January 17th - St. Anthony of Egypt

St. Anthony of Egypt, sometimes named St. Anthony the Great, lived in the third and fourth centuries and spent a considerable part of his life in the Eygptian desert. He is considered as a father of monasticism and the founder of monastic life in common. An article on his history may be found here. The feast of St. Anthony is of double rite and its liturgical colour is white.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Domine quique talenta etc from the Common of Non-Pontiffs were sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The chapter was Beatus vir and the Office hymn was Iste confessor. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Marcellus and of the second Sunday after the Epiphany. The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Confessorum Dominum, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn Iste confessor. In the first nocturn the antiphons Beatus vir etc are sung with psalms 1, 2 & 3. The lessons in the first nocturn are the Incipit of the Second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. These are the same as in the modern editions but are followed by the responsories of the feast, Euge serve bone etc. In the second nocturn the antiphons Invocantem exaudivit etc are sung with psalms 4, 5 & 8. The historical lessons in the second nocturn. These are the same as in the modern editions of the Breviary, they are followed by the responsories Honestum fecit illum Dominus etc. In the third nocturn the antiphons Domine iste sanctus habitabit etc are sung with psalms 14, 20 & 23. The homily is from the writings of St. Gregory on St. Luke's Gospel. These are longer than those found in the modern editions and are followed by the responsories Iste est and Sint lumbi vestri. The ninth lesson is made of the homily for the Sunday, the three lessons are substantially longer than those found in the modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Domine quinque talenta etc are sung with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The chapter is Beatus vir and the Office hymn Jesu corona virginum. A commemoration of the Sunday is sung.

At Prime the festal psalms are sung (Pss.53, 118i & 118ii) with the antiphon Domine quinque talenta. Quicumque is omitted, the lectio brevis is Justum deduxit.

Mass is sung after Terce. The introit is Os justi. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. The Credo is sung, the common preface is sung and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

Vespers are first Vespers of the feast of St. Peter's Chair at Rome. The antiphons Ecce sacerdos magnus etc are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The chapter is Ecce sacerdos magnus, the Office hymn Quodcumque vinclis super terram strinxeris. After the collect of the day a commemoration is sung of St. Paul the Apostle. This is followed by commemorations of St. Anthony, the Sunday and St. Prisca. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.