Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is a privileged greater feria although only of simple rite. No feast can be celebrated on this day of whatever rank. The liturgical colour of the day is violet. In earlier times the rite which gives the day its name, the sprinkling of ash on the heads of penitents, was reserved to those public penitents who underwent a public and dramatic expulsion from the church building. Although no longer generally practiced echoes of the above can be found in today's Liturgy which contains a general imposition of Ashes on all of those who wish to receive them. The Liturgy is interesting too in that much remains of the Office of the Septuagesima season as originally Lent began with the Office of the first Sunday.

The third part of the Pontificale Romanum still contains the rite for the Expulsion of Public Penitents - De Expulsione Publice Poenitentium ab Ecclesia in feria Quarta Cinerum. In that rite, after Sext, when the bishop was to celebrate Mass this day, the bishop vested in pontificals as far as the dalmatic and then donned a violet cope. Public penitents assembled in sack-cloth in their bare feet and were given a penance for Lent and then were given ashes, which the bishop had blessed. Then followed a ceremony that included the Seven Penitential Psalms and Litany. It culminated in the penitents being led, physically, from the church and expelled. The Caermoniale Episcoporum alludes to the Expulsion of Penitents in churches where it is the custom, C.E. Lib II, Cap.18, 2.

The Expulsion of Penitents from a 1611 edition of the Pontificale Romanum from Google Books.

The Office of Ash Wednesday begins with Mattins. The invitatory is Deum magnum Dominum, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Rerum Creator optime both from the ferial Office per annum. The antiphons Speciosus forma etc are sung with the nine psalms/psalm divisi of a single nocturn from the ferial Office for Wednesdays. The second scheme of Mattins for Wednesday is used, wherein Psalm 49 is split into three divisi rather than the usual two. The lessons in the nocturn are from a homily of St. Augustine reflecting on the LORD's Sermon on the Mount from St. Matthew's Gospel. The responsories are taken from the third nocturn of Quinquagesima Sunday. At Lauds the second scheme of psalmody is used (Pss. 50, 64, 100, Canticle of Anna & 145. The antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are both proper to the day. After the antiphon on the Benedictus has been sung in full after the canticle the choir kneels and the ferial preces are sung. After the collect of the day a commemoration of St. Scholastica is sung. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted due to the occurring double feast.

At the Hours again the ferial antiphons and psalter are used. Prime has a fourth psalm displaced from Lauds by the Miserere, so the psalmody at Prime is Pss. 25, 51, 52 & 96. At Prime both the Dominical and ferial preces are sung kneeling, the chapter is the ferial Pacem et veritatem. At the other Hours the short set of ferial preces are chanted with the choir again kneeling.

The blessing of Ashes and Mass follows None. The celebrant vests in a violet cope while the deacon and subdeacon wear violet folded chasubles. The organ is silent following the general rule when folded chasubles are worn. The Ashes, made from burning of the preceding year's Palms, are blessed with four collects of blessing. The short conclusion of these prayers may indicate the blessing was separated by the Expusion of Penitents from the Mass which follows. The Ashes are imposed whilst two antiphons are chanted Immutemur habitu and Inter vestibulum. These are followed by the poignant responsory Emendemus in melius. The Mass that now immediately follows is proper. The Gloria is not sung. The second collect is of St. Scholastica. There is no third collect today. The preface of Lent is sung for the first time this year. The ferial tones are used for the orations, preface and Pater noster. The choir kneels for the Orations and from the Sanctus until Pax Domini. After the last collect the deacon sings Humiliate capita vestra Deo and the celebrant sings the Oratio super populum. The dismissal is Benedicamus Domino, sung by the deacon facing the celebrant and altar.

Vespers see a colour change to white with first Vespers of the feast of the Apparition of the BVM at Lourdes. The antiphons Candor est etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn is Ave maris stella. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the feria and of St. Scholastica. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation, Jesu tibi,..Qui natus etc and the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the ferial preces are sung at Lauds and Vespers only. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Prime there are three psalms 25, 51 & 52 and the chapter is the festal Regi saeculorum - bizzare! At Prime and the Hours the preces are omitted. Mass is sung after Terce. At the blessing of Ashes and Mass the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle. Judica me Deus etc is omitted from the beginning of Mass. There is only one collect. The extended kneeling is omitted with the choir rising at the conclusion of the Canon. The dismissal is Ite missa est. Vespers are of the feria without any commemorations.

