January 9th - Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany

Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke's Gospel describe the Finding in the Temple with the LORD debating with the learned doctors to the amazement of those who witnessed this manifestation of Him.

At Vespers yesterday the antiphons and psalms from Vespers of the feast of the Epiphany were sung, Ante luciferum genitus etc with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The chapter, Fratres, Obsecro vos, is proper to the Sunday, the Office hymn, Hostis Herodes impie, with the versicle Reges Tharsis etc of the Octave and the antiphon on the Magnificat, Remansit puer Jesus, again proper to the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of the Octave of the Epiphany (the antiphon being proper for the 8th January, Lux de luceetc). At Compline Te lucis was sung with a Doxology of the Epiphany Gloria tibi Domine, Qui apparuisti hodie, Cum Patre et Sancto Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula. The Dominical preces are omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Christus apparuit nobis, Venite adoremus. The hymn is Hostis Herodes impie. The antiphons and psalms are as on the second day within the Octave. In the first nocturn the Incipit of St. Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians is read. The lessons are longer than those found in the modern editions: The first lesson includes the modern second lesson Gratias ago Deo meo ... Christi, Domini nostri. The second lesson begins Obsecro autem, the same as the modern third lesson. The third lesson is absent from the modern editions, Gratias ago Deo...prudentiam reprobabo, i.e. vv. 14 - 19. The first responsory is Hodie, the other responsories as on the feast. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon of St. Leo (again these are longer than in the post-Clement editions of the Breviary). In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Augustine, the lessons are the same as in the modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons from the feast, Ante luciferum genitus etc are sung with the festal psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite, 148-149-150). The chapter is proper to the Sunday, as sung at Vespers yesterday, the hymn is O Sola magnarum urbium. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the Octave, the antiphon on the Benedictus proper for the 9th January, Vidimus stellam ejus etc.

At the Hours the psalms of Lauds are used in the usual sequence. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii) the versicle Qui apparuisti hodie is sung (as it is for the entire Octave) and the lectio brevis is Sicut enim in uno corpore etc. The Dominical preces are omitted being within the Octave. The hymns at the Hours have the Doxology and melody of the Epiphany.

The Mass In excelso throno is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave. As it is a Sunday within an Octave there is no third collect. The Creed is sung and the communicantes and Hanc igitur are of the Epiphany.

At Vespers the antiphons and psalms are as on the feast, Ante luciferum genitus etc, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The chapter is proper to the Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the Octave (the antiphon on the Magnificat being proper to the 9th of January, Interogabat etc).

Art: Jerome Nadal