Vigil of the Assumption

The Vigil of the Assumption is of simple rite and the liturgical colour of the day is violet. Traditionally it has been a day of fasting and abstinence in the West (in many Eastern rites a far stricter fast of preparation takes place from the beginning of August).

At Mattins everything is taken from the ferial psalter except the lessons. As the Vigil falls on a Wednesday this year the second arrangement of the third nocturn is sung (with psalm 49 split into three sections). The three lessons in the nocturn on St. Luke's Gospel are from a homily of St. Chrysostom. At Lauds the Second Scheme of psalms is sung (Pss. 50, 64, 100, Exsultavit & 145), the ferial preces are sung, with the choir kneeling. After the collect of the Vigil a commemoration is sung of St. Eusebius. At Prime and the Hours ferial preces are sung. These are, again, sung whilst kneeling. At Prime the fourth psalm is added, today psalm 96, as is the case when the Second Scheme of Lauds is sung. The chapter is the ferial Pacem.

Mass is sung after None. Violet vestments are worn, the ministers wearing dalmatic and tunicle not folded chasubles. The Mass is proper, Vultum tuum, the Gloria is not sung. The second collect is of St. Eusebius, the third collect Deus, qui corda - of the Holy Ghost. As it is a 'kneeling day' all in choir kneel for the orations and from the Sanctus to the response after Pax Domini. As is the rule when the Gloria is not sung Benedicamus Domino is chanted as the dismissal by the deacon facing the altar rather than Ite, missa est.

In the afternoon there is a colour change to white and the great feast and Octave begin with first Vespers.


In the 'liturgical books of 1962' as usual much has been lost. At Lauds the ferial preces are not sung nor are they sung at the Hours. At Prime there is no fourth psalm and the chapter is the festal Regi saeculorum. Mass is sung after Terce, not after None. In sung Masses there is only one collect. The extended kneeling does not take place.

XII Sunday after Pentecost

The twelfth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, from Mattins onwards, is green. This year it is also the second Sunday of August and the Sunday within the Octave of St. Lawrence. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke's Gospel contain the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Vespers yesterday were second Vespers of the feast of St. Lawrence the Deacon. The antiphons Laurentius etc were sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. The V&R were proper to the feast. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Sunday, the antiphon on the Magnificat was Ego in altissimis for the Saturday before the second Sunday of August. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the liturgical colour changed to green. At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Office hymn isNocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Ecclesiastes. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon of St. Chrysostom and in the third nocturn the homily on the Gospel is from the writings of the Venerable Bede. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of SS Tiburtius and Susanna followed by the Suffrage of the Saints.

At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of SS Tiburtius and Susanna, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed is sung and the preface is that of the Blessed Trinity.

At Vespers the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following feast of St. Clare. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted due to the concurring double feast.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are neither any commemorations nor Suffrage. At Prime Quicumque is omitted as are the Dominical preces. At Mass there is but a single collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Our Patron - The Feast of St. Lawrence the Deacon

The feast of St. Lawrence is a Double of the Second Class in the Universal Kalendar and, amongst many other things, Patron of the Saint Lawrence Press. St. Lawrence's body is interred in the basilica of St. Lawrence-without-the-Walls in Rome. St. Lawrence was the first of the seven Roman deacons and known for his generosity to the poor. He was martyred in 258, according to tradition, on a grid iron and asked his tormentors to turn him over as his flesh was fully roasted on the one side. The liturgical colour of the feast is red. St. Lawrence is listed in the Communicantes of the Canon. The feast is ancient and appears in the Leonine and other early sacramentaries.

The Saint Lawrence Press came into being when the English branch of the SSPX stopped publishing the Ordo in 1983, a decade after the traditional Ordo had first been re-created for the first time thanks to the combined genius of Fr. Peter Morgan and Mr. John Tyson. St. Lawrence was chosen as patron by the new publishers as he was a munificent deacon and whose feast had both a Vigil and an Octave, features of the classical Roman liturgy which were fast disappearing at the time with the SSPX's universal abandonment of the traditional rite that year in favour of the 'liturgical books of 1962'. Prior to 1983 many clergy within the SSPX took the Ordo ranging from such diverse, and now opposed, figures as Richard Williamson to Franz Schmidberger.

Celebration of the great feast began yesterday (with a Vigil by way of preparation) afternoon with first Vespers. The antiphons Laurentius ingressus est martyr etc were sung with psalms from the Common of Apostles, Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Deus, tuorum militum. The chapter, antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were proper, the rest of the Office from the Common of Martyrs. A commemoration was sung of the preceding Office of St. John Mary Vianney.