Spy Wednesday

Wednesday in Holy Week, Spy Wednesday, is a privileged ferial day. Although of simple rite no feast may take precedence over it. A feast is either commemorated or transferred depending on its rank. The liturgical colour of the day is violet.

At Mattins the invitatory is Hodie etc and the Office hymm Pange, lingua, gloriosi. Mattins has a single nocturn. The lessons are taken from the book of Jeremy the Prophet, the responsories are proper. At the second scheme of Lauds the antiphons are proper, Libera me etc sung with psalms 50, 64, 100, Exsultavit cor meum and 145. The Office hymn is O sol salutis. After the antiphon on the Benedictus, Simon, dormis etc., has been repeated after the canticle the choir kneels and the ferial preces are sung followed by the, proper, collect of the day. These same antiphons, Libera me etc., are sung at the Hours. At Prime (Pss. 25, 51, 52 & 96 the chapter is the ferial Pacem et vertiatem. The ferial preces are also sung at each of the Hours, again the choir kneeling.

At Mass, sung after None, the deacon and subdeacon wear folded chasubles. The formula is proper to the day with the introit In nomine Jesu.  After the Kyrie the celebrant sings Oremus, the deacon sings Flectamus genua and the subdeacon responds Levate. A collect is sung followed by an OT lesson from Isaiah which, in turn, is followed by a gradual. After the gradual has been sung the collect of the day is sung, preceded, as usual, with Dominus vobiscum etc., followed by the second collect,  Ecclesiae. The Passion according to St. Luke is sung (Luke 22:1-71; 23: 1-53). The preface is of the Cross, there is an Oratio super populum and the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino sung by the deacon facing the celebrant and altar. Vespers follow Mass. The Office hymn is Vexilla regis sung for the penultimate time this Lent. After the antiphon on the Magnificat, Ancilla dixit etc., has been repeated the choir kneel and the preces feriales are sung. The collect, Respice, will become very familiar during the Triduum. At Compline, sung at the usual time, the Dominical preces are also sung kneeling. After Compline the Palms decorating the sanctuary etc are removed and candles of unbleached wax placed upon the altar for Tenebrae.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the day is I class.  At the Hours the ferial preces are omitted. At Prime (Pss. 25, 51, 52 the chapter is the festal Regi saeculorum. At Mass there is no additional  collect, the Passion is shortened to Luke 22: 39-71; 23:1-53 - the special Gospel portion being sung with the rest of the Passion without distinction, the dismissal is Ite, missa est and the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle. Vespers are sung in the afternoon and are sung without the ferial preces. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is a privileged greater feria although only of simple rite. No feast can be celebrated on this day of whatever rank. The liturgical colour of the day is violet. In earlier times the rite which gives the day its name, the sprinkling of ash on the heads of penitents, was reserved to those public penitents who underwent a public and dramatic expulsion from the church building. Although no longer generally practised echoes of the above can be found in today's Liturgy which contains a general imposition of Ashes on all of those who wish to receive them. The Liturgy is interesting too in that much remains of the Office of the Septuagesima season as originally Lent began with the Office of the first Sunday.

The third part of the Pontificale Romanum still contains the rite for the Expulsion of Public Penitents - De Expulsione Publice Poenitentium ab Ecclesia in feria Quarta Cinerum. In that rite, after Sext, when the bishop was to celebrate Mass this day, the bishop vested in pontificals as far as the dalmatic and then donned a violet cope. Public penitents assembled in sack-cloth in their bare feet and were given a penance for Lent and then were given ashes, which the bishop had blessed. Then followed a ceremony that included the Seven Penitential Psalms and Litany. It culminated in the penitents being led, physically, from the church and expelled. The Caermoniale Episcoporum alludes to the Expulsion of Penitents in churches where it is the custom, C.E. Lib II, Cap.18, 2.

The Expulsion of Penitents from a 1611 edition of the Pontificale Romanum from Google Books.

The Office of Ash Wednesday begins with Mattins. The invitatory is Deum magnum Dominum, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Rerum Creator optime both from the ferial Office per annum. The antiphons Speciosus forma etc are sung with the nine psalms/psalm divisi of a single nocturn from the ferial Office for Wednesdays. The second scheme of Mattins for Wednesday is used, wherein Psalm 49 is split into three divisi rather than the usual two. The lessons in the nocturn are from a homily of St. Augustine reflecting on the LORD's Sermon on the Mount from St. Matthew's Gospel. The responsories are taken from the third nocturn of Quinquagesima Sunday. At Lauds the second scheme of psalmody is used (Pss. 50, 64, 100, Canticle of Anna & 145. The antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are proper to the day. After the antiphon on the Benedictus has been sung in full after the canticle the choir kneels and the ferial preces are sung. After the collect of the day the Suffrage of the Saints is sung.

At the Hours again the ferial antiphons and psalter are used. Prime has a fourth psalm displaced from Lauds by the Miserere, so the psalmody at Prime is Pss. 25, 51, 52 & 96. At Prime both the Dominical and ferial preces are sung kneeling, the chapter is the ferial Pacem et veritatem. At the other Hours the short set of ferial preces are chanted with the choir again kneeling.

The blessing of Ashes and Mass follows None. The celebrant vests in a violet cope while the deacon and subdeacon wear violet folded chasubles. The organ is silent following the general rule when folded chasubles are worn. The Ashes, made from burning of the preceding year's Palms, are blessed with four collects of blessing. The short conclusion of these prayers may indicate the blessing was separated by the Expusion of Penitents from the Mass which follows. The Ashes are imposed whilst two antiphons are chanted Immutemur habitu and Inter vestibulum. These are followed by the poignant responsory Emendemus in melius. The Mass that now immediately follows is proper. The Gloria is not sung. The second collect is A cunctis, the third collect of Omnipotens. The preface of Lent is sung for the first time this year. The ferial tones are used for the orations, preface and Pater noster. The choir kneels for the Orations and from the Sanctus until Pax Domini. After the last collect the deacon sings Humiliate capita vestra Deo and the celebrant sings the Oratio super populum. The dismissal is Benedicamus Domino, sung by the deacon facing the celebrant and altar.

Vespers see a colour change to red as first Vespers of SS Perpetua and Felicity are sung. The antiphons and psalms are of Wednesday. The Office hymn is Fortem virili pectore. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of Ash Wednesday. The Suffrage is omitted being a double feast as are the Domincal preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the ferial preces are sung at Lauds and Vespers only. At Lauds there is no Suffrage of the Saints. At Prime there are three psalms 25, 51 & 52 and the chapter is the festal Regi saeculorum - bizzare! At Prime and the Hours the preces are omitted. Mass is sung after Terce. At the blessing of Ashes and Mass the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle. Judica me Deus etc is omitted from the beginning of Mass. There is only one collect. The extended kneeling is omitted with the choir rising at the conclusion of the Canon. The dismissal is Ite missa est. Vespers are of the feria without a commemoration of SS Perpetua and Felicity.

Wednesday in Holy Week

Wednesday in Holy Week, Spy Wednesday, is a privileged ferial day. Although of simple rite no feast may take precedence over them. A feast is either commemorated or transferred depending on its rank. The liturgical colour of the day is violet.

At Mattins the invitatory is Hodie etc and the Office hymm Pange, lingua, gloriosi. Mattins has one nocturn. The lessons are taken, as yesterday,  from the book of Jeremy the Prophet, the responsories are proper. At the second scheme of Lauds the antiphons are proper, Libera me etc sung with psalms 50, 64, 100, Exsultavit cor meum and 145. The Office hymn is O sol salutis. After the antiphon on the Benedictus, Simon, dormis etc., has been repeated after the canticle the choir kneels and the ferial preces are sung followed by the, proper, collect of the day. These same antiphons, Libera me etc., are sung at the Hours. At Prime (Pss. 25, 51, 52 & 96 the chapter is the ferial Pacem et vertiatem. The ferial preces are also sung at each of the Hours, again the choir kneeling. At Mass, sung after None, the deacon and subdeacon wear folded chasubles. The formula is proper to the day with the introit In nomine Jesu.  After the Kyrie the celebrant sings Oremus, the deacon sings Flectamus genua and the subdeacon responds Levate. A collect is sung followed by an OT lesson from Isaiah which, in turn, is followed by a gradual. After the gradual has been sung the collect of the day is sung, preceded, as usual, with Dominus vobiscum etc., followed by the second collect,  Ecclesiae. The Passion according to St. Luke is sung (Luke 22:1-71; 23: 1-53). The preface is of the Cross, there is an Oratio super populum and the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino sung by the deacon facing the celebrant and altar. Vespers follow Mass. The Office hymn is Vexilla regis. After the antiphon on the Magnificat, Ancilla dixit etc., has been repeated the choir kneel and the preces feriales are sung. The collect, Respice, will become very familiar during the Triduum. At Compline, sung at the usual time, the Dominical preces are also sung kneeling.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the day is I class.  At the Hours the ferial preces are omitted. At Prime (Pss. 25, 51, 52 the chapter is the festal Regi saeculorum. At Mass there is no additional  collect, the Passion is shortened to Luke 22: 39-71; 23:1-53 - the special Gospel portion being sung with the rest of the Passion without distinction, the dismissal is Ite, missa est and the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle. Vespers are sung in the afternoon and are sung without the ferial preces. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Tuesday in Holy Week

Tuesday in Holy Week, Fig Tuesday, is a privileged ferial day. Although of simple rite no feast may take precedence over them. A feast is either commemorated or transferred depending on its rank. The liturgical colour of the day is violet.

At Mattins the invitatory is Hodie etc and the Office hymm Pange, lingua, gloriosi. Mattins has one nocturn. The lessons are taken from the book of Jeremy the Prophet, the responsories are proper. At the second scheme of Lauds the antiphons are proper, Vidi, Domine etc sung with psalms 50, 42, 66, Ego dixi and 134. The Office hymn is O sol salutis. After the antiphon on the Benedictus, Ante diem festum etc., has been repeated after the canticle the choir kneels and the ferial preces are sung followed by the, proper, collect of the day. These same antiphons, Vide, Domine etc., are sung at the Hours. At Prime (Pss. 24i, 24ii, 24iii & 95 the chapter is the ferial Pacem et vertiatem. The ferial preces are also sung at each of the Hours, again the choir kneeling. At Mass, sung after None, the deacon and subdeacon wear folded chasubles. The formula is proper to the day with the introit Nos autem gloriari, the second collect is Ecclesiae. The Passion according to St. Mark is sung (Mark 14:1-72; 15: 1-46). The preface is of the Cross, there is an Oratio super populum and the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino sung by the deacon facing the celebrant and altar. Vespers follow Mass. The Office hymn is Vexilla regis. After the antiphon on the Magnificat, Potestatem habeo etc., has been repeated the choir kneel and the preces feriales are sung. At Compline, sung at the usual time, the Dominical preces are also sung kneeling.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the day is I class. At Lauds the ferial preces are omitted. At the Hours the ferial preces are also omitted. At Prime (Pss. 24i, 24ii, 24iii) the chapter is the festal Regi saeculorum. At Mass there is only a single collect, the Passion is shortened to Mark 14: 32-72; 15:1-46 - the special Gospel portion being sung with the rest of the Passion, the dismissal is Ite, missa est and the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle. Vespers are sung in the afternoon and are sung without the ferial preces. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Monday in Holy Week

Monday in Holy Week is a privileged ferial day as are tomorrow and Wednesday. Although of simple rite no feast may take precedence over them. A feast is either commemorated or transferred depending on its rank. So the feast of the Annunciation is transferred to April 8th this year. The liturgical colour of the day is violet.

At Mattins the invitatory is Hodie etc and the Office hymm Pange, lingua, gloriosi. Mattins has one nocturn. The lessons are taken from a homily of St. Augustine on St. John's Gospel account of the raising of Lazarus, the responsories are proper. At the second scheme of Lauds the antiphons are proper, Faciem meam etc sung with psalms 50, 5, 28, Confitebor tibi and 116. The Office hymn is O sol salutis. After the antiphon on the Benedictus, Clarifica me, Pater etc., has been repeated after the canticle the choir kneels and the ferial preces are sung followed by the, proper, collect of the day. These same antiphons, Faciem meam etc., are sung at the Hours. At Prime (Pss. 23, 18i, 18ii & 46the chapter is the ferial Pacem et vertiatem. The ferial preces are also sung at each of the Hours, again the choir kneeling. At Mass, sung after None, the deacon and subdeacon wear folded chasubles. The formula is proper to the day with the introit Judica, Domine, nocentes me, the second collect is Ecclesiae, the preface is of the Cross, there is an Oratio super populum and the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino sung by the deacon facing the celebrant and altar. Vespers follow Mass. The Office hymn is Vexilla regis. After the antiphon on the Magnificat, Non haberes etc., has been repeated the choir kneel and the preces feriales are sung. At Compline, sung at the usual time, the Dominical preces are also sung kneeling.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the day is I class. At Lauds the ferial preces are omitted. At the Hours the ferial preces are also omitted. At Prime (Pss. 23, 18i, 18ii) the chapter is Regi saeculorum. At Mass there is only a single collect, the dismissal is Ite, missa est and the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle. Vespers are sung in the afternoon and are sung without the ferial preces. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Feria Quarta Cinerum - Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is a privileged greater feria although only of simple rite. No feast can be celebrated on this day of whatever rank. The liturgical colour of the day is violet.

The third part of the Pontificale Romanum still contains the rite for the Expulsion of Public Penitents - De Expulsione Publice Poenitentium ab Ecclesia in feria Quarta Cinerum. In that rite, after Sext, when the bishop was to celebrate Mass this day, the bishop vested in pontificals as far as the dalmatic and then donned a violet cope. Public penitents assembled in sack-cloth in their bare feet and were given a penance for Lent and then were given ashes, which the bishop had blessed. Then followed a ceremony that included the Seven Penitential Psalms and Litany. It culminated in the penitents being led, physically, from the church and expelled. The Caermoniale Episcoporum alludes to the Expulsion of Penitents in churches where it is the custom, C.E. Lib II, Cap.18, 2. Although no longer generally practised echoes of the above can be found in today's Liturgy which contains a general imposition of Ashes on those who are not expelled. The Liturgy is interesting too in that much remains of the Office of the Septuagesima season as originally Lent began with the Office of the first Sunday.

The Expulsion of Penitents from a 1611 edition of the Pontificale Romanum from Google Books.

The Office of Ash Wednesday begins with Mattins. The invitatory is Deum magnum Dominum, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Rerum Creator optime both from the ferial Office per annum. The antiphons Speciosus forma etc are sung with the nine psalms/psalm divisi of a single nocturn from the ferial Office for Wednesdays. The second scheme of Mattins for Wednesday is used, wherein Psalm 49 is split into three divisi rather than the usual two. The lessons in the nocturn are from a homily of St. Augustine reflecting on the LORD's Sermon on the Mount from St. Matthew's Gospel. The responsories are taken from the third nocturn of Quinquagesima Sunday. At Lauds the second scheme of psalmody is used (Pss. 50, 64, 100, Canticle of Anna & 145. The antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are proper to the day. After the antiphon on the Benedictus has been sung in full after the canticle the choir kneels and the ferial preces are sung. After the collect of the day the Suffrage of the Saints is sung.

At the Hours again the ferial antiphons and psalter are used. Prime has a fourth psalm displaced from Lauds by the Miserere, so the psalmody at Prime is Pss. 25, 51, 52 & 96. At Prime both the Dominical and ferial preces are sung kneeling, the chapter is the ferial Pacem et veritatem. At the other Hours the short set of ferial preces are chanted with the choir again kneeling.

The blessing of Ashes and Mass follows None. The celebrant vests in a violet cope while the deacon and subdeacon wear violet folded chasubles. The organ is silent following the general rule when folded chasubles are worn. The Ashes, made from burning of the preceding year's Palms, are blessed with four collects of blessing. The short conclusion of these prayers may indicate the blessing was separated by the Expusion of Penitents from the Mass which follows. The Ashes are imposed whilst two antiphons are chanted Immutemur habitu and Inter vestibulum. These are followed by the poignant responsory Emendemus in melius. The Mass that now immediately follows is proper. The Gloria is not sung. The second collect is A cunctis, the third collect of Omnipotens. The preface of Lent is sung for the first time this year. The ferial tones are used for the orations, preface and Pater noster. The choir kneels for the Orations and from the Sanctus until Pax Domini. After the last collect the deacon sings Humiliate capita vestra Deo and the celebrant sings the Oratio super populum. The dismissal is Benedicamus Domino, sung by the deacon facing the celebrant and altar.

Vespers are ferial with the antiphons and psalms of the ferial Psalter for Wednesday. The Office hymn is Caeli Deus sanctissime. The antiphon on the Magnificat and collect are proper to the day. After the collect of the day a commemoration is sung of St. Valentine followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung, with the choir kneeling.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the ferial preces are sung at Lauds and Vespers only. At Lauds there is no Suffrage of the Saints. At Prime there are three psalms 25, 51 & 52 and the chapter is the festal Regi saeculorum - bizzare! At the blessing of Ashes and Mass the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle. Judica me Deus etc is omitted from the beginning of Mass. There is only one collect. The extended kneeling is omitted with the choir rising at the conclusion of the Canon. The dismissal is Ite missa est. Vespers are of the feria without a commemoration of St. Valentine and without the Suffrage of the Saints.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in Holy Week

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in Holy Week are privileged ferial days. Although of simple rite no feast may take precedence over them. A feast is either commemorated or transferred depending on its rank. Both St. Francis of Paula on Monday, and St. Isidore on Wednesday become simplified and are commemorated at Vespers, Lauds and Mass. The colour of these days remains violet.

On Monday Mattins has one nocturn. The lessons are taken from a homily of St. Augustine on St. John's Gospel account of the raising of Lazarus, the responsories are proper. At the second scheme of Lauds the antiphons are proper, Faciem meam etc. After the antiphon on the Benedictus has been repeated after the canticle the choir kneels and the ferial preces are sung followed by the, proper, collect of the day. A commemoration is then sung of St. Francis of Paula. These same antiphons, Faciem meam etc., are sung at the Hours. At Prime the chapter is the ferial Pacem. The ferial preces are also sung at each of the Hours, again the choir kneeling. At Mass, sung after None, the deacon and subdeacon wear folded chasubles, the second collect is of St. Francis of Paula, the preface is of the Cross, there is an Oratio super populum and the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino. Vespers follow Mass and are ferial with preces feriales again sung kneeling. After the collect of the day a commemoration is sung of St. Francis of Paula. At Compline, sung at the usual time, the Dominical preces are also sung kneeling.

Tuesday follows a similar pattern. At the nocturn the lessons are taken from Jeremiah the Prophet, the responsories are proper. At the second scheme of Lauds the antiphons are proper, Vidi, Domine etc, the ferial preces are sung, the choir kneeling. These antiphons are sung at the Hours. At Prime the chapter is the ferial Pacem. The ferial preces are also sung at the Hours, again the choir kneeling. At Mass, sung after None, the deacon and subdeacon wear folded chasubles, the second collect is Ecclesiae, for the Church. Today the Passion according to St. Mark is sung, following the same rules as on Palm Sunday. The Passion consists of Mark 14: 1-72; 15: 1-46. The deacon of the Mass sings the last part of the Passion, Et cum jam sero...ad ostium monumenti, with the usual ceremonies for the Gospel at Mass. The preface is of the Cross, there is an Oratio super populum and the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino. Vespers follow Mass and are ferial with preces feriales sung kneeling. After the collect of the day a commemoration is sung of St. Isidore. At Compline, sung at the usual time, the preces are also sung kneeling.

On Wednesday again a similar pattern is followed. At Mattins in the nocturn the lessons are again taken from the Prophet Jeremiah, the responsories are proper. At the second scheme of Lauds the antiphons are proper, Libera me etc, the ferial precesare sung with the choir kneeling. After the collect of the day a commemoration is sung of St. Isidore. These antiphons are sung at the Hours. The ferial preces are sung, kneeling, at the Hours. At Prime the chapter is the ferial Pacem and in the Martyrology the first announcement is that of Maundy Thursday:

Coena Dominica, quando Christus Jesus, pridie quam pro nostra salute crucifigeretur, mysteria Corporis et Sanguinis sui discipulis tradidit celebranda.

After today the Martyrology is not read until Holy Pascha. At Mass, sung after None, the deacon and subdeacon wear folded chasubles. After the Kyrie the celebrant chants Oremus, the deacon Flectamus genua and then the subdeacon Levate. The celebrant then chants the collect Praesta, quaesumus etc. There follows an OT pericope from Isaiah. A Gradual is then sung. Then Dominus vobiscum etc is sung, without Flectamus genua, and the collect of the Mass follows. The second collect is of St. Isidore. Then a second lesson from Isaiah follows and then the tract. On Wednesday in Holy Week the Passion according to St. Luke is sung at Mass. The text of the Passion is Luke 22: 1-71; 23: 1-53. The last part of the Passion, Videns autem centurio...haec videntes is sung by the deacon of the Mass with the usual ceremonies of the Gospel at Mass. The preface if of the Cross, there is an Oratio super populum and the dismissal is Bendicamus Domino. At Vespers the ferial preces are sung, kneeling. After the collect of the day a commemoration is sung of St. Isidore. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung kneeling.

On the evening of Spy Wednesday, Wednesday in Holy Week, Mattins and Lauds is sung in a special form known as Tenebrae.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' following the 'Restored' order of Holy Week dalmatic and tunicle are worn by the deacon and subdeacon rather than folded chasubles. No commemorations are allowed and there is no second collect in the Masses. Any text read by a lector, subdeacon or deacon is not read by the celebrant (extended throughout the year in the 1962 books). OHSI of 1955 orders the Orate fratres to be said in an audible voice and all present to respond. Ferial preces are sung only on Wednesday at Lauds and Vespers only. The Passion according to St. Mark on Tuesday is shortened: Mark 14: 32-72; 15: 1-46 as is the Passion according to St. Luke on Wednesday: Luke 22: 39-71; 23: 1-53. At Mass Ite, missa est is sung as the dismissal.

Feria IV Cinerum - Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is a privileged greater feria although of simple rite. No feast can be celebrated on this day of whatever rank. The liturgical colour of the day is violet.

The third part of the Pontificale Romanum still contains the rite for the Expulsion of Public Penitents - De Expulsione Publice Poenitentium ab Ecclesia in feria Quarta Cinerum. In that rite, after Sext, when the bishop was to celebrate Mass this day, the bishop vested in pontificals as far as the dalmatic and then donned a violet cope. Public penitents assembled in sack-cloth in their bare feet and were given a penance for Lent and then were given ashes, which the bishop had blessed. Then followed a ceremony that included the Seven Penitential Psalms and Litany. It culminated in the penitents being led, physically, from the church and expelled. The Caermoniale Episcoporum alludes to the Expulsion of Penitents in churches where it is the custom, C.E. Lib II, Cap.18, 2. Although no longer generally practised echoes of the above can be found in today's Liturgy which contains a general imposition of Ashes. The Liturgy is interesting too in that much remains of the Office of the Septuagesima season as originally Lent began with the Office of the first Sunday.

The Expulsion of Penitents from a 1611 edition of the Pontificale Romanum from Google Books.

The Office of Ash Wednesday begins with Mattins. The invitatory is Deum magnum Dominum, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Rerum Creator optime both from the ferial Office per annum. The antiphons Speciosus forma etc are sung with the nine psalms/psalm divisi of a single nocturn from the ferial Office for Wednesdays. The second scheme of Mattins for Wednesday is used, wherein Psalm 49 is split into three divisi rather than the usual two. The lessons in the nocturn are from a homily of St. Augustine reflecting on the LORD's Sermon on the Mount from St. Matthew's Gospel. The responsories are taken from the third nocturn of Quinquagesima Sunday. At Lauds the second scheme of psalmody is used (Pss. 50, 64, 100, Canticle of Anna & 145. The antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are proper to the day. After the antiphon on the Benedictus has been sung in full after the canticle the choir kneels and the ferial preces are sung. After the collect of the day commemorations are sung of the simplified feast of St. Peter's Chair at Antioch and of St. Paul the Apostle.

At the Hours again the ferial antiphons and psalter are used. Prime has a fourth psalm displaced from Lauds by the Miserere, so the psalmody at Prime is Pss. 25, 51, 52 & 96. At Prime both the Dominical and ferial preces are sung kneeling, the chapter is the ferial Pacem et veritatem. At the other Hours the short set of ferial preces are chanted with the choir again kneeling.

The blessing of Ashes and Mass follows None. The celebrant vests in a violet cope while the deacon and subdeacon wear violet folded chasubles. The organ is silent following the general rule when folded chasubles are worn. The Ashes, made from burning of the preceding year's Palms, are blessed with four collects of blessing. The short conclusion of these prayers may indicate the blessing was separated by the Expusion of Penitents from the Mass which follows. The Ashes are imposed whilst two antiphons are chanted Immutemur habitu and Inter vestibulum. These are followed by the poignant responsory Emendemus in melius. The Mass that now immediately follows is proper. The Gloria is not sung. The second collect is of St. Peter, the third collect of St. Paul. The preface of Lent is sung for the first time this year. The ferial tones are used for the orations, preface and Pater noster. The choir kneels for the Orations and from the Sanctus until Pax Domini. After the last collect the deacon sings Humiliate capita vestra Deo and the celebrant sings the Oratio super populum. The dismissal is Benedicamus Domino, sung by the deacon facing the celebrant and altar. The last Gospel is from the Mass of St. Peter's Chair.

