August 23rd - XV Sunday after Pentecost

Today is the fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost, it is also the fourth Sunday of August. The liturgical colour of the Sunday is green, although this year the Sunday Office is only from Mattins to None.

Vespers yesterday afternoon were second Vespers of the Octave Day of the Assumption of the Mother of God. The antiphons proper to the feast Assumpta est Maria in caelum etc were sung with the psalms from the Common of the BVM. A commemoration of the Sunday was sung, the antiphon on the Magnificat being Sapientia of the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of August. At Compline the Doxology Gloria tibi Domine etc was sung for the final time with the Octave then ending. The Dominical preces were omitted at Compline.


At Mattins the liturgical colour is green. The invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn Nocte surgentes. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) are sung. The lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Ecclesiasticus. The first lesson is longer than the form given in the modern editions. It continues Radix sapientiae ... illius quis intellexit?, what is now the first sentence of the second lesson. The second lesson begins Unus est altissimus.. and continues until defunctionis suae benedicitiur - what is now the middle of the third lesson. The text of the third lesson begins Dilectio Dei... and continues until ...et receptacula a thesauris illius (v.21). In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the Book of Morals of St. Gregory the Great. These are the same as those found in the modern books. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Augustine on St. Luke's Gospel. The entire seventh lesson is absent from modern editions: Miracula Domini nostri ... quam suscitare iterum moriturum. The eighth lesson is significantly longer than that found in modern editions. The ninth lesson is the same as that found in the modern books. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite 148-49-150) are sung. After the collect of 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 (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 A cunctis, the third collect chosen by the Dean or Superior. The Creed is sung and the Common preface is sung.

Vespers are first Vespers of the feast of St. Bartholomew the Apostle with a corresponding colour change to red vestments. The antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc from the Common are sung with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Sunday is not commemorated. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted because of the double feast.

Art: Jerome Nadal