IV Sunday after Pentecost

The fourth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, from Mattins this year, is green. This year it is the Sunday within the Octave of SS Peter & Paul. As the Octave is ancient it has proper texts for days within the Octave and for its Octave Day.

Yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of the Visitation of the BVM were sung. The antiphons Exsurgens Maria etc were sung, doubled, with the psalms from the Common of the BVM, Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn was Ave, maris stella. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the Sunday and of St. Leo II. The Suffrage was omitted. 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 Dominum qui fecit nos and the 'summer' Office hymn is Nocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons are taken from the First Book of Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon of St. Augustine and in the third nocturn the homily is from St. Ambrose on the Gospel account from St. Luke on the huge catch of fish at the lake of Genesareth. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of St. Leo II and of the Octave of SS Peter & Paul. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Leo II, the third collect is of the Octave of SS Peter & Paul. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Blessed Trinity and the last Gospel is Ecce nos reliquimus omnia (proper to the days within the Octave of SS Peter & Paul).

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. In the US the External Solemnity of SS Peter & Paul is celebrated in a similar manner.

At Vespers (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following day within the Octave of SS Peter & Paul and of St. Leo II. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Octave of SS Peter & Paul has been abolished. At Vespers there was a commemoration of the Sunday only. At Compline Te luciswas 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 and the last Gospel is In principio. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal