January 25th - Sexagesima Sunday

Today is Sexagesima Sunday, it is of semi-double rite. The Sunday is characterised by a very lengthy Epistle, from St. Paul 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 the good ground.

At Vespers yesterday the antiphons and psalms were of Saturday, the chapter, antiphon at the Magnificat and collect proper to Sexagesima Sunday. A commemoration of St. Timothy was sung followed by the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins, as for Septuagesima Sunday, the invitatorium is Praeoccupemus and the hymn Primo dierum. In the first nocturn psalms 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 are sung. The lessons are from Genesis are read concerning the story of Noah. The lessons differ, being longer, from those found in modern editions of the Breviary: LI: Noe vero cum...Poenitet enim me fecusse eos. LII: Noe vero invenit...tristega facies in ea. LIII: Ecce ego...Fecit igitur omnia quae praeceperat illi Deus. (6:17 - 22). In the second nocturn psalms 15, 16 & 17 are sung, 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. Again the length of lessons differs slightly to modern editions: LVIII: Exponendo ergo...Solae autem divitiae verae sunt, quae nos divites virtutibus faciunt. LIX: Si ergo, fratres carissimi ... in memoria non tenetis. The ninth responsory, Cum turba plurima, is sung in place of the Te Deum.

At Lauds the antiphons are proper to the Sunday and sung with Pss. 50, 117, 62-66, Benedicite, 148-149-150. The versicle after the hymn Aeterne, chapter, antiphon at the Benedictus and collect are proper to the Sunday. The Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Gloriosi principes etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc are sung.

At Prime the order of psalmody is Pss. 53, 92, 118(i), 118(ii) and Quicumque, the 'Athanasian' Creed. The Dominical preces are sung. At all the Hours the antiphons and chapters are proper.

In Mass there is no Gloria, the second collect is Deus, qui salutis, the third Ecclesiae or for the pope. A Tract replaces the Alleluia after the Gradual, the Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung. Following the general rule as the Gloria is not sung Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal. The ministers wear violet dalmatic and tunicle.

Vespers are first Vespers of the transferred feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle. The Office is proper. Commemorations are sung of St. Peter the Apostle, the Sunday and St. Polycarp. At Compline (Pss. 4, 30 vv 1-6, 90, 133)the Dominical preces are not sung because of the double feast.

Art: Jerome Nadal