Septuagesima Sunday

Today is Septuagesima Sunday, its rank is a semi-double of the second class. The liturgical mood becomes more sombre with first Vespers of Septuagesima. After the festivities of Christmas and Epiphany and their Octaves the mood becomes more sober but not yet as penitential as Lent itself. Although the colour of the season is violet the ministers at Mass do not wear folded chasubles but unusually violet dalmatic and tunicle for these three Sundays and for ferial days. The organ is still played until Ash Wednesday. From Septuagesima until Holy Saturday the dress of some prelates changes. Cardinals no longer wear scarlet choir dress but that of violet. Correspondingly bishops do not wear violet choir dress but their black, or mourning dress. In the case of the latter this is not to be confused with their habitus piano. The black choir cassock has a train, like the violet one, and the mozzeta or mantelleta is faced in violet.

In the Office some elements are the same as for the 'green' Sundays. A notable exception is that after Deus in adjutorium etc Alleluia is replaced by Laus tibi Domine Rex aeterne gloriae. At Mattins the invitatorium is Praeoccupemus as on preceding Sundays and the hymn Primo die. The antiphons and psalms are as on previous 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 not sung but in its place a ninth responsory.

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 hymn Aeterne, chapter, antiphon at the Benedictus and collect. A commemoration is sung of St. John Bosco.

At Prime the order of psalmody is again changed. The Pss. are 92, 99 (displaced at Lauds) and the usual first two stanzas of 118. The Dominical preces are not sung because of the occuring double feast. At all the Hours the antiphons and chapters are proper.

In Mass there is no Gloria, the second collect is of St. John Bosco. A Tract replaces the Alleluia after the Gradual, the Credo is sung and the Preface is of the Blessed Trinity. Following the general rule as the Gloria is not sung Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal. As noted above the ministers wear violet dalmatic and tunicle.

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms are those used on Sundays, the chapter is proper as in the antiphon at the Magnificat. Commemoration are sung of the following Office of St. Ignatius of Antioch and St. John Bosco. At Compline the Dominical preces are not sung because of the occurring double feasts.

Following the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is reduced to one nocturn. At Lauds no commemoration is made of St. John Bosco. At Prime the arrangement of psalms is Pss. 53, 118(i), 118(ii), the festal arrangement in the Pius X Office! At Mass no commemoration is made and Benedicamus Domino is supressed in favour of Ite, missa est.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Anticipated Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

Today is the anticipated Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany. It is of semi-double rite. The Gospel at Mattins and Mass is from St. Matthew and is the account of the LORD stilling the storm at sea.

In order to minimise the number of Sunday's omitted in the annual cycle this year the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany is anticipated with all the privileges of a Sunday as tomorrow is Septuagesima Sunday. Yesterday at Vespers, although the ferial psalter was used, the collect was from the Sunday and the Vespers were priviliged in concurrence with the double feast of St. Francis de Sales. Commemorations of St. Francis and St. Martina was sung.

At Mattins the psalms of Saturday are used but in the first nocturn the first lesson is the Incipit of the Epistle to the Philippians (from the fourth Sunday), the second lesson in the Incipit from the Epistle to the Colossians (from the Tuesday after the fourth Sunday) and the third lesson the Incipit from the First Epistle to the Thessalonians (from the Thursday after the fourth Sunday), with the responsories of the anticipated Sunday. The lessons in the second nocturn are from the Book of Morals of St. Gregory the Great and in the third nocturn the homily is from St. Jerome on the eighth chapter of St. Matthew. At Lauds the psalms of Saturday are sung but the antiphon at the Benedictus and the collect are of the Sunday. A commemoration of St. Martina is sung followed by the Suffrage of the Saints.

At Prime the chapter is Regi saeculorum as used on Sundays and feasts, the Dominical preces are sung. At the reading of the Martyrology the first entry is Dominica in Septuagesima etc. At the other Little Hours the collect of the Sunday is sung.

At Mass the Gloria is sung, a commemoration of St. Martina is made, the third collect is Deus, qui salutis. The Creed is sung and the Preface is that of Sunday.

Vespers are of Septuagesima Sunday celebrated in violet vestments. Commemorations of tomorrow's occuring Office of St. John Bosco and of St. Martina are sung. When the cantors chant Benedicamus Dominio two Alleluia's are added and also added the response Deo gratias. Then until Holy Saturday there is no Alleluia in the Roman Office. At Compline and at all Hours until the Triduum after Deus in adjutorium etc. Alleluia is replaced by Laus tibi Domine Rex aeterne gloriae.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany is not anticipated and so the liturgy is entirely different. On Friday Vespers were of St. Francis of Sales without any commemorations. Today the feast of St. Martina is reduced from a three nocturn semi-double to a third class feast with one nocturn. At Mattins the lessons of the Saturday after the third Sunday are read as first and second lesson. There is no anicipation of Scriptural lessons. At Mass the Gloria is sung, there are no additional collects. Vespers are of Septuagesima without any commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Third Sunday after the Epiphany

Today is the third Sunday after the Epiphany, it is of semi-double rite. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew record the LORD healing the leper and centurion's servant.

At Vespers yesterday the antiphon on the Magnificat Suscepit Deus was sung, and is sung, for all the Sundays after Epiphany (this year the fourth Sunday will be anticipated next Saturday as Septuagesima is only a week away). Commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Raymund of Pennafort and of St. Timothy. As double feasts were commemorated at Vespers the Dominical preces are not sung at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the hymn Primo die . In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. In the second nocturn the lessons are from an exposition of the Epistle to the Galatians by St. Augustine and in the third nocturn the homily is from St. Jerome. At Lauds a commemoration of St. Timothy is sung. At Prime the Dominical preces are not sung because of the occurring double feast.

At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is for St. Timothy. No other collect is sung (unless a pro re gravi collect is ordered by the Ordinary). The Credo is sung and the preface is that of Sundays.

At Vespers commemorations are sung of the following feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, then St. Peter and St. Timothy.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is reduced by two-thirds to one nocturn of three lessons. St. Timothy is not commemorated at all this year.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Second Sunday after the Epiphany

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany is of semi-double rite. The Gospel fragment at Mattins and the Gospel at Mass are St. John's account of the Marriage Feast at Cana.

At Vespers on Saturday the antiphon on the Magnificat was Suscepit Deus (and the same is sung on all Saturdays until Septuagesima). Commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Marcellus and of St. Anthony of Egypt. As a double feast was commemorated the Dominical preces were not sung at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and this is sung until Septuagesima. The hymn is Primo die and that is sung until the first Sunday in Lent. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians. In the second nocturn a sermon of St. Chrysostom provides the lessons and, in the third nocturn, the homily is from St. Augustine. At Lauds a ccommemoration is sung of St. Anthony. At Prime the Dominical preces are omitted because of the occurring double feast.

At Mass the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Anthony. The Creed is sung and the preface is that of the Trinity.

At Vespers commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Peter's Chair at Rome, St. Paul, St. Anthony (note the 'typo' of a missing 'S Ab' in the Ordo) and St. Prisca. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted due to the occurring double feast.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is reduced to one nocturn of three lessons. No commemoration is made of St. Anthony at Lauds or Mass. The feast of St. Peter's Chair at Rome has been abolished entirely.

Art: Jerome Nadal

St. Hilary of Poitiers

The Feast of St. Hilary of Poitiers is celebrated today and is of double rite. St. Hilary was a bishop in fourth century Gaul.

Today, after yesterday's celebration of the Octave Day of the Epiphany, the season after the Epiphany really begins. The Suffrage of the Saints is resumed on all days of semi-double rank and below (so not actually sung today) along with the Dominical preces at Prime and Compline. At Prime the versicle Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris is resumed in the short responsory.

At Mattins in the first nocturn the responsories the Epistle to the Corinthians continues to be read but with the responsories from Monday belonging as they do to the Incipit of the Corinthians), in the third nocturn the ninth lesson is of St. Felix. At Lauds a commemoration is also sung of St. Felix.

At Mass, In medio, the Gloria is sung, a commemoration of St. Felix is made, the Creed is sung (as St. Hilary is a Doctor)and the Common Preface is used.

Vespers are from the chapter of the following feast of St Paul the First Hermit with a commemoration of the preceding Office of St. Hilary and a commemoration of St. Maurus, Abbot. As the feast day of St. Paul is not his die obitus the third verse of the hymn Iste Confessor is changed from Hac die laetus meruit beatas to Hac die laetus meruit supremos. In both the Breviary and Ordo this change is indicated by the letters 'mtv' - mutatur tertius versus.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the familiar pattern of a former three nocturn feast being reduced to a single nocturn of three lessons is repeated. The responsories from the Incipit of the Corinthians are omitted. St. Felix does not get a lesson at Mattins but is commemorated at Lauds. At Prime the lectio brevis is of the season rather than from the Common. At private Mass St. Felix is commemorated, the Creed is neither said nor sung. Vespers are of St. Hilary without commemorations. The hymn Iste Confessor is never changed and has as its third verse Hac die laetus meruit supremos always. The whole concept of concurrence of Office has been lost, largely due to the 1955 abolishment of first Vespers, a practice that reflected the truly ancient idea of the liturgical day beginning at Sunset.

Let it snow, let it snow...

The snow that has afflicted the United Kingdom over the last couple of weeks is causing some disruption to postal deliveries. The forecast is for mean temperatures to slowly rise over the next few days so, Deo volente, the snow will be gone soon and things return to normality.

A batch of orders was posted on Monday but there has not been a post delivery for several days so some orders may not have reached us yet.

A pdf file of the Ordo for the last two weeks of January is now available for download here.

The Octave Day of the Epiphany

Today is the Octave Day of the Epiphany, it is of greater-double rite.

At Mattins in invitatory and hymn are sung as on other days within the Octave, the special arrangment being for the feast only. The antiphons and psalms sung are those used on the feast. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the Epistle to the Corinthians, Audet aliquis (for Wednesday after the first Sunday after the Epiphany). The first responsory sung today is Hodie [pun intended!]. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon of St. Gregory the Theologian and in the third nocturn the homily if from St. Augustine.

At Lauds all is as on the feast, including the antiphon on the Benedictus, but the collect is proper to the Octave Day Deus, cujus Unigenitus.

At the Hours the hymns have the Doxology and melody of the Epiphany. The antiphons and pslams are as on the feast with the collect of the Octave Day.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass formulary is the same as on the feast except the orations and Gospel are proper. The Gloria is sung, the Creed is sung and the preface and communicantes are of the Epiphany.

Vespers are of the Octave Day with commemorations of tomorrow's feast of St. Hilary of Poitiers and St. Felix.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the Octave, and of course the Octave Day, have been abolished. The former Octave Day was 'resprayed' as the feast of the Baptism of the LORD in the 1955 assault on the Liturgy and celebrated as a greater-double. In the 1960/61 revisions the feast became II Class. Mattins and Lauds are as in the Old Rite. At the Hours the ferial psalter with its antiphons is used. The hymns do not have the Doxology in honour of the Epiphany. At Mass the special communicantes used throughout the Octave in the Usus antiquor are not said.