October 31st - Vigil of All Saints' Day

The Office of the Vigil runs from Mattins to None inclusive and is of simple rite. The liturgical colour is violet.

At Mattins the invitatory and Office hymn are as given for Tuesday in the Psalter: Jubilemus Deo, Salutari nostro and Consors paterni luminis. In the nocturn psalms 38, 39, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49 & 51 are sung, in pairs, under six antiphons. The Gospel fragment is from St. Luke and the lessons are a homily of St. Ambrose from the Common of Several Martyrs. The first lesson is about twice as long as that found in the modern editions of the Breviary. The second lesson contains the text of both the modern second and third lessons. The text of the third lesson is entirely absent from the modern books. The three responsories are from the Tuesday of the first week of November, A facie furoris etc, Civitatem istam etc and Genti peccatarici etc. The Te Deum is not sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Dele Domine etc are sung with psalms 50, 42, 62-66, Ego dixi & 148-149-150, from the Psalter for Tuesday. The Office hymn Alles dies nuncius and the antiphon on the Benedictus, Erexit nobis etc are also from the Psalter. After the antiphon Erexit nobis etc has been sung in full the choir kneels and the ferial preces are chanted. The Tridentine ferial preces include the psalm De profundis. When the preces have been sung the Hebdomadarius intones the collect of the Vigil. Then follow the Suffrages of the Cross Per signum Crucis etc, the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Gloriosi principes etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine.

At Prime (Pss. 24, 118i & 118ii and 118iii) both the Dominical and ferial preces are sung, kneeling. The chapter is Pacem et veritatem. At Terce, Sext and None the short series of the ferial preces are sung, again the choir kneeling.

Mass is sung after None. Following the normal rules for Vigils four candles are placed on the altar, in contrast with two on ordinary ferial days. The deacon and sub-deacon wear violet dalmatic and tunicle, not folded chasubles. The ferial tone is used for the orations and for the preface and Pater noster. There is no Gloria. The second collect is of the Holy Ghost, Deus,qui corda, the third collect Ecclesiae. As it is a 'kneeling day' the choir kneels for the prayers and from the Sanctus until Pax Domini. As the Gloria is not sung the dismissal is Benedicamus Domino.

With the end of Mass the liturgy of the Vigil comes to an end. The liturgical colour changes to white and Vespers are first Vespers of the great feast of All Saints. The antiphons Vidi turbam magnam etc are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The Office hymn is Christe Redemptor omnium. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted and are omitted throughout the Octave.