The Holy Name of Jesus & The Vigil of the Epiphany

The feast of the Holy Name of Jesus and is a Double of the Second Class and its liturgical colour is white. The Vigil of the Epiphany is commemorated in the Office and at Mass. 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. 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 the feast was moved to the Sunday between the Circumcision and Epiphany or kept on January 2nd if no such Sunday occurrs. In the Sarum Rite the feast was kept on August 7th - that date still appears in the Calendar of the Book of Common Prayer.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the, proper, antiphons Omnis qui invocaverit etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 and 115. The Office hymn was Jesu, dulcis memoria. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Vigil of the Epiphany. 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 ninth lesson is of the Vigil of the Epiphany. 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 commemorations are sung of the Vigil of the Epiphany and of St. Telesphorus.

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, 118(i) & 118(ii), the short lesson is proper, Omne quodcumque.

The Mass is proper, In nomine Jesu. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Vigil of the Epiphany, (in private Masses the third collect is of St. Telesphorus). The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Nativity and the last Gospel is of the Vigil of the Epiphany.

After None first Vespers of the great feast of the Epiphany are sung. The antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn is Crudelis Herodes. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Holy Name. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology Jesu, tibi sit gloria, Qui apparuisti Gentibus etc.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Vigil of the Epiphany has been abolished. The hymns at the Little Hours do not have their Doxologies changed. At the Hours the antiphons are from the Sunday Office, not the feast (at Prime Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii and the short lesson is from the season, Ipsi peribunt). At Vespers there is no commemoration of the feast of the Holy Name. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the ordinary Doxology.

Art: Jastrow, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons