May 7th - Fifth Sunday after Pascha

The fifth Sunday after Pascha is of semi-double rite. The liturgical colour is white. The Gospel pericopes from St. John's Gospel describe how the LORD tells His disciples to ask for anything in His name after He has ascended to the Father.

At Vespers yesterday the antiphons and psalms were from second Vespers of the feast of St. John before the Latin Gate. The antiphons Sancti tui etc, from the Common of Apostles in Paschaltide, were sung with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The chapter was of the Sunday and the Office hymn was Ad cenam Agni providi. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of St. John before the Latin Gate. The Commemoration of the Cross was omitted due to the concurring double feast. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Paschal Doxology and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Surrexit Dominus vere Alleluia and the Office hymn O Rex aeterne Domine. In the first nocturn psalms 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 are sung under a single antiphon Alleluia, Lapis revolutus etc., the lessons are the Incipit of the first Epistle of St. Peter. The lessons are the same as in 'modern' recensions. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are taken from the book of St. Ambrose on faith in the Resurrection. These too are the same as in modern recensions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Augustine. The seventh lesson is longer than in modern recensions including Unde qui hoc... nomine non petit from the 'modern' eighth lesson (sharp eyed readers will notice the non). The eighth lesson runs Qui vero quod est de illo ... proculdubio tunc erit plenum, i.e. continuing into half of what is now the ninth lesson. The ninth lesson begins Quidquid ergo petitur and continues for several more sentences absent from the post-Clementine books. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds psalms 92, 99 and 62-66 are sung under a single antiphon, the ancient nine-fold Alleluia. Benedicite is sung with the antiphon Surrexit Christus etc. The 'Praise Psalms', Pss. 148, 149 and 150 are sung under a single antiphon, a four-fold Alleluia. The Office hymn is Aurora lucis rutilat. The Commemoration of the Cross is sung after the collect of the Sunday. The antiphon for the Commemoration of the Cross at Lauds is Crucifixus surrexit a mortuis, et redemit nos, alleluia, alleluia. The V&R and collect are as were sung at Vespers.

At the Hours the psalms are sung under an antiphon consisting of a four-fold Alleluia. At Prime the Dominical psalms are sung, Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii and Quicumque as are the Dominical preces. The Paschal Doxology is sung at the hymn of the Hours.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is Concede nos, the third collect Ecclesiae . The Credo is sung, the preface is of Paschaltide.

Vespers are first Vespers of the feast of the Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel. The antiphons Stetit Angelus etc are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn is Tibi Christe spledor Patris. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. At Compline (Pss. 4, 30 vv 1-6, 90 & 133) the Dominical preces are omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal