January 26th - Septuagesima Sunday

Septuagesima Sunday is of semi-double rank. The liturgical colour, from Mattins, is violet. At Mattins the book of Genesis is begun with the account of the Creation. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew at Mattins and Mass contain the parable of the labourers in the vineyard. The third Sunday after the Epiphany was anticipated on Friday as simple rite with the psalmody of the feria and the lessons in the nocturn taken from the homily of the Sunday. The Mass of the Sunday was celebrated without Gloria and Creed.

Yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul were sung. The antiphons, Juravit Dominus etc., were sung with the psalms from second Vespers of the Common of Apostles (Pss. 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138). The chapter was Saulus adhuc, the Office hymn was Doctor egregie Paule mores instrue and the antiphon on the Magnificat Sancte Paule Apostoli. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of St. Peter the Apostle, of Septuagesima Sunday and of St. Polycarp. At the conclusion of Vespers to Benedicamus Domino and its response a double Alleluia is added and then the Alleluia is not heard until Holy Saturday. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatorium is Praeoccupemus as on preceding Sundays and the hymn Primo dierum. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) the lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Genesis. These are the same as those found in modern editions. In the second nocturn psalms 15, 16 & 17 are sung, the lessons are from the Enchiridion of St. Augustine. These are substantially longer than those found in the post-Clementine editions and the sixth lesson is not found in the later books, the fifth lesson effectively having been divided into two. In the third nocturn psalms 18, 19 & 20 are sung and the lessons are from a homily of St. Gregory on the Gospel of the labourers in the vineyard. Again, these are longer than those found in the modern editions. The Te Deum is omitted and in its place a ninth responsory, Ubi est Abel frater tuus, is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons are proper to the Sunday, Miserere mei Deus etc, and sung with Pss. 50, 117, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The versicle after the hymn Aeterne rerum conditor, chapter, antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are proper to Septuagesima Sunday. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Polycarp is sung followed by 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.

At the Hours the antiphons and chapters are proper to the Sunday. At Prime the order of psalmody is changed from the usual order. Under the antiphon Conventione autem Pss. 53, 92, 118i, 118ii and Quicumque are sung. The Dominical preces are also sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The ministers wear violet dalmatic and tunicle. The Gloria is omitted, the second collect is of St. Polycarp, the third collect is A cunctis. A Tract replaces the Alleluia after the Gradual, the Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung. The dismissal is Benedicamus Domino , sung by the Deacon facing the altar.

At Vespers there is a colour change to white and first Vespers of the feast of St. John Chrysostom are sung. The antiphons Ecce sacerdos magnus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116). After the collect of the feast a commemoration of Septuagesima Sunday is sung. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Art: Jerome Nadal