First Sunday of Advent

The first Sunday of Advent is a semi-double Sunday of the first class and its liturgical colour, until Vespers this year, is violet. As with all the Sundays in Lent no feast may displace this Sunday in occurrence, hence the feast of St. Andrew is transferred to Monday, although the Vigil of the feast was observed on Saturday. The liturgy of Advent is probably the most exquisite of the entire liturgical year with layers of meaning for both the first and second Comings of the LORD. There is a weave of both expectant joy and penance to be found throughout the liturgical texts. The eschatalogical theme of last Sunday's Gospel continues with St. Luke's Gospel today and the Coming of the Divine Judge. During Advent bishops of the Roman rite exchanged their violet choir cassocks for black ones (with train) which are worn with either a black mozzeta or black mattelletum with violet linings. Cardinals of the Court of Rome wore their 'winter' violet merino apparel (in contrast to their summer mourning dress of violet watered-silk) in place of their scarlet watered-silk. Vespers on Saturday before Advent Sunday mark the beginning of the Pars Hiemalis, or Winter volume. of the Breviary.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons In illa die etc, from Sunday's Lauds, were sung, not doubled, with the psalms of Saturday. The Office hymn was Creator alme siderum. The Suffrage was omitted and is omitted for the entirety of Advent. From this Vespers, until the end of None on the Vigil of the Nativity of the LORD, Alma Redemptoris is sung with the versicle Angelus etc and the collect Gratiam etc. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem venturum and this is sung in both the Dominical and ferial Offices of Advent until the third Sunday. The Office hymn is Verbum supernum. In the first nocturn the antiphons Veniet ecce Rex etc are sung, not doubled, with the usual psalms for Sunday. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the prophet Isaiah. In the second nocturn the antiphons Gaude et laetare etc are sung and the lessons are taken from the writing of St. Leo on the fast of the tenth month, the theme of which is preparing for the Coming. In the third nocturn the antiphons Gabriel Angelus etc are sung and the homily is from St. Gregory continuing the theme of Coming with his commentary on St. Luke's Gospel about the end times. A ninth responsory is sung and the Te Deum is omitted in the Office of Advent. At Lauds the antiphons proper to the first Sunday In illa die etc, are sung, not doubled, with the Dominical psalms. The Office hymn is En clara vox.

At Prime the first antiphon from Lauds, In illa die, is sung, not doubled, with Pss. 117, 118(i) & 118(ii). In the short responsory the versicle Qui venturus es in mundum replaces Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris for all of Advent except when an occurring feast has a proper versicle. The Dominical preces are sung. At the other Hours the remaining antiphons of Lauds are sung in the usual order.

Mass is sung after Terce. During Advent for both ferial and Dominical Masses in the Roman rite, with the exception of the third Sunday Gaudete, the deacon and sub-deacon do not wear the dalmatic and tunicle but violet folded chasubles, an ancient feature of the Roman liturgy. The Gloria in not sung, the second collect is Deus, qui de beatae, the third collect Ecclesiae etc. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Blessed Trinity and the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino, sung by the deacon facing the altar.

After None there is a colour change to red and first Vespers of St. Andrew the Apostle are sung. The antiphons Salve, crux pretiosa, proper to the feast are sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn is Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Vigil of St. Andrew has been abolished. At Vespers the antiphons are doubled. The Dominical preces have been abolished. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Mass there is the novelty for the the Roman rite of the deacon wearing the dalmatic and the sub-deacon the tunicle in a penitential Mass of the season. Folded chasubles, so ancient and so quintessentially Roman, have been cast aside. There is but a single collect and the dismissal is Ite, missa est. Vespers are of the Sunday without any commemorations. The feast of St. Andrew, in the Universal Calendar, is omitted this year.

Art: Jerome Nadal

The fifth week of November

XXIV and last Sunday after Pentecost

Today is the twenty-fourth, and last, Sunday after Pentecost. The Sunday is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. It is also the fifth Sunday of November. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew's Gospel contain the prophetic words of the LORD concerning the last days and the coming of the Antichrist.

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 Super muros tuos for the Saturday before the fifth Sunday of November. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Cecilia, of St. Clement of Rome and of St. Felicitas. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum etc and the Office hymn is Primo die. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Prophet Micheas. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Basil on the thirty-third psalm. 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 Aeterne rerum Conditor. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of St. Clement and of St. Felicitas. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

At Prime, Pss. 117, 118(i) & 118(ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Clement, the third collect is of St. Felicitas. The Creed is sung and the preface of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday, Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. John of the Cross, of St. Clement and of St. Chrysogonus. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is but a single collect. br />
Art: Jerome Nadal Nadal's image of the Antichrist enthroned whilst the clergy and people give him false worship.

The fourth week of November

XXIII Sunday after Pentecost

The twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the fourth Sunday of November. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the passages where the LORD heals a woman with an issue of blood and raises Jairus' daughter from the dead.

As 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 Qui caelorum for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of November. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Albert the Great and of St. Gertrude. 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 is Primo die. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the Incipit of the book of the Prophet Osee. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Augustine's City of God. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Jerome on the ninth chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aeterne rerum Conditor. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Gertrude. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

At Prime, Pss. 117, 118(i) & 118(ii), both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Gertrude. The Creed is sung as is the preface of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday, Pss.109, 110, 111, 112 & 113, the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus and of St. Gertrude. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn and three lessons. There are no commemorations at Lauds. At Mass there is but a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal

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The third week of November

The Dedication of the Lateran Archbasilica

The feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Archbasilica is a Double of the Second Class and its liturgical colour is white. On November 9th, 324, St. Sylvester of Rome consecrated the basilica under the title of St. Saviour. This is believed to be the first public consecration of a church. The texts for the Office come from the Common of the Dedication of a Church except for some of the Mattins lessons. The twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost, and this year the third Sunday of November, is commemorated in both the Office and at Mass. The second Sunday of November and its week are omitted this year.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Domum tuam, Domine etc were sung, doubled, with Pss.109, 110, 111, 112 & 147. The Office hymn was Caelestis urbs Jerusalem. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the Octave Day of All Saints and of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Muro tuo for the Saturday before the third Sunday of November. The Suffrage was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Domum Dei decet sanctitudo, Sponsum ejus Christum adoremus in ea and the Office hymn is Caelestis urbs Jerusalem. In the first nocturn the antiphons Tollite portas etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 23, 45 & 47. The lessons are proper to the feast and are taken from the book of the Apocalypse of St. John with the responsories from the Common. In the second nocturn the antiphons Non est hic aliud etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 83, 86 & 87, the lessons are again proper to the feast. In the third nocturn the antiphons Qui habitat etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 90, 95 & 98. The homily is from St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel. The ninth lesson is of the Sunday and is a homily from St. Hiliary on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Domum tuam, Domine etc are sung, doubled, with Pss.92, 99, 62, Benedicite & 148. The chapter is Vidi civitatem sanctam etc and the Office hymn is Alto ex Olympi vertice. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Theodore. The Suffrage is omitted.

At the Hours the antiphons the antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual order. At Prime, Pss.53, 118(i) & 118ii), the Dominical preces are omitted and the lectio brevis is Et absterget Deus. Both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

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. Theodore. The Creed is sung the preface is of the Blessed Trinity and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers the antiphons Domum tuam, Domine etc are sung, doubled, with Pss 109, 110, 111, 112 & 147. The Office hymn is Caelestis urbs Jerusalem. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Andrew Avellino and of the Sunday. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast is considered to be a 'feast of the Lord' and takes precedence over the II class Sunday, gaining first Vespers. No commemoration of the Sunday, or of the abolished Octave Day, is made. At Mattins there is no ninth lesson of the Sunday. At Lauds a commemoration of St. Theodore is sung but not one of the Sunday. At Prime and the Hours the antiphons of Sunday, not of the feast, are sung. At Prime the lectio brevis is of the Season. At sung Mass there is a single collect, the last Gospel is In principio. At Vespers there are no commemorations. The second Sunday of November and its week are always omitted.

Image: Main facade by Alessandro Galilei

The Octave of All Saints

XXI Sunday after Pentecost - Sunday within the Octave of All Saints

The twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, from Mattins this year, is green. This year it is also the first Sunday of November and the Sunday within the Octave of All Saints. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the parable of the unjust and ungrateful servant who, forgiven his debts by the King, demands what is owed to him from others and shews complete ingratitude. All Soul's Day is tranferred to Monday.

Yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of All Saints were sung. The antiphons Vidi turbam magnam etc were sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. The Office hymn was Placare, Christe, servulis. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Vidi Dominum for the Saturday before the first Sunday of November). At Compline the Dominical psalms were sung and the Dominical preces are omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn is Primo die. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the Incipit of the book of Ezechiel. In the second nocturn the lessons are from an exposition of St. Gregory on Ezechiel. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Jerome on the eighteenth chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aeterne. After the collect of the Sunday, a commemoration is sung of the octave of All Saints. The Suffrage is omitted being within an Octave.

At Prime, Pss. 117, 118(i) & 118(ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave. Being a Sunday within an Octave there is no third collect. The Creed and the preface of the Blessed Trinity are sung.

Vespers are of the Sunday, Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113 and the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the Octave. After Benedicamus Domino and its response the verse Fidelium is omitted and the choir sits as the green of the Sunday is removed and is exchanged for the black of mourning. Vespers of the Dead are then sung in choir beginning with the antiphon Placebo Domino in regione vivorum. Psalms 114, 119, 120, 129 and 127 are sung, Requiem aeternametc is sung at the end of each psalm in place of Gloria Patri etc. After the psalms there is a versicle and response but no hymn. After the antiphon on the Magnificat the choir kneels for a Pater noster, some versicles and the collect. Following the 1911-13 reform Compline takes a special form, 'Compline of the Dead', with psalms 122, 141 and 142.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Octave of All Saints has been abolished. At Vespers there were no commemorations. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is but a single collect. At Vespers are of the Sunday there are no commemorations. Vespers of the Dead are sung in the afternoon of All Soul's Day.

Art: Jerome Nadal