August 4th - St. Dominic

The feast of St. Dominic is of double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The tenth Sunday after Pentecost, and this year the first Sunday of August, is commemorated in the Office and Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Domine, quinque talenta etc were sung, doubled, with Pss.109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Iste Confessor. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of the Finding of the Body of St. Stephen and of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Sapientia for the Saturday before the first Sunday of August.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Confessorum etc and the Office hymn is, again, Iste Confessor. In the first nocturn the antiphons Beatus vir etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 1, 2 & 3. The lessons are the Incipit of the Parable of Solomon with the responsories of the feast. The arrangement of the lessons is different from that found in the post-Clementine editions. The first lesson continues as far as ut addatur gratia capiti tuo et torques collo tuo (i.e. vv 7 & 8 now forming the opening of the second lesson. The second lesson begins Fili mi, si te lactaverint... and continues, through what is now the third lesson and concludes, animas possidentium rapiunt. The third lesson is not found in the modern books and consists of vv 20 - 27: Sapientia foris praedicat...vos tribulatio et angustia. In the second nocturn the antiphons Invocantem etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 4, 5 & 8. The lessons, for the feast, are the same as those found in the later editions of the Breviary. In the third nocturn the antiphons Domine iste etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 14, 20 & 23. The homily is from St. Gregory on St. Luke's Gospel. The lessons are longer than those found in the post-Clementine editions. The eighth and ninth lessons are read together to form the eighth lesson of the feast and the ninth lesson is formed from the three lessons of the Sunday's homily. This is from St. Augustine on St. Luke's Gospel. These lessons are considerably longer in the Tridentine Breviary than the form found in post-Clementine editions so the text of the ninth lesson (of the Sunday) is now entirely absent the modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Domine, quinque talenta etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 99, 92, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Jesu, corona celsior. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. The Suffrages are omitted.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual order. At Prime, Pss. 53, 118(i), 118(ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted, the lectio brevis is Justum deduxit.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. The Creed and the common preface are sung and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

In the afternoon first Vespers are sung of the feast of the Dedication of the BVM of the Snows. The antiphons Dum esset rex etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn is Ave, maris stella. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of St. Dominic and of the Sunday. The Suffrages are omitted. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology Gloria tibi Domine etc and the Dominical preces are omitted.

Fresco of St. Dominic: Wikipedia

June 30th - The Commemoration of St Paul the Apostle

The feast of the Commemoration of St. Paul the Apostle is of double rite and its liturgical colour, until Vespers, is red. The fifth Sunday after Pentecost, this year the Sunday within both the Octaves of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist and the Octave of SS Peter and Paul, is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.

Yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of SS Peter & Paul were sung. The antiphons Juravit Dominus etc, from the Common were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 and 138. The Office hymn was Aurea luce. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung. At Compline the Dominical preces were omitted. At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Apostolorum Dominum, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Doctor egregie Paule. In the first nocturn the antiphons Qui operatus est etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 18, 33 & 44. The lessons are taken from the thirteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. These are identical to those found in the post-Clementine editions. In the second nocturn the antiphons Tu es vas electionis etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 46, 60, & 63. The lessons are from St. Augustine's book on grace and free will. These are longer than those found in the later editions with most of the text of the sixth lesson absent from the later books. In the third nocturn the antiphons Saulus, qui et Paulus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 74, 96 & 98. The homily is from St. Chrysostom on St. Matthew's Gospel. These are the same as in the later editions. The eighth and ninth lessons are read together to form the eighth lesson of the day and the ninth lesson is formed of the three lessons appointed for the homily of the Sunday. These are from St. Augustine on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Gospel fragment has the additional words Amen dico vobis. The lessons, from the ninth chapter of the first book on the LORD's Sermon on the Mount, are all longer than those found in the later books. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Ego plantavi etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Exsultet caelum laudibus. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of St. Peter the Apostle, the Sunday and of the Octave of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. The Suffrages are omitted.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons of Lauds are used in the usual order. At Prime, Pss. 53, 118(i) & 118(ii), the lectio brevis is proper to the feast, Ego enim etc. The Domincal preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Peter the Apostle, the third collect is of the Sunday and the fourth collect is of the Octave of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. 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, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 and 138. From the chapter the Office is of the Octave Day of St. John the Baptist. The Office hymn is Ut queant laxis. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of SS Peter & Paul (with the antiphon of the Suffrage, Petrus Apostolus, et Paulus Doctor Gentium etc and collect of the feast Deus, qui hodiernam diem) and of the Sunday. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Observant readers will note in previous years a mistake in concurrence, the danger of quickly checking something in a later edition!

June 2nd - Trinity Sunday

The feast of the Most Holy Trinity is a double feast and its liturgical colour is white. Today is also the first Sunday after Pentecost and the Sunday is commemorated at Mass and in the Office. The Octave of Pentecost ended with the celebration of the Ember Saturday Mass after None yesterday.

At first Vespers yesterday afternoon the Office was proper with the antiphons Gloria tibi Trinitas etc sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The chapter, O altitudo, and hymn, O lux beata Trinitas, will both be used at Vespers on Saturdays for all the Sundays after Pentecost when the following Office is of the Sunday. The antiphon on the Magnificat, Gratias tibi, Deus etc, and the collect, Omnipotens, were proper to the feast. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the first Sunday after Pentecost. After Vespers the antiphon Salve Regina was sung for the first time this year.

At Mattins there are three nocturns. The invitatory is proper, Deum verum, unum in Trinitate, et Trinitatm in Unitate, Venite adoremus. The Office hymn is Summae Deus clementiae. In the first nocturn the antiphons Adesto unus Deus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 8, 18 & 23. The lessons are taken from the sixth chapter of the Prophet Isaiah. These are identical to those found in the 'modern' books. In the second nocturn the antiphons Te invocamus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 46, 47 & 51. The lessons are taken from the Book of Bishop Fulgentius on faith. The fourth lesson continues with Si enim, sicut et Patris...veraciter Trinitas diceretur. The fifth lesson begins Rursus quidem Trinitas...and continues Per hanc unitatem...totus quoque Spiritus Sanctus in Patre et Filio. The sixth lesson begins Nullus horum and continues past the ending found in the 'modern' editions with three more sentences Sicut ergo...est trium personarum divinitas. In the third nocturn the antiphons Caritas Pater est etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 95, 96 & 97. The lessons are from a homily of St. Gregory Nazianzen. These are again slightly longer than those found in the later editions. The seventh lesson continues Nec extensionem...atque potentiae credimus. The eighth lesson begins Et ideo unum... and continues Sic est Apostolus...per quem omnia et nos per ipsum. The ninth lesson is of the first Sunday after Pentecost, it ends slightly before the version in 'modern' editions with Ego sum panis vivus, qui de caelo descendi? The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Gloria tibi Trinitas are sung, doubled, with the Dominical psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Tu, Trinitatis Unitas. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the first Sunday after Pentecost and of SS Peter, Marcellinus & Erasmus.

At Prime the festal psalms are sung, Pss.53, 118(i) & 118(ii) followed by Quicumque. The Athanasian Creed is sung on all other Sundays of the year when the Office is of the Sunday unlike in the later, reformed, versions of the rite. The Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. Before Mass at the sprinkling of lustral water the antiphon Asperges me returns. The Mass is proper, Benedicta sit. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the third collect of SS Peter, Marcellinus & Erasmus. The Creed is sung, the common preface is sung and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At second Vespers the antiphons Gloria tibi Trinitas etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The chapter is O altitudo and the Office hymn O lux beata Trinitas. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the first Sunday after Pentecost. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

May 26th - Dominica Pentecostes - Pentecost Sunday

The feast of Pentecost is a double feast with an Octave preceded by a Vigil similar to that of Pascha but although the Vigil is celebrated after None, and has six prophecies, followed by the blessing of the font, Litany and Mass of the Vigil the service of Vespers is not integrated into the morning ceremonies. The liturgical colour of the feast and its Octave is red. This year the feast of St. Eleutherius is omitted from the Universal Calendar.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Dum complerentur dies Pentecostes etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The chapter was Dum complerentur dies Pentecostes etc and the Office hymn was Veni, Creator Spiritus. All hymns of Iambic metre have the Doxology Gloria Patri Domino, Natoque, qui a mortuis, Surrexit ac Paraclito, In saeculorum saecula during the Octave. There are no commemorations. The Suffrages are omitted during the Octave as are the Dominical preces.

Mattins for the feast, and Octave, is like Pascha in only having a single nocturn of three psalms and three lessons. The invitatory is Alleluia, Spiritus Domini replevit orbem terrarum, Venite adoremus Alleluia. The Office hymn is Jam Christus aster ascenderat. The antiphons Factus est etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 47, 67 & 103. The lessons are from a homily of St. Gregory the Great on St. John's Gospel. The lessons are the same as those appearing in the later editions of the Breviary. At Lauds the antiphons, Dum complerentur dies Pentecostes etc, are the same as those at Vespers and are sung, doubled, with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Beata nobis gaudia.

At Prime the festal psalms 53, 118(i) & 118(ii) are sung under the antiphon Dum complerentur dies Pentecostes. In the short responsory the versicle Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, alleluia, alleluia is sung. The short lesson is Judaei quoque. At Terce instead of the usual hymn Nunc Sancte nobis the hymn Veni Creator is sung as it was at the third hour the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles.

At Mass the Gloria is sung and there is a single collect. After the Alleluia the sequence Veni, Sancte Spiritus is sung. The Creed is sung. The preface, Communicantes and Hanc igitur are proper to the feast and used throughout the Octave.

At second Vespers the antiphons Dum complerentur dies Pentecostes etc are sung, doubled, with the Dominical psalms (109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). The versicle and response and antiphon on the Magnificat are proper to second Vespers. There are no commemorations. The feast of St. John I is omitted this year from the Universal Calendar.

Art: Jerome Nadal.

January 27th - St. John Chrysostom

The feast of St. Chrysostom is of double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The third Sunday after the Epiphany is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Ecce sacerdos magnus etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Iste Confessor. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Suscepit Deus. The Suffrages were omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Confessorum Dominum * Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is, again, Iste confessor. In the first nocturn the antiphons Beatus vir etc are sung with psalms 1, 2 & 3. The lessons are from occurring Scripture: the Incipit of the Epistle to the Galatians. The first and second lessons are the same as those found in the modern editions, the third lesson is longer and continues Cum autem placuit ... diebus quindecim (vv. 15 - 18). The responsories are from the Common of Confessor-Bishops. In the second nocturn the antiphons Invocantem etc are sung with Pss. 4, 5 & 8. The lessons are proper to the feast. These are the same as those found in the later editons up until the addition of a sentence to the sixth lesson. In the third nocturn the antiphons Domine etc are sung with Pss. 14, 20 & 23. The lessons are a homily of St. Chrysostom on St. Matthew's Gospel (from the Common of Doctors). These are longer than those found in the post-Clementine edtions. The eighth and ninth lessons are read as one and the ninth lesson is formed of the three lessons appointed for the homily of the third Sunday after the Epiphany from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. These lessons are the same as in the later editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Ecce sacerdos magnus etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Jesu redemptor omnium. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual order. At Prime the festal psalms are sung (53, 118i & 118ii) and the lectio brevis is Fungi sacerdotio.

Mass is sung after Terce. The second collect is of the Sunday. Today there is no third collect. The Creed and the common preface are sung and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers all is sung as at first Vespers except the last psalm which is Ps. 131. The Office hymn is, again, Iste confessor. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Agnes. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

January 20th - SS Fabian & Sebastian

The feast of SS Fabian and Sebastian is of double rite and its liturgical colour is red. St. Fabian was Bishop of Rome in the mid-part of the third century and was martyred in the year 250. St. Sebastian, a Milanese, was an officer in the Roman army under Diocletian. On the discovery that he was a Christian he was tied to a tree and shot by archers and then scourged to death in 288. The Office is largely taken from the Common of Several Martyrs save the collect and lessons. The second Sunday after the Epiphany is commemorated at Vespers, Mattins, Lauds and Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Omnes sancti etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Sanctorum meritis inclyta gaudia. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Sunday. The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Martyrum Dominum, * Venite adoreumus and the Office hymn is Aeterna Christi munera. In the first nocturn the antiphons Secus decursus aquarum etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 1, 2 & 3. The lessons are of occurring Scripture, i.e. those appointed for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany, the Incipit of the Epistle to the Galatians. The first and second lessons are the same as those in the post-Clementine editions of the Breviary. The third lesson is longer and continues Cum autem placuit (...) eum diebus quindecim, i.e. the addition of vv. 15 - 18. The responsories are from the Common of Martyrs. In the second nocturn the antiphons Dabo sanctis meis etc are sung with psalms 14, 15 & 23. The proper lessons appointed for the feast are identical to those found in the later editions of the Breviary. In the third nocturn the antiphons Justi autem etc are sung with psalms 32, 33 & 45. The lessons are a homily from St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel, Descendens Jesus de monte. These are significantly longer than those found in the later editions and the eighth lesson incorporates the text of both the modern eighth and ninth lessons. The text of the ninth lesson is not in the later books. Today, the eighth and ninth lessons are read as one to form an extended eighth lesson and the ninth lesson is formed of the homily for the Sunday. This is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. The lessons are the same as those found in later editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Omnes sancti etc are sung with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite 148-49-150. The Office hymn is Rex gloriosae martyrumr. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. The Suffrages are omitted.

At Prime, Pss. 53, 118(i) & 118(ii), both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted and the lectio brevis is Fulgebunt justi.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass formula is Intret in conspectu tuo Domine etc. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. Totday there is no third collect. The Creed and the common preface are sung and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

Vespers are 'from the chapter' of St. Agnes. The antiphons Isti sunt sancti etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. The chapter is Confitebor tibi Domine Rex etc and the Office hymn is Jesu, corona Virginum. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the preceding Office of SS Fabian and Sebastian and of the Sunday. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Art: "Saints Fabian and Sebastian", The Hours of Catherine of Cleves (15th century)

January 13th - Octave Day of the Epiphany

The Octave Day of the Epiphany is of double rite and its liturgical colour, like that of the feast and the days within the Octave, is white. When the Epiphany and its Octave day fall on a Sunday the Sunday within the Octave is anticipated on the Saturday. Yesterday, in the Office of the anticipated Sunday the lessons in the first nocturn were from the sixteenth chapter of Romans, Commendo autem etc.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116 as were sung as first Vespers of the Epiphany. The Office hymn was Hostis Herodes impie. The collect was proper to the Octave Day. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the anticipated Sunday within the Octave.

At Mattins the invitatory is Christus apparuit nobis, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Hostis Herodes impie. The special arrangement being for the feast only. The antiphons Afferte Domino etc are sung, doubled, with the psalms of the feast. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Epistle to the Corinthians, Paulus vocatus Apostolus. These are significantly longer than those found in the later editions. The first responsory is Hodie. In the second nocturn the lessons are from a sermon of St. Gregory the Theologian. Again, these are significantly longer than those found in the post-Clementine books. In the third nocturn the homily if from St. Augustine on St. John's Gospel. Yet again, these are longer than those found in the later books. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The Office hymn is O sola magnarum urbium. The collect is proper to the Octave Day Deus, cujus Unigenitus.

At the Hours the hymns have the Doxology and melody of the Epiphany. The antiphons and psalms are sung as on the feast but with the proper collect of the Octave Day.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass formulary is the same as on the feast except the orations and Gospