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The Sunday of the Resurrection is the Queen of Feasts and the most important of all liturgical celebrations and is of double rite with an Octave.
At the final stages of the Vesperal Liturgy of Holy Saturday yesterday morning an antiphon consisting of a triple
Alleluia was sung, doubled, with psalm 116. The antiphon on the
Magnificat was
Vespere autem sabbati etc. After the Vesperal Liturgy the traditional blessing of houses takes place and, in some countries, the Paschal food. In the evening of Holy Saturday Compline was sung, at the normal time. On Holy Saturday the Office of Compline has some interesting variations. Compline begins with the usual
Jube, domne, blessing, short lesson and confession.
Converte nos, Deus, salutaris noster and its response are sung followed by
Deus in adjutorium etc with
Alleluia for the first time since Septuagesima. The psalms are sung, without an antiphon, to the usual Tone 8. The hymn, chapter and responsory are omitted and
Vespere autem sabbati sung as the antiphon fragment to the
Nunc dimittis. After the Canticle the antiphon is sung in full. After the usual collect,
Visita quaesumus, the antiphon
Regina Caeli is sung with its versicle and collect.
The church is decorated for the greatest of feasts. Before Mattins the images that have been veiled from Passiontide (or from the beginning of Lent where Array was used) are removed. Six candlesticks are on the altar. Mattins begin with the solemn tone for
Deus in adjutorium etc. The invitatory is
Surrexit Dominus vere Alleluia and psalm 94 is sung to a lovely tone 6 setting. Mattins consists of a single nocturn of three psalms. There is no Office Hymn throughout the Octave (c.f. Monastic praxis). The first antiphon is
Ego sum qui sum etc and sung, doubled, with psalm 1. The second antiphon,
Postulavi Patrem meum etc, is sung with psalm 2. The third antiphon,
Ego dormivi etc, is sung with psalm 3. A versicle and its response are sung followed by the absolution
Exaudi etc. The first lesson has the Gospel fragment Mark 16: 1-7 and is followed by a homily of St. Gregory the Great. The two responsories
Angelus Domini descendit and
Cum transisset sabbatum are famous and intimately connected with the
Quem quaeritis ceremonies. The second lesson,
Notandum vero nobis est is sung followed by the second responsory. The lessons are identical to those found in the later editions. During the second responsory the cantors and the celebrant don copes and the principal cantor pre-intones the
Te Deum. Six
pluvialistae assist the
Hebdomadarius where possible. The
Te Deum is then sung and, where it is the custom the bells ring throughout.
Lauds follow immediately and have a series of beautiful antiphons:
Angelus autem Domini,
Et ecce terraemotus,
Erat autem,
Prae timore autem ejus and
Respondens autem Angelus all taking up the theme of the Angels, earthquake and empty tomb. Psalms 92, 99, 62-66,
Benedicite & 148-149-150 are sung with these antiphons. The chapter, hymn, versicle and response are replaced by the
Haec dies. After
Haec dies the antiphon
Et valde mane is sung and then the
Benedictus sung to a solemn tone 8. During the
Benedictus the altar, the choir and people are censed in the normal manner. The antiphon is repeated and the collect of Easter,
Deus, qui hodierna die sung.
Benedicamus Domino, Alleluia, Alleluia and its response are followed by the solemn
Regina Caeli, its versicle and collect.
At Prime and the Hours the usual festal psalms are sung but without antiphons.
Haec dies replaces the chapter, responsories etc. At Prime the Martyrology is read again, having not been read for the days of the Triduum. Before the announcement of the following day and moon "
Hac die quam fecit Dominus, Solemnitas solemnitatum, et Pascha nostrum Resurrectio Salvatoris nostri Jesu Christi secundum carnem" is sung to the tone of the Passion.
Mass is sung after Terce.
Vidi aquam replaces the
Asperges during Paschaltide. At Mass the
Gloria is sung, the Creed is sung, the preface,
communicantes and
Hanc igitur are proper.
Ite, missa est with a double
Alleluia is the dismissal.
At Vespers the antiphons
Angelus autem Domini etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 and 113. Again
Haec dies replaces the chapter and hymn. The antiphon on the
Magnificat is
Et respicientes etc. At Compline the usual psalms are sung with a three or four-fold
Alleluia after them (BR1568
editio princeps gives a triple
Alleluia, BR1579 Antwerp and post-Clementine editions give four ). Then the
Nunc dimittis is sung followed by
Haec dies and the collect
Visita quaesumus.