jointly placed in the confessio of the Church of the Apostles in Rome at its consecration in the sixth century. The anniversary of this, the church's dedication in 560, is May 1st and so the feast of two Apostles has graced this day in Western Kalendars for nearly 1500 years. St. Philip, tradition tells us, was from Bethsaida. He was crucified at Hierapolis in Phrygia. St. James the Less was from Cana and was the first bishop of Jerusalem. St. Paul says (Galatians 1:19) 'I did not see any apostle except James the brother of the Lord'. St. James was cast from the pediment of the Temple on the orders of the Jewish High Priest and then clubbed to death. The second Sunday after Pascha is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.

The above photograph, taken by the writer whilst on a research trip to Rome three decades ago, shows the tomb of the Holy Apostles Saints Philip and James in the confessio of the Church. Far better photographs can be found on the Orbis Catholicus Secundus blog where the two photographs below can be found with others.

At first Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons proper to the feast, Domine, ostende nobis Patrem etc, were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The chapter was Stabant justi and the Office hymn was Tristes erant Apostoli. The antiphon on the Magnificat, Non turbetur etc., and collect were both proper to the feast. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Catherine of Siena and of the second Sunday after Pascha.  At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Paschaltide Doxology and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Apostolorum Dominum Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is again Tristes erant Apostoli. In the first nocturn the antiphons Stabunt justi etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 18, 33 & 44. The lessons are the Incipit of letter of St. James taken from the fourth Sunday after Easter. These lessons are followed by the responsories from the Common. In the second nocturn the antiphons Ecce etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 46, 60 & 63 and the lessons are proper to the feast. In the third nocturn the antiphons Lux perpetua etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 74, 96 & 98. The Gospel fragment is from St. John and the pericope contains the passage where the LORD tells St. Philip that if he wishes to see the Father to see Him and that in the Father's house there are many mansions. The homily is from St. Augustine. Today the ninth lesson is the homily of the Sunday. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Domine ostende nobis Patrem etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148. The Office hymn is Paschale mundo gaudium and is sung with the Paschal Doxology. At the Hours the antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual sequence. The Office hymns have the Paschal Doxology and the festal psalms are sung at the Hours. At Prime the lectio brevis is Scimus quoniam.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass is proper, Exclamaverunt etc. After the collect of the feast the second collect is of the Sunday. The Gloria is sung, the Creed is sung, the preface is of the Apostles and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At second Vespers the antiphons Domine ostende nobis Patrem are again sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn is Tristes erant Apostoli. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Athanasius and of the Sunday. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Paschaltide Doxology and the Dominical preces are omitted.

The 'liturgical books of 1962' plummet to yet another low point today with the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. The ancient feast of SS Philip and James has been cast aside until May 11th, the first 'free' liturgical day, expelled from its traditional place in the Kalendar of May 1st by this repugnant accretion to the Calendar. The Sunday is commemorated at both Vespers, Lauds and Mass. There is no ninth lesson of the Sunday. The hymns of the Hours do not have the Paschaltide Doxology. At Prime the lectio brevis is of the season. At Mass there is no last Gospel of the Sunday.

Papa Pacelli's Commission for General Liturgical Reform had discussed making May 1st a Marian feast but settled on S. Giuseppe Artigiano (c.f. minutes of meeting 45; 19 Oct 1954 and 59; 17 Jan 1956 in Giampietro, N., 'Il Card. Ferdinado Antonelli e gli sviluppi della riforma liturgica dal 1948 al 1970', Studia Anselmiana, Rome, 1998). Clearly feasts of antiquity were not considered particularly sacred - but then neither was anything else - so from 1956 the beautiful, albeit relatively modern, feast of the Solemnity of St. Joseph - celebrated on Wednesday of this week - and its Octave were abolished.  The irony is that the feast of 'San Giuseppe Comunista' introduced as a Double of the First Class, becoming First Class in the 1960 Calendar revision - the highest rank of feast, lasted less than fifteen years before plummeting to an 'optional memoria' in the 1969 Calendar revision.

 
Considering the liturgical climate of the 1940s and 1950s the feast reflected the general ethos of the reformers. An account of a 'workers' Mass' of the period is a prime example of that ethos:

"Permittente Summo Pastore: a case of a bishop's Mass so celebrated in this 'French' manner with express papal permission is provided by the cathedral of Castres, during November, 1944. Our eyewitness account implies that such an experiment was tried in many places. The account is lengthy, but of special interest: It was ten o'clock at night. The cathedral was already full of people, and the crowd overflowed into the street. The whole congregation was composed of workers brought there by their fellow workers. A stage, erected on a level with the Communion rail, extended some distance down the main aisle of the church. As in the Middle Ages our sanctuaries were used for the presentation of religious plays, so tonight a great mystery was to be enacted in front of the altar. All the actors were workers, wearing their work clothes. They moved forward into the glare of the spotlights. The drama began, concerning itself first with the shame of conquered France, its sufferings during the exodus which drove millions of its homeless people into the south, the misery of its prisoners held in Germany for five years, the horror of the bombardments. There, for two hours, the ordeals of a suffering people unfolded before the congregation. The organ music changed into a joyful melody when two carpenters brought to the stage a carpenters' workbench. Next, weavers appeared, placing on this improvised altar three white linen cloths which they had themselves woven. Two miners took their places on either side of the altar, with their lighted lamps like tapers, linking the world of labor with the worship of God. Lastly, came a printer, with a Missal he had printed especially for this occasion. Then Msgr. Moussaron, Archbishop of Albi, entered, garbed in his purple cassock. In full view of the congregation he was robed in his vestments while a priest explained their meaning. When midnight struck, the archbishop proceeded to the temporary altar and, facing the congregation, began the celebration of the Mass. By special dispensation of the pope, this Mass, except for the Canon, was said in French. The effect on the congregation was instant and profound. For many it was as if they were hearing Mass for the first time."

Ellard, G., 'The Mass of the Future', 1948, p.155

Art: Melkite Church in Australia