March 4th - Quinquagesima Sunday

Quinquagesima Sunday is a semi-double. The Epistle consists of perhaps one of the most famous pericopes in the NT, St. Paul's discourse to the Corinthians on faith, hope and charity. The Gospel from St. Luke has the story of the granting of sight to the man born blind. The Sunday corresponds, in Kalendar terms, to the Sunday of Forgiveness or Cheesefare Sunday, the Sunday being the last day dairy products are eaten until Pascha.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms (Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were of Saturday. The Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. The chapter, antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were proper to Quinquagesima Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc., were sung. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins, as for the previous Sundays, the invitatory is Praeoccupemus and the hymn Primo dierum. In the first nocturn psalms 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 are sung. The lessons, from Genesis, are the beginning of the story of Abraham. These are the same as those in found in the post-Clement editions of the Breviary. In the second nocturn psalms 15, 16 & 17 are sung, the lessons are from St. Ambrose on the Patriarch Abraham. The fifth lesson is, unusually, slightly shorter than in later editions: Sed ideo addidit...Sequere Deum. The sixth lesson begins at the preceding verse to modern editions, Facto praevenit... In the third nocturn psalms 18, 19 & 20 are sung and the lessons are a homily from St. Gregory on the Gospel. These are the same as in the modern editions. The ninth responsory, Caecus sedebat, is sung in place of the Te Deum.

At Lauds the antiphons are proper to Quinquagesima Sunday, Secundum multitudinem etc., and are sung with Pss. 50, 117, 62-66, Benedicite, 148-149-150. The versicle after the hymn Aeterne, chapter, antiphon at the Benedictus and collect are proper to the Sunday. The Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Gloriosi principes etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc are sung.

At Prime the order of psalmody is Pss. 53, 92, 118(i), 118(ii) and Quicumque, the 'Athanasian' Creed. The Dominical preces are sung. At all the Hours the antiphons and chapters are proper.

In Mass there is no Gloria, the second collect is A cunctis nos, the third chosen by the Dean or Rector. A Tract replaces the Alleluia after the Gradual, the Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung. Following the general rule as the Gloria is not sung Benedicamus Domino is sung as the dismissal. The ministers wear violet dalmatic and tunicle and the organ may be played.

Vespers are of the Sunday with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The Office hymn is Lucis Creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following Office of St. Valentine followed by the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal