May 2nd - St. Athanasius

The feast of St. Athanasius is of double rite. Its liturgical colour is white.

Vespers yesterday were second Vespers of the feast of SS Philip and James, celebrated in red vestments. The antiphons Domine ostende nobis Patrem etc were sung with Pss. 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn was Tristes erant Apostoli, sung with the Paschal Doxology. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of St. Athanasius and of the Third Sunday after Pascha. The hymn at Compline, Te lucis, and the hymns of the Hours have the Paschal Doxology, Gloria tibi Domine, Qui surrexisti a mortuis, Cum Patre et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula.

At Mattins the liturgical colour changed to white. The invitatory is Regem Confessorum Dominum, Venite adoremus and the hymn Iste Confessor. In the first nocturn Pss. 1, 2 & 3 are sung under the antiphon Beatus vir etc. The lessons in the first nocturn are the Incipit of the Book of the Apocalypse of St. John. The lessons are followed by the responsories from the Office of a Confessor-Bishop Euge serve bone etc. The lessons are the same as those found in the modern editions. In the second nocturn Pss. 4, 5 & 8 are sung under the antiphon Invocantem etc. The lessons in the second nocturn are historic lessons for St. Athanasius with the responses again taken from the Common. The lessons differ very slightly from those found in the modern editions. In the third nocturn Pss. 14, 20 & 23 are sung under the antiphon Domine etc.the homily is taken , 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) the lessons are Incipit of the Book of the Apocalypse. The lessons are the same as in 'modern' recensions. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are taken from the a sermon by St. Augustine. These too are the same as in modern recensions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Athanasius's Apology for his flight. The lessons are slightly different to the form found in the modern editions. The responsories are again taken from the Common. The ninth lesson is formed of the three lessons for the homily appointed for the Sunday on St. John's Gospel from St. Augustine. These are the same as those found in the modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the Dominical psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-49-150) are sung with the antiphons Ecce sacerdos magnus etc from the Common. The Office hymn is Jesu Redemptor omnium. A commemoration of the Sunday is sung after the collect of the feast.

At the Hours the hymns are sung with the Paschal Doxology. The festal psalms (at Prime Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii) are sung with the antiphons Ecce sacerdos magnus etc.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. The Creed is sung, the preface is of Paschaltide and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

Vespers are of first Vespers of the feast of the Invention of the Holy Cross with a colour change to red. The antiphons Helena Constantini mater etc (which are absent from the modern editions) are sung with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn is Vexilla Regis prodeunt, sung with the Paschaltide stroph in the sixth verse. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of St. Athanasius, the Sunday and SS Alexander and his Companions. At Compline (Pss. 4, 30 vv 1-6, 90 & 133) the Dominical preces are omitted due to the double feasts.

Art: Jerome Nadal