Sunday 27 September 2015

September 14th - The Exaltation of the Holy Cross


The feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is of double rite and its liturgical colour is red. The origin of the feast was the dedication of Constantine's basilica in Jerusalem in 335. The feast appears to have been celebrated in Rome since the seventh century. The seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost, this year the Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin and the third Sunday of September, is commemorated at Vespers, Mattins, Lauds and Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons O magnum pietatis opus etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was the magnificent Vexilla regis. After the collect of the feast commemorations of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Ne reminiscaris for the Saturday before the third Sunday of September) and of the Octave of the Nativity of the BVM. The Suffrages were omitted due to the double feast as were the Dominical preces at Compline. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the melody and Doxology of the Incarnatiion, Gloria tibi Domine etc ,as are all the hymns of the Little Hours.

At Mattins the invitatory is Christum Regem, pro nobis in Cruce exaltatum, Venite adoremus. The Office hymn is Pange linua. In the first nocturn the antiphons Nobile lignum exaltatur etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 1, 2 & 3. The lessons in the first nocturn are taken from the Book of Numbers. These are the same as those found in the later editions of the Breviary. In the second nocturn the antiphons O Crucis victoria etc are sung with Pss. 4, 10 & 20. The lessons describe the taking of the Cross from Jerusalem and its triumphant return. Again, they are the same as those in the later books. In the third nocturn the antiphons Adoramus te Christe etc are sung with Pss. 95, 96 & 97. The lessons are from a homily on the Passion of the Lord from St. Leo the Great. These are the same as those found in the later books. Today the eighth and ninth lessons of the feast are read together to form an extended eighth lesson of the day and the ninth lesson is form from the three lessons appointed for the homily of the Sunday. These are from St. Chrysostom on St. Matthews's Gospel. The eighth and ninth lessons (of the Sunday) are are longer than those found in modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons O magnum pietatis opus etc are sung with Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Lustris sex. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of the Octave of the BVM.

At the Hours the O magnum pietatis opus etc are sung in the usual order. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i & 118) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted, the lectio brevis is proper, Humiliavit semetipsum. The hymns have the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the third collect is of the Octave. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Holy Cross and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers the antiphons O magnum pietatis opus are, again, sung with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn is Vexilla regis. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the following Octave Day of the Nativity of the BVM and of the Sunday. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline The week ahead will be that of the September Ember Days.

Icon from the Greek Catholic Church.

Sunday 20 September 2015

September 7th - XVI Sunday after Pentecost



The sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, until None inclusive, is green. This year it is the second Sunday of September. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke are of the LORD healing the man with dropsy on the Sabbath.

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. The antiphon on the Magnificat was In omnibus his for the Saturday before the second Sunday of September. 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 were sung. 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) are sung and the lessons continue to be read from the Book of Job. The first lesson consists of text of both the first and second lessons in the post-Clementine editions of the Breviary. The second lesson begins Si venerit ad me and is a sentence longer than the third lesson found in the modern editions continuing until the end of verse 18 of the ninth chapter. The third lesson is entirely absent from the modern books and begins Si fortitudo quaeritur (v.19) and continues until the end of verse 28. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the Book of Morals of St. Gregory. These are the same as those found in the modern books. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel. The eighth and nine lessons are slightly longer than those found 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 a commemoration of the Octave is sung. The Suffrages are omitted due to the Octave.

At Prime (Pss. 53, 117, 118i & 118ii) Quicumque is sung but the preces are omitted due to the Octave.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is A cunctis, the third collect is chosen by the Dean or Rector of the place. The Credo is sung as is the Common Preface is sung.

At Vespers there is a colour change to white and first Vespers of the Nativity of the BVM are sung. The antiphons Nativitas gloriosae etc are sung, doubled, with the psalms from the Common of the BVM (Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147). The Office hymn is Ave, maris stella. The antiphon on the Magnificat and collect are proper to the feast. There are no commemorations nor Suffrages. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation, Gloria tibi Domine etc. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal.

Sunday 13 September 2015

August 31st - XV Sunday after Pentecost

The fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the first Sunday of September.

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. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Cum audisset Job for the Saturday before the first Sunday of September. 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 were sung. 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) are sung. The lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Job. The first lesson is longer than that found in the post-Clementine editions and continues until ...et biberunt cum eis in what is now the modern second lesson. The second lesson begins Cumque in orbem... and continues until Circuivi terram et perambulavi eam. The third lesson begins Dixitque Dominus ad eum... and continues until ...Satan a facie Domini(v.12). In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the Book of Morals of St. Gregory the Great. These are the same as those in the later editions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Augustine on St. Luke's Gospel. The entire seventh lesson is absent from modern editions: Miracula Domini nostri ... quam suscitare iterum moriturum. The eighth lesson is significantly longer than that found in modern editions. The ninth lesson is the same as that found in the modern 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 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 (Pss. 53, 117, 118i & 118ii) Quicumque is sung as are the Dominical preces.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is A cunctis, the third collect is chosen by the Dean or Rector of the place. The Credo is sung as is the common preface.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Giles and of The Twelve Holy Brothers 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 are sung.

Sunday 6 September 2015

August 24th - St. Bartholomew


The feast of St. Bartholomew the Apostle is of double rite and the liturgical colour of the day is red. The feast was preceded by a Vigil yesterday. The fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, and the fourth Sunday of August, is commemorated at Vespers, Mattins, Lauds and Mass. In Rome the feast of St. Bartholomew is observed on the 25th August - the anniversary of the translation of his relics.

At first Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc were sung with the psalms of first Vespers from the Common Apostles (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116). The Office hymn was Exsultet caelum laudibus. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Sapientia for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of August). The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Apostolorum Dominum, venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Aeterna Christi munera. In the first nocturn the antiphons In omnem terram etc are sung with psalms 18, 33 & 44. The lessons are Sic nos existimet homo from the former Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. The third lesson is longer than that found in the later editions continuing with vv 16-21 of the fourth chapter. The responsories are from the Common of Apostles. In the second nocturn the antiphons Principes populorum etc are sung with psalms 46, 60 & 63 followed by lessons proper to the feast. The sixth lesson is slightly longer having more sentences (concerning the translation of St. Bartholomew's relics to San Bartolomeo all'Isola and the eight days of festivities the Romans make there. This reference was suppressed in the 1911-13 reform). In the third nocturn the antiphons Exaltabuntur etc are sung with psalms 74, 96 & 98. The homily is taken from a commentary by St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel. The ninth lesson of the feast is longer by a sentence than those found in the post-Clementine editions. Today it is read together with the eighth lesson of the feast to form an extended eighth lesson and the ninth lesson is formed from the three lessons appointed for the homily of the Sunday. These are from St. Augustine on St. Matthew's Gospel. The lessons are longer than those found in the modern Breviary. The seventh lesson (of the Sunday) includes most of the text of the modern eighth lesson, the eighth lesson contains text not found in the later editions and the ninth lesson contains the text of the modern ninth lesson and, in addition, several more sentences. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc are sung with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Exsultet caelum laudibus. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung.

At the Hours the antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual order. At Prime the festal psalms are sung (Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii). Both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted. The lectio brevis is Ibant Apostoli.

Mass is sung after Terce. The introit is Mihi autem nimis. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. The Creed is sung, the preface is of the Apostles and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers the antiphons Juravit Dominus etc are sung with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn is, again, Exsultet caelum laudibus. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of the following Office of St. Louis. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Icon: Melkite Eparchy in Australia