The first week of February

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. Peter Nolasco and of St. Francis de Sales. 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 sung of St. Francis de Sales. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Francis de Sales. Today there is no third collect. 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. Martina and of St. Francis de Sales. 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 are no commemorations. At Mass there is but a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

The fourth week of January

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 St. Agnes and of SS Vincent & Anastasius. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

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 a commemoration is sung of St. Vincent & Anastasius 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 SS Vincent & Anastasius, the third collect is of Deus, qui salutis. 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 Office of St St. Raymund of Penafort, of SS Vincent & Anastasius and of St. Emerentiana followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

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. Quicumque is said only once a year. At Mass there is but a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

The third week of January

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. Hiliary, St Paul the first Hermit and of St. Maurus. 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. The Te Deum is sung. 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 commemorations are sung of St.Paul the first Hermit and of St. Maurus. The Suffrage is omitted.

At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Paul the first Hermit, the third collect is of St. Maurus. 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 commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Marcellus and of St. Paul the first Hermit. 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 at Lauds. At Mass there is a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

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 7th January, Videntes stellam Magi 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 8th January, Tria sunt munera 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 8th January, Lux de luce 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 Circumcision of the LORD

The feast of the Circumcision of the LORD and Octave Day of the Nativity is a Double of the Second Class and its liturgical colour is white.

At first Vespers yesterday afternoon the proper antiphons O admirabile commercium etc were sung, doubled, with the psalms for feasts of the BVM (Pss.109, 112, 121, 126 & 147). The Office hymn was Jesu, Redemptor omnium (as on the feast of the Nativity). The Doxology, which has been sung since first Vespers of the Nativity ,Jesu, tibi sit gloria etc continues to be sung until the Epiphany.

At Mattins the invitatory is Christus natus es nobis, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Jesu, Redemptor omnium. In the first nocturn the antiphons Dominus dixit ad me etc, are sung, doubled, with psalms 2, 18 & 23. The lessons continue to be read from the Epistle to the Romans. Prior to the 1911-13 reform today chapter 3 and 4 of that letter formed the first nocturn lessons with the first verse 'What advantage then hath the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? and all of St. Paul's discourse on circumcision and the Gentiles. After that reform the readings from Romans started a day earlier, on the feast of St. Thomas of Canterbury with the result that the first part of chapter three is omitted and no longer formed the 'appropriated' first lesson for today. In the second nocturn the antiphons Speciosus forma etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 44, 86 & 95. The lessons are from St. Leo's seventh sermon on the Nativity of the LORD. In the third nocturn the antiphons In principio etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 96, 97 & 98 and the homily is from the writings of St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the same antiphons as at Vespers, O admirabile commercium etc, are sung, doubled, with the Dominical psalms. The Office hymn is as on the feast of the Nativity, A solis ortus cardine.

At the Hours, as usual, the antiphons from Lauds are used in sequence. The Doxology in honour of the Incarnation is sung with all the hymns. At Prime the antiphon O admirabile commercium is sung with the festal psalms (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii). In the short responsory the versicle Qui natus es is sung, as it has been from the feast of the Nativity and will be sung until the Vigil of the Epiphany inclusive. The lectio brevis is Ipsi peribunt. The chapters at the Hours of Sext and None are the same as those sung on the feast of the Nativity.

At Mass, sung after Terce, the composite nature of the day is apparent: the introit Puer natus, epistle, gradual, offertory and communion chant are of the Nativity; the orations are of the BVM and the Gospel of the Circumcision. The Gloria and Credo are sung and the preface and communicantes are of the Nativity.

At Second Vespers the antiphons O admirabile commercium are again sung, doubled, with the same psalms as at first Vespers (Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147). The versicle and its respond and the antiphon on the Magnificat are proper to Second Vespers of the feast.

In 'the liturgical books of 1962' there are relatively few, textual, differences in the liturgy today. The name Circumcision has been excised and the day is renamed simply Octave Day of the Nativity and raised to first class rank. At the Little Hours the antiphons are doubled and the Doxology is ordinary.