August 18th - XII Sunday after Pentecost

The twelfth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite. This year it is the third Sunday of August and the Sunday within the Octave of the Assumption. The liturgical colour, from Mattins, is white.

Vespers yesterday afternoon were second Vespers of the Octave Day of St. Lawrence. The liturgical colour was red. The antiphons Laurentius etc were sung Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. The Office hymn was Deus, tuorum militum sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation, Gloria tibi Domine etc. The collect was proper to the Octave Day. After the collect of the Octave Day commemorations were sung of the Octave of the Assumption, of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Omnis sapientia for the Saturday before the third Sunday of August) and of St. Agapitus. The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation.

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) are sung. The lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Wisdom. The first lesson is longer than that found in the post-Clementine editions. It continues Spiritus enim ... superveniente iniquitate. The second lesson begins Benignus est enim and continues until quod mentitur occidit animam - what is now the end of third lesson. The text of the third lesson is not found in the later editions Nolite zelare ...qui sunt ex parte illius, vv. 12-16. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from St. Ambrose. Lessons IV and V are substantially longer than those in the modern books with additional text not appearing in the modern editions, lesson VI is longer by a sentence. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Bede on St. Luke's Gospel. These lessons are longer than those found in modern editions with lessons seven and eight comprising of the text of all of the later third nocturn lessons. Today the eighth and ninth lessons are read together and the ninth lesson is of St. Agapitus. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite 148-49-150) are sung. The Office hymn is Ecce. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the Octave of the Assumption and of St. Agapitus. The Suffrages are omitted.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns are sung with the melody and Doxlogy of the Incarnation. At Prime (Pss. 53, 117, 118i & 118ii) Quicumque is sung, the versicle in the short responsory is Qui natus es. The Dominical preces are omitted being within an Octave.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Octave of the Assumption, the third collect is of St. Agapitus. The Credo is sung and the preface of the BVM is sung.

Vespers are of the Sunday. The Office hymn is Lucis creator sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the Octave of the Assumption. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Art: Jerome Nadal