First Sunday in Lent

The First Sunday in Lent is a semi-double Sunday of the first class. No feast can take precedence over it or any such Sunday. The liturgical colour of the Sunday is violet. At Mass, unlike on the Sundays of Septuagesima, the ministers wear folded chasubles rather than dalmatic and tunicle and the organ is silent. The Gospel pericope at Mattins and Mass is St. Matthew's account of the LORD's temptation by Satan in the desert.

The Pars Verna, the Spring volume, of the Breviarium began with Vespers, yesterday morning, on the Saturday before the first Sunday in Lent, this year the feast of St. Matthias. At Second Vespers of St. Matthias the antiphons Juravit Dominus etc were sung with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn was Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Sunday. The Suffrage was omitted. At Compline (sung at the usual time) the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the liturgical colour changes to violet and the invitatory is Non sit vobis and the hymn is Ex more. These are both used throughout the first four weeks of Lent. The antiphons and psalms given in the Psalter for Sundays are used, as on previous Sundays. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from a sermon on Lent by St. Leo the Great and in the third nocturn the lessons are a homily of St. Gregory the Great on St. Matthew's account of the temptation of the LORD. As in Septuagesima there is no Te Deum but a ninth responsory, which today is Angelis suis Deus mandavit de te.

At Lauds the antiphons are proper to the Sunday, Cor mundum etc., and the second scheme of Psalms sung (50, 117, 62, Benedictus es, 148). The chapter is proper to the Sunday and hymn is O sol salutis. After the collect of the day the Suffrage of the Saints is sung.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons are proper to the Sunday, Jesus autem etc. At Prime the psalms are 92, 99 (displaced from Lauds) and the first two divisi of 118. The Dominical preces are sung and the short lesson is Quaerite Dominum.

Mass is sung after Terce. At Mass the Gloria is not sung. The second collect is A cunctis, the third collect Omnipotens (for the Living and the Dead), a Tract is sung after the Gradual, the Credo is sung, the preface is of Lent and the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino, sung by the deacon facing the celebrant and altar.

Vespers are of the Sunday, sung at the normal time. The antiphons and psalms are those used on Sundays, the chapter is proper and the hymn is Audi, benigne Conditor. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrage of the Saints is sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

In those ancient 'liturgical books of 1962' the Lenten praxis of early Vespers has been abolished. Vespers were of the Sunday without any commemoration of St. Matthias and without the Suffrage. At Compline the preces were not sung. Mattins is slashed down to one nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds the Suffrage of the Saints is omitted. At Prime the psalms are Ps. 53 and the first two divisi of Ps. 118 as on feasts and the Domincial preces are omitted. At Mass the ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle, as in Septuagesima, the second and third collects are omitted. The dismissal is Ite, missa est. At Vespers the Suffrage is omitted as are the preces at Compline.

Art: Jerome Nadal

Time for Vespers!

Vespers today mark the start of the Pars Verna, or Spring, volume of the Breviary. Anciently Lent began with the Office of the first Sunday with Ash Wednesday, and the following three days, added later. The Office on Ash Wednesday and the following days is really just that of Quinquagesima week, with the same hymns etc as 'green' time, but with the addition of the ferial preces and the use of folded chasubles at Masses of the season.

Today, and for the rest of Lent with the exception of Sundays, Vespers are not sung at the usual time in the afternoon but are sung before lunchtime. A rubric in the Spring volume of the Breviary, before first Vespers of the first Sunday of Lent, states:

Hodie et deinceps usque ad Sabbatum sanctum, exceptis diebus Dominicis, Vesperae dicuntur ante comestinonem, etiam in Festis.

An English translation of the above, from the Stanbrook Abbey English edition of The Roman Breviary:

On this day, and thereafter until Holy Saturday, except on Sundays, Vespers are said before the principal meal at midday, even on Feasts.

This practice, much criticised by the reformers of the twentieth century Liturgical Movement, and indeed by some aliturgical folk today, was popularly associated with the practice of fasting. However, a contrary view, and one I share, would be that the practice represents a symbolic inversion of time as a consequnce of the Fall, with the restoration of 'normality' with the victory of the LORD at Easter. The practice is not confined to the Roman (or other Western rites) as it is found in the East too. A Google search of the times for the Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts will reveal many Orthodox Churches serving this Liturgy, with its integral Vespers, on Wednesday and Friday mornings.

Vespers this morning are Second Vespers of the feast of St. Matthias the Apostle. The antiphons Juravit Dominus etc are sung with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn is Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Sunday. The antiphon on the Magnificat is Tunc invocabis etc, the versicle Angelis suis Deus mandavit de te and the respond Ut custodiat te in omnibus viis tuis (referring to the LORD's days in the desert) followed by the collect Deus, qui Ecclesiam tuam etc. The Suffrage is omitted as St. Matthias is a double feast. The Angelus is sung, after Vespers, standing. At Compline (sung at the usual time) the Dominical preces were omitted.

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.

Quinquagesima Sunday

Quinquagesima Sunday is a semi-double of the second class. The Gospel pericopes are taken from St. Luke and give the account of the giving of sight to the man born blind.

At Vespers yesterday the antiphons and psalms were of Saturday, the chapter, antiphon at the Magnificat and collect were proper to Quinquagesima Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrage of the Saints was sung. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins, as on the previous two Sundays, the antiphons and psalms are those used on Sundays throughout the year. In the first nocturn the lessons are again from Genesis and this Sunday concern the story of Abraham. In the second nocturn the lessons are from St. Ambrose on the Book on the Patriarch Abraham and in the third nocturn the lessons are a homily from St. Gregory on St. Luke's Gospel of the man blind from birth whose sight was restored by the LORD. The blind man is a figure of the human race according to St. Gregory. A ninth responsory, Caecus sedebat secus viam etc, is sung in place of the Te Deum.

At Lauds the 'second scheme' of psalms is sung: Pss. 50, 117, 62, Benedictus es and 148. The antiphons at Lauds are proper for Quinquagesima Sunday, Secundum multitudinem etc, as are the antiphon at the Benedictus and collect. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrage of the Saints is sung.

At all the Hours the antiphons and chapters are proper to Quinquagesima Sunday. At Prime the order of psalmody is that used when the second schema of Lauds is sung, i.e. Pss. 92, 99 (displaced at Lauds) and the usual first two divisi of Ps. 118. The Dominical preces are sung.

In Mass there is no Gloria, the second collect is A cunctis, the third collect is one chosen by the Dean or Rector of the place. A Tract is sung after the Gradual, the Credo is sung , the Preface is of the Blessed Trinity and Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal by the deacon facing the altar. The ministers wear dalmatic and tunicle.

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms are those used on Sundays, the chapter is proper to the Sunday as is the antiphon at the Magnificat. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrage of the Saints is sung. At Compline the Domincal preces are sung.

Following those ancient rites, the 'liturgical books of 1962', at Vespers the Suffrage has been abolished. At Compline there are no preces. Mattins is reduced to one nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds the Suffrage has been abolished. At Prime Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii are sung, as on major feasts, and there are no preces. At Mass there is a single collect and Benedicamus Domino is supressed in favour of Ite, missa est. At Vespers the Suffrage has been abolished as have the preces at Compline.

Art: Jerome Nadal

A 'resumed' antiphon in Septuagesima

Today, at Vespers, the Usus Antiquior sees the resumption of a previouly unused antiphon on the Magnificat. On the Friday of Septuagesima week and on both the Thursday and Friday of Sexagesima week no proper antiphon is given for the Magnificat. When Vespers is ferial on these days the last antiphon that has not been used is resumed. (In practice this applies only to today as if the Friday Office is ferial Vespers would be of a feast occurring on the Saturday or the Saturday Office of the BVM). So today at Vespers the antiphon is Semen est etc from Tuesday. When all the antiphons of the preceding days have been used the antiphon is is taken from the ferial Psalter.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' and so the antiphon is Fecit Deus etc, so the Magnificat is sung to tone 7c rather than tone 3a. The antiphons are doubled as previously only on a higher feast and the Suffrage is, of course, omitted - the banality and flatness of modern rites!

Sexagesima Sunday

Sexagesima Sunday is a semi-double of the second class. 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 the parable of the sower with his seed landing on rock, amongst weeds and on the good ground.

At Vespers yesterday the antiphons and psalms were of Saturday, the chapter, antiphon at the Magnificat and collect were proper to Sexagesima Sunday. The hymn, Jam sol recedit igneus, was sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of the preceding Office of the Apparition of the BVM at Lourdes followed by a commemoration of the Seven Founders of the Servite Order. The Suffrage was omitted due to the occurring double feasts. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation and the Dominical preces were omitted due to the occurring double feasts.

At Mattins, as the antiphons and psalms are those used on Sundays. In the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from Genesis (Ch. 5 & 6), 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 as are the antiphon at the Benedictus and collect. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the Seven Founders of the Servite Order.

At Prime the order of psalmody is Pss. 92, 99 (displaced at Lauds) and the usual first two divisi of Ps. 118. The Dominical preces are omitted due to the occurring double feast. At the Hours the antiphons and chapters are proper to Sexagesima Sunday.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is omitted, the second collect is of the Seven Founders of the Servite Order. There is no third collect. A Tract is sung after the Gradual, the Creed is sung , the Preface is of Trinity and Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal by the deacon facing the altar.

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms are those of Sundays, the chapter is proper as is the antiphon on the Magnificat. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the Seven Founders of the Servite Order. At Compline the Domincal preces are omitted because of the double feasts commemorated at Vespers.

Following the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at Vespers and the hymn has the ordinary Doxology as does Te lucis at Compline. Mattins is reduced to one nocturn. At Lauds no commemoration is made of the Seven Founders of the Servite Order. At Prime the arrangement of psalms is Pss. 53, 118(i), 118(ii). At Mass there are is only one collect and Benedicamus Domino is supressed in favour of Ite, missa est. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal

God save The Queen!

Today the United Kingdom and the countries of the Commonwealth Realm rejoice in the sixtieth anniversary of the Accession of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The day is tinged too with sadness, particularly for Her Majesty, being also the sixtieth anniversary of the death of His Majesty King George VI.

May there be many singings of the Te Deum today in thanksgiving for The Queen and through all of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

God save The Queen, long may she reign!

Official Jubilee photograph from Hello.