Vespers are first Vespers of the following feast of St. Peter Damian with a corresponding colour change to white. Commemorations are sung of the feria (the antiphon on the Magnificat and collect are proper) and of St. Peter and of St. Paul.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the ferial preces are sung at Lauds and Vespers only. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Prime there are three psalms 25, 51 & 52 and the chapter is the festal Regi saeculorum. At the blessing of Ashes and Mass the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle. Judica me Deus etc is omitted from the beginning of Mass. There is only one collect. The extended kneeling is omitted with the choir rising at the conclusion of the Canon. The dismissal is Ite missa est. Vespers are of the feria without any commemorations.

Feria IV Cinerum - Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is a privileged greater feria. No feast can be celebrated on this day whatever its rank. The liturgical colour of the day is violet.

The third part of the Pontificale Romanum still contains the rite for the Expulsion of Public Penitents - De Expusione Publice Poenitentium ab Ecclesia in feria Quarta Cinerum. In that rite, after Sext, when the bishop was to celebrate Mass this day, the bishop vested in pontificals as far as the dalmatic and then donned a violet cope. Public penitents assembled in sack-cloth in their bare feet and were given a penance for Lent and then were given ashes, which the bishop had blessed. Then followed a ceremony that included the Seven Penitential Psalms and Litany and culminated in them being led, physically, from the church and expelled. The Caermoniale Episcoporum alludes to the Expulsion of Penitents in churches where it is the custom, C.E. Lib II, Cap.18, 2. Although no longer generally practised echoes of the above can be found in today's Liturgy. The Liturgy is interesting too in that much remains of the Office of the Septuagesima season as originally Lent began with the Office of the first Sunday.

The Office of Ash Wednesday begins with Mattins. The invitatory, hymn, antiphon and psalms are from the ferial Office and are those used on other ferial Wednesdays, with nothing particular to Lent. The second scheme of Mattins for Wednesday is used, wherein Psalm 49 is split into three fragments rather than the usual two. The lessons in the nocturn are from a homily of St. Augustine reflecting on the LORD's Sermon on the Mount from St. Matthew's Gospel. The responsories are taken from the third nocturn of Quinquagesima Sunday. At Lauds the second scheme is used (Pss. 50, 64, 100, Canticle of Anna & 145), the antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are proper to the day. After the antiphon on the Benedictus is sung in full after the canticle the choir kneels and the ferial preces are sung. After the collect of the day a commemoration is sung of St. Frances of Rome.

At the Hours the ferial antiphons and psalter are used. Prime has a fourth psalm displaced from Lauds by the Miserere, so the psalmody at Prime Pss. 25, 51, 52 & 96. At Prime both the Dominical and ferial preces are chanted kneeling, the chapter is the ferial Pacem et veritatem. At the other Hours the short set of ferial preces are chanted with the choir kneeling.

The blessing of Ashes and Mass follows None. The celebrant vests in a violet cope with the deacon and subdeacon wearing violet folded chasubles. The organ is silent following the general rule when folded chasubles are worn. The Ashes, made from the preceding year's Palms, are blessed with four collects of blessing. The short conclusion of these prayers probably indicates the blessing was separated by the Expusion of Penitents from the Mass which follows. The Ashes are imposed whilst two antiphons are chanted Immutemur habitu and Inter vestibulum. These are followed by the poignant responsory Emendemus in melius. The Mass that now immediately follows is proper. The Gloria is not sung. The second collect is of St. Frances of Rome. The preface of Lent is sung. The ferial tones are used for the orations, preface and Pater noster. The choir kneels for the Orations and from the Sanctus until Pax Domini. After the last collect the deacon sings Humiliate capita vestra Deo and the celebrant sings the Oratio super populum. The dismissal is Benedicamus Domino, sung by the deacon facing the celebrant and altar.

Vespers are first Vespers of the following feast of the Forty Martyrs with a corresponding colour change to red. A commemoration of the feria is made (the antiphon at the Magnificat and collect are proper) and of St. Frances of Rome.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the ferial preces are sung at Lauds and Vespers only. At Prime there are three psalms 25, 51 & 52 and the chapter is Regi saeculorum. At the blessing of Ashes and Mass the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle. Judica me Deus etc is omitted from the beginning of Mass. There is one collect. The extended kneeling is omitted with the choir rising at the conclusion of the Canon. The dismissal is Ite missa est. Vespers are of the feria without any commemorations.