December 31st - St. Sylvester of Rome

Today is the feast of St. Sylvester I Pope and Confessor. The feast is of double rite.

At Vespers yesterday the antiphons and psalms were of the Nativity and from the chapter of St. Sylvester. Commemorations are sung of the Octaves of the Nativity, St. Stephen, St. John the Evangelist, the Holy Innocents and, in England, St. Thomas of Canterbury. Compline has the usual four psalms.

At Mattins in the first nocturn are the Second Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, began yesterday. The responsories are from the Office of a Confessor Pontiff. The second nocturn lessons are historical (the lessons are slightly different to those found in 'modern' editions (L.VI. Multa item decreta...). In the third nocturn the homily is Sint lumbi from the Common of Confessor non-Pontiffs with the responsories of Confessor-Pontiffs. At Lauds the antiphons and psalms are taken from the Common of a Confessor-Pontiff and the festal psalms are sung. At Lauds commemorations of the Octaves of the Nativity, St. Stephen, St John the Evangelist, the Holy Innocents and, in England, St. Thomas are sung.

At Prime the festal psalms are sung. At the Little Hours the hymns have the Doxology and melody in honour of the Incarnation.

At Mass, Sacerdotes tui, the Gloria is sung, commemoration of the Octaves of the Nativity, St. Stephen, St. John the Evangelist, the Holy Innocents and, in England, St. Thomas are made, the Credo is sung and the preface and communicantes in the Canon are of the Nativity.

Vespers are first Vespers of the Circumcision without any commemorations.

The icon is from the All Merciful Saviour Mission's selection of icons of Western Saints.