Second Sunday of Advent

The second Sunday of Advent is a semi-double Sunday of the second class and its liturgical colour, until Vespers this year, is violet. The Gospel pericopes, from St. Matthew, tell of St. John the Baptist in prison sending two of his followers to meet the LORD. The Vigil of the Immaculate Conception was anticipated yesterday.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Ecce in nubibus caeli etc were sung, not-doubled, with the psalms of Saturday. The Office hymn was Creator alme siderum. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Nicholas and of St. Ambrose. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem venturum and the Office hymn is Verbum supernum. In the first nocturn the antiphons Veniet ecce Rex etc are sung with the usual psalms for Sunday. The lessons are a continuation of Isaiah and today contain the beautiful symbolism of the Rod of Jesse. In the second nocturn the antiphons Gaude et laetare etc are sung and the them of the Rod of Jesse is continued as the lessons are taken from St. Jerome's Expositon on Isaias the Prophet. In the third nocturn the antiphons Gabriel Angelus etc are sung and the homily is from St. Gregory. The Te Deum is omitted and in its place a ninth responsory, Ecce Dominus veniet, is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons, Ecce in nubibus caeli etc are sung, not doubled, with the Dominical psalms. The Office hymn is En clara vox. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Ambrose. At Prime the versicle in the responsory is Qui venturus es in mundum. The Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce, the deacon and subdeacon wear violet folded chasubles. The Gloria is not sung. The second collect is of St. Ambrose, today there is no third collect in the Universal Calendar. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Trinity. Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal by the deacon facing the altar.

After None there is a colour change to white and first Vespers are sung of the Immaculate Conception of the BVM. The antiphons Tota pulchra etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn is Ave maris stella. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology Jesu tibi sit gloria and to the melody proper to the Incarnation.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Vigil of the Immaculate Conception has been abolished. There are no commemorations at Vespers. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle, there is only one collect and the dismissal is Ite, missa est. Vespers are of the Sunday with a commemoration of the Immaculate Conception.

Art: Jerome Nadal