February 23rd - Second Sunday in Lent

The Second Sunday in Lent is of semi-double rite. No feast can take precedence over it, or any such a Sunday, in occurrence. The Gospel pericopes are St. Matthew's account of the LORD's Transfiguration. The liturgical colour, from Mattins to None, is violet. The Vigil of St. Matthias was anticipated on Saturday (with nothing of it in the Office).

Vespers, yesterday morning, were second Vespers of the feast of St. Peter's Chair at Antioch. The antiphons Ecce sacerdos magnus etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 131. The Office hymn was Quodcumque vinclis. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of St. Paul the Apostle and of the Sunday. The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Non sit vobis and the hymn is Ex more. In the first nocturn psalms 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 are sung. In the first nocturn the lessons are from the twenty-seventh chapter of the Book of Genesis. In the second nocturn psalms 15, 16 & 17 are sung, the lessons are from St. Augustine's Book against Liars. The fourth lesson is several sentences longer than the lesson found in more modern editions. In the third nocturn psalms 18, 19 & 20 are sung and the lessons are from a homily from St. Leo on the Gospel. The eighth lesson contains part of the text of the modern ninth lesson and the ninth lesson contains more material than that found in the modern editions. In place of the Te Deum a ninth responsory is sung, Cum audisset Jacob.

At Lauds the antiphons, Domine labia mea aperies etc., are proper to the Second Sunday and sung with Pss. 50, 117, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Jam Christe sol justitiae. The versicle after the hymn Angelis suis, chapter, antiphon on the Benedictus and collect are proper to the Sunday (the versicle and its response being used throughout Lent). After the collect of 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 and the Hours the antipons are proper to the Sunday, Domine bonum est etc. At Prime the order of psalmody is Pss. 53, 92, 118i, 118ii and Quicumque. The Dominical preces are sung. At all the Hours the antiphons, as noted, and chapters are proper.

At Mass the ministers wear folded chasubles. There is no Gloria, the second collect is A cunctis nos, the third collect is Omnipotens. A Tract replaces the Alleluia after the Gradual, the Credo is sung and the preface of Lent is sung. The dismissal is Benedicamus Domino sung by the deacon facing the altar and celebrant.

At Vespers there is a colour change to red and first Vespers of the feast of St. Matthias are sung. The antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn is Exsultet caelum laudibus. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. The Suffrages are omitted due to the double feast as are the Dominical preces at Compline, likewise the Office of the Dead is omitted.