July 15th - V Sunday after Pentecost

The fifth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Ecce sacerdos magnus etc were sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 131. From the chapter, O Altitudo, the Office was of the Sunday and the Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of the preceding Office of St. Bonaventure 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 . At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn Nocte surgentes. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) the lessons are the Incipit of the Second Book of the Kings. These are identical to the lessons found in the post-Clementine editions. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are taken from St. Gregory's Book on Morals. The fifth lesson is slightly longer and the sixth lesson considerably longer than those found in the later editions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Augustine on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Gospel fragment has the additional words Amen dico vobis. The lessons, from the ninth chapter of the first book on the LORD's Sermon on the Mount, are all longer than those found in the later books. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-49-150) are sung. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages of the BVM Santa Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Gloriosi principes etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc are sung.

At Prime Pss. 53, 117, 118i & 118ii and Quicumque are sung as are the Dominical preces.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloriais sung, the second collect is A cunctis nos, the third collect is chosen by the Dean or Rector. The Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung.

Vespers are of the Sunday, with psalms (109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). The Office hymn is Lucis creator optime. 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 are sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

July 8th - IV Sunday after Pentecost

The fourth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Vespers for Saturday (Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were sung. The chapter was O Altitudo and the Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. 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 . At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn Nocte surgentes. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) the lessons continue to be taken from the First Book of the Kings. The first lesson is the same as found in the post-Clementine editions, the second lesson continues David autem...grandaevus inter viros (from the modern third lesson) and the third lesson begins Abierunt autem ... quadraginta diebus. However, it then continues Dixit autem... sicut Isai - from v. 17 through to half of v. 20. The responsories are Praeparate corda vestra etc. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are taken from a Sermon of St. Augustine. These are the same as found in the post-Clementine editions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel, but the lessons are longer than in modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-49-150) are sung. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages of the BVM Santa Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Gloriosi principes etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc are sung.

At Prime Pss. 53, 117, 118i & 118ii and Quicumque are sung as are the Dominical preces.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloriais sung, the second collect is A cunctis nos, the third collect is chosen by the Dean or Rector. The Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung.

Vespers are of the Sunday, with psalms (109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). The Office hymn is Lucis creator optime. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages of the BVM, SS Peter and Paul, the Patron and, lastly, for peace. At Compline the Domincal preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

July 2nd - Visitation of the BVM

The Visitation of the BVM commemorates the Visitation made by the BVM to her cousin Elizabeth (c.f. Luke 1: 39-80). The feast is of double rank and its liturgical colour is white. In the 1568BR the feast does not have proper antiphons and the user is directed to use the Office of the Nativity of the BVM substituting the word 'Visitation' for 'Nativity'.

At Mattins the invitatory is Visitationem Virginis Mariae celebremus: Christum ejus Filium adoremus Dominum. The Office hymn is Quem terra. The antiphons and psalms are from the Common of the BVM. In the first nocturn the antiphons Benedicta tu etc are sung with psalms 8, 18 & 23. The lessons are taken from the second chapter of the Canticle of Canticles. These are the same as in the modern editions. In the second nocturn the antiphons Specie tua etc are sung with psalms 44, 45 & 86 and the lessons are from a homily of St. Bede. These are not found in the post-Clementine editions where they are replaced by a sermon of St. Chrysostom. In the third nocturn the antiphons Gaude Maria Virgo etc are sung with psalms 95, 96 & 97. The homily is from St. Chrysostom whilst the later editions have a homily from St. Ambrose. The ninth lesson is of SS Processus and Martinian. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Visitatio gloriosae etc are sung with Psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The Office hymn is O gloriosa Domina. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Octave of SS Peter and Paul and of SS Processus and Martinian. The Suffrages are omitted.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns are sung to the melody of the Nativity and with its Doxology. At Prime the festal psalms (53, 118i & 118ii) are sung, in the short responsory the versicle Qui natus es is sung and the lectio brevis is In plateis.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass Salve sancte parens is sung, the Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave of SS Peter and Paul and the third collect is of SS Processus and Martinian. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the BVM.

At Vespers the antiphons Visitatio gloriosae etc are again sung with the psalms for feasts of the BVM as at first Vespers. The Office hymn is Ave, maris stella. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Octave of SS Peter and Paul.

July 1st - Octave Day of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist

The Octave Day of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist is of double rite and the liturgical colour, from Mattins onwards, is white. Today is also the third Sunday after Pentecost and the Sunday within the Octave of the Apostles SS Peter and Paul.

Vespers yesterday afternoon were second Vespers of the feast of the Commemoration of St. Paul the Apostle. The antiphons from the Common, Juravit Dominus etc, were sung with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn was Doctor egregie. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of St. Peter the Apostle, of the Octave of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist and of the third Sunday after Pentecost. The Suffrages were omitted due to the double feast and Octaves as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is proper, as on the feast, Regem Praecursoris Dominum, Venite adoremus. The Office hymn is Antra deserti teneris sub annis. In the first nocturn the antiphons Priusquam te formarem etc are sung with psalms. 1, 2 & 3. The lessons are those appointed for the Sunday from the First Book of the Kings. The are the same as in the post-Clementine editions. The responsories are those sung on the feast. In the second nocturn the antiphons Misit Dominus etc are sung with psalms 4, 5 & 8. The lessons are proper to the Octave Day from a sermon of St. Maximus. These are the same as those in the post-Clementine books. In the third nocturn the antiphons Posuit os meum etc are sung with psalms 14, 20 & 23. The lessons are from a homily of St. Ambrose, as on the feast. The eighth and ninth lessons are read together to form an extended eighth lesson and the ninth lesson is formed from the three lessons appointed for the homily of the Sunday. These lessons are longer than those found in the post-Clementine books. The seventh lesson (of the Sunday) contains the text of both the seventh and eighth lessons in the later books, the eighth lesson is several sentences longer than the modern ninth lesson and the ninth lesson is not found at all in the later editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Elisabeth Zachariae etc are sung with the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150). The rest of Lauds is proper to the feast with the Office hymn O nimis felix. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and the Octave of SS Peter and Pauli.

At the Hours the antiphons of Lauds are sung with the festal psalms. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii) the lectio brevis is Reges videbunt. The Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass is proper, De ventre, as on the feast. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the third collect is of the Octave of SS Peter and Paul. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Apostles. The last Gospel is of the Sunday.

Vespers are first Vespers of the feast of the Visitation of the BVM. The antiphons Visitatio gloriosae etc are sung with Psalms 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn is Ave Maris stella. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Octave Day of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, of the third Sunday after Pentecost, of the Octave of SS Peter and Paul and of SS Processus and Martinian. The Suffrages are omitted (both because of the double feast and concurrent Octaves) and at Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology Gloria tibi Domine etc.

Icon: Wikipedia

June 24th - The Nativity of St. John the Baptist

The great feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist is a double feast with an Octave. The liturgical colour for the feast and Octave is white. The celebration of the feast on June 24th is ancient and is mentioned by the Council of Agde in 506 and in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum. This year the feast falls on the Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christi.

The feast began with First Vespers yesterday. The antiphons, Ipse praeibit etc, were sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Ut queant laxis resonare fibris. The hymn famously rises through a scale in its verses: Ut (Doh), Resonare, Mira, Famuli, Solve, Labii. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christ (the second Sunday after Pentecost) and of the Octave of Corpus Christi. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation, Gloria tibi Domine, Qui natus es de Virgine etc.

At Mattins the invitatory is proper Regem Praecursoris Dominum, Venite adoremus. The Office hymn is Antra deserti teneris sub annis. The antiphons and responsories are proper for all three nocturns. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2 & 3) the lessons are taken from the Incipit of the Prophet Jeremiah. These are identical to those found in the modern editions. In the second nocturn (Pss. 4, 5 & 8) the lessons are taken from a sermon by St. Augustine on the saints. The first lesson is slightly shorter than that found in the modern books with the omitted text beginning the second lesson. In the third nocturn (Pss. 14, 20 & 23) the homily is from the writings of St. Ambrose on the first chapter of St. Luke's Gospel. These are the same as in modern editions. The ninth lesson today is of the Sunday. The eighth and ninth lessons of the feast are read together to form the extended eighth lesson and the ninth lesson is formed of the three lessons of the homily of the Sunday. This homily in is from St. Gregory on St. Luke's Gospel. The lessons are longer than in the modern editions so that the third lesson of the homily Sed superna...quod praesto est, perat is not found in the later books. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Elisabeth Zachariae etc are sung with the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150). The rest of Lauds is proper to the feast with the Office hymn O nimis felix. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday within the Octave and of the Octave of Corpus Christi.

At the Hours the hymns are sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation. The antiphons of Lauds are sung with the Dominical psalms. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii) the lectio brevis is Reges videbunt.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass is proper, De ventre. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the third collect is of the Octave of Corpus Christi. The Creed is sung - as the feast falls on a Sunday and the preface is of the Nativity. The last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Second Vespers the antiphons sung at Lauds are sung again with the psalms from Vespers for the Common of Apostles. The hymn Ut queant laxis is again sung, the rest of the Office is proper to the feast. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of the Octave of Corpus Christi. At Compline Te lucis has the Doxology of the Incarnation.