Sexagesima Sunday

Sexagesima Sunday is a semi-double Sunday of the second class and its liturgical colour is violet. The Sunday is characterised by a very lengthy Epistle from St. Paul's Latter Epistle to the Corinthians. The Gospel pericopes are from St. Luke and contain the parable of the sower with his seed landing on rock, amongst weeds and on the good ground.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The chapter was proper to the Sunday, Fratres: Libenter suffertis, and the Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Romuald and of St. John of Matha. The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Praeoccupemus and the Office hymn is Primo die. The antiphons and psalms are from the Psalter for Sundays. In the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from Genesis (Ch. 5 & 6) with the beginning of the story of Noah. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Ambrose on Noah and the Ark and in the third nocturn the lessons are a homily from St. Gregory on the Gospel of the seed falling on good and poor ground. A ninth responsory, Cum turba plurima, is sung in place of the Te Deum.

At Lauds the 'second scheme' of psalms is sung: Pss 50, 117, 62, Canticle of the Three Children (Benedictus es) and 148. The antiphons at Lauds are proper for Sexagesima Sunday, Secundum magnam misericordiam etc as are the chapter and antiphon on the Benedictus. The Office hymn is Aeterne.  After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. John of Matha. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

At the Hours the antiphons, Semen cecidit etc, and chapters are proper to Sexagesima Sunday. At Prime, Pss. 92, 99 (displaced at Lauds) 118(i) & 118(ii), the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is omitted, the second collect is of St. John of Matha. Today there is no third collect. A Tract is sung after the Gradual, the Creed is sung, the Preface is of the Trinity and Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal by the deacon facing the altar.

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 Office of St. Cyril of Alexandria, of St. John of Matha and of St. Apollonia. The Suffrage 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 Prime the arrangement of psalmody is festal, Pss. 53, 118(i), 118(ii). At Mass there is single collect and Benedicamus Domino is suppressed in favour of Ite, missa est.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Septuagesima Sunday

Septuagesima is a semi-double Sunday of the second class and its liturgical colour, until None this year, is violet. Only a feast that is a Double of the First Class may take precedence, in occurence, over it, or the following two Sundays.

Yesterday the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany was anticipated. Yesterday afternoon the liturgical mood became more sombre as the liturgical colour of the season changed to penitential violet. Although more sombre than the season after the Epiphany the short season of Septuagesima is not as penitential as Lent. At Mass the ministers do not wear folded chasubles but dalmatic and tunicle for these three Sundays and for their ferial days. The organ is still played until Ash Wednesday and the appearance of folded chasubles. However, from Septuagesima until Holy Saturday. the dress of some prelates changed. Cardinals of the Court of Rome exchanged their scarlet choir dress for that of violet. Correspondingly bishops did not wear violet choir dress but their black, or mourning dress. Protonotaries Apostolic and Domestic Prelates do not change their choir dress (except sede vacante).

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The chapter was proper to Septuagesima Sunday and the Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of St. Ignatius of Antioch and of St. John Bosco. (No commemoration is made of an anticipated Sunday). The Suffrage of the Saints was omitted. At the end of Vespers a double Alleluia was added to both Benedicamus Domino and to its response. After that Alleluia will not be heard again until the Vesperal Liturgy of Holy Saturday. At Compline after the Lesser Doxology, and at all Hours until Compline on Holy Saturday, Laus tibi Domine Rex aeterne gloriae is sung in place of Alleluia. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Praeoccupemus and the Office hymn is Primo die. The antiphons and psalms are as on previous 'green' Sundays. In the first nocturn the Incipit of the Book of Genesis is read. In the second nocturn the lessons are from the Enchiridion of St. Augustine, in the third nocturn the lessons are a homily from St. Gregory on the Gospel of the labourers in the vineyard. The Te Deum is omitted but in its place is sung a ninth responsory, Ubi est Abel frater tuus?

At Lauds the 'second scheme' of psalms is sung: Pss 50, 117, 62, Canticle of the Three Children (Benedictus es) and 148. The antiphons at Lauds are proper to the Sunday as are the versicle after the Office hymn Aeterne, chapter, antiphon at the Benedictus and collect. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Ignatius is sung. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

At the Hours the antiphons and chapters are proper. At Prime the order of psalmody is changed and four psalms are sung, Pss. 92, 99 (displaced from Lauds) and Ps. 118(i) & Ps. 118(ii). Quicumque is omitted as are the Dominical preces of .

At Mass the Gloria is omitted. The ministers wear violet dalmatic and tunicle. The second collect is of St. Ignatius. A Tract replaces the Alleluia after the Gradual, the Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed 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 of the feast of the Purification of the BVM are sung. The antiphons used on the feast of the Circumcision, O admirabile commercium etc, are sung again, doubled, with the psalms of feasts for the Blessed Virgin, Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The chapter is proper to the feast and the Office hymn is Ave, maris stella. The antiphon on the Magnificat is proper to the feast Senex Puerum portabat. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Ignatius. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the tone and Doxology of the Incarnation Jesu, tibi sit gloria etc. The Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' anticipated Sundays have been abolished. At Vespers yesterday there were no commemorations. Mattins is reduced to a single nocturn of three lesson. At Lauds there are no commemorations At Prime the arrangement of psalms is truly bizarre with the festal arrangment, Pss. 53, 118(i), 118(ii). At Mass there is but a single collect and Benedicamus Domino is suppressed in favour of Ite, missa est. Vespers are of the Sunday without any commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal