Seven Dolours of the BVM

The feast of the Seven Dolours, or sometimes termed the Seven Sorrows, of the BVM is a Double of the Second Class. The seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost, and, this year the third Sunday of September, is commemorated in the Office and at Mass. The liturgical colour of the feast is white.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons, Quo abiit etc, proper to the feast, were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147.  The Office hymn was Jam toto subitus. The antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were both proper to the feast.  After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the preceding feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Ne reminiscaris for the Saturday before the third Sunday of September). At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology Jesu, tibi sit gloria, Qui passus es pro servulis etc and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is proper, Stemus juxta Crucem etc. The hymn is O quot undis lacrimarum. In the first nocturn the antiphons Multiplicati sunt etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 3, 10 & 30. The lessons are from the prophet Jeremiah. In the second nocturn the antiphons Factum est cor meum etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 21, 55 & 41. The lessons are from a sermon of St. Bernared. In the third nocturn the antiphons Intenderunt etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 63, 6 & 45. The homily on St. John's Gospel is from the writings of St. Ambrose. The ninth lesson is of the Sunday from a homily of St. Chrysostom on St. Matthew’s Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons Quo abiit etc, are sung, doubled, with the Dominical psalms. The Office hymn at Lauds is Summae Deus clementiae. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Nicomedes.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns are sung to the proper tone of the Doxology Jesu tibi sit gloria, Qui passus es pro servulis etc. At Prime and the Hours the antiphons Quo abiit etc are sung with the festal psalms (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii). In the short responsory the verse Qui passus es propter nostram salutem is sung and the lectio brevis is proper to the feast Deduc quasi etc.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. In said Masses the third collect is of St. Nicomedes. After the Gradual and Alleluia Stabat Mater is sung as a sequence. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the BVM with the clause Et te in Transfixione and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers all is sung as at first Vespers except the antiphon on the Magnificat, Opressit me dolor etc, which is proper to second Vespers. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the following Office of SS Cornelius and Cyprian and of the Sunday. At Compline Te lucis is sung to the tone of the proper Doxology and the Dominical preces are, again, omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' Vespers yesterday afternoon were of the Exaltation of the Cross without any commemorations. The Office of the Seven Dolours does not outrank the Sunday so the colour of the Office, from Mattins, is green. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds a commemoration is sung of the Seven Sorrows but St. Nicomedes is forgotten. At Prime the Domincal psalms are sung. At the Hours the hymns have the ordinary tone and Doxology. In said Masses a commemoration is made of the Seven Dolours. At Vespers there are no commemorations.