At Mattins the invitatory Beatus Laurentius, Christi Martyr, triumphat coronatus in caelis: Venite, adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn, again, Deus, tuorum militum. The antiphons Quo progredis etc are sung in the first nocturn with psalms 1, 2 & 3. The lessons in the first nocturn are from the Book of Eccesiasticus. In the second nocturn the antiphons Beatus Laurentius etc are sung with psalms 4, 5 & 8. The lessons are from a sermon of St. Leo on St. Lawrence. In the third nocturn the antiphons Strinxerunt etc are sung 14, 16 & 20. The lessons in the third nocturn are from a sermon of St. Augustine on St. John's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the antiphons Laurentius ingressus est martyr etc are sung with Dominical psalms and the Office hymn is Invicte Martyr, unicum.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons from Lauds, Laurentius etc., are sung with the festal psalms. At Prime the Dominical preces are omitted and the lectio brevis is Potens est autem. At the Hours the Dominical psalms are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung and the Common Preface is sung.

At second Vespers the antiphons Laurentius etc are again sung, at this Office with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. The V&R are proper to the feast. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday, the antiphon on the Magnificat being Ego in altissimis for the Saturday before the second Sunday of August. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast loses first Vespers. (St. John Mary Vianney is celebrated on the 8th August and so yesterday had ferial Vespers with the collect of the Vigil - very odd as in the traditional rite the Office of a Vigil ends at None). At the Hours the ferial antiphons and psalms are sung and at Prime the lectio brevis is of the season.

Image: Fifteenth century painted panel featuring St. Lawrence from the Rood screen of St. Helen's Church, Ranworth, Norfolk.

X Sunday after Pentecost

The tenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of SS Nazarius, Celsus, Victor & Innocent followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Office hymn isNocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from the Fourth Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a homily on Romans of St. Chrysostom. In the third nocturn the lessons are from section from St. Augustine's 36th sermon on the words of the LORD. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of SS Nazarius, Celsus, Victor & Innocent followed by the Suffrage of the Saints.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) Quicumque is sung as are the Dominical preces.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of SS Nazarius, Celsus, Victor & Innocent, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Holy Trinity.

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. Martha, of SS Nazarius, Celsus, Victor & Innocent and SS Felix, Simlicius, Faustinus & Beatrice followed by the Suffrage of the Saints. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

In the liturgical books of the 1960s there are no commemorations nor Suffrage at Vespers. The Domical preces are always omitted at Compline. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are neither commemoration nor Suffrage. At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted. At Mass there is a single collect. At Vespers there are no commemoration and no Suffrage.

Art: Jerome Nadal

IX Sunday after Pentecost

The ninth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke contain the account of the LORD casting out the money lenders in the temple.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Jerome Aemiliani and of St. Praxedes. The Suffrage of the Saints was not sung due to the concurrent double feast. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted for the same reason.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Office hymn isNocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Fourth Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon by St. Augustine. In the third nocturn the homily on St. Luke's Gospel is from St. Gregory. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds after the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of St. Praxedes followed by the Suffrage of the Saints.

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

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

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 of the following Office of St. Mary Magdalene is sung. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline due to the concurrent double feast.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is stripped down to a single nocturn. At Lauds there are no commemorations or Suffrage. At Prime Quicumque is not sung nor are the Dominical preces. At Mass there is a single collect.

VIII Sunday after Pentecost

The eighth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke contain the parable about the unjust steward.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Anacletus and of St. Bonaventure. The Suffrage of the Saints was not sung due to the concurrent double feast. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted for the same reason.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Offici hymn isNocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons are taken from the ninth chapter of the Third Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Augustine's City of God and in the third nocturn the homily on St. Luke's Gospel is from St. Jerome. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds, after the collect of the Sunday, a commemoration is sung of St. Bonaventure. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted because of the occurring double feast.

At Prime psalms 117, 118i & 118ii are sung, Quicumque is omitted as are the Dominical preces because of the double feast.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Bonaventure. There is no third collect. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) and the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Henry and of St. Bonaventure. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline due to the double feasts.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at Vespers. The feast of St. Anacletus has been abolished. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. There are no commemorations at Lauds. Mass has a single collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

VII Sunday after Pentecost

The seventh Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the words of warning from the LORD concerning false prophets appearing as sheep but who, in reality, are wolves.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Octave Day of SS Peter and Paul and of SS Cyril and Methodius. The Suffrage of the Saints was not sung due to the concurrent Octave Day and double feast. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted for the same reason.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Officie hymn isNocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Third Book of the Kings. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from am epistle of St. Jerome to Nepotianus. In the third nocturn the homily on St. Matthew's Gospel is from St. Hiliary. The Te Deum is sung. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of SS Cyril and Methodius. The Suffrage is omitted due to the occurring double feast.

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

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of SS Cyril and Methodious. Today there is no third collect. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday. The Office hymn is Lucis Creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast St. Elizabeth and of SS Cyril and Methodius. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' aka one of 'those liturgies younger than the United Nations' there are no commemorations at Vespers. The Dominical preces are never sung at Compline. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there is no commememoration of SS Cyril and Methodius. Mass has a single collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations. All very 'traditional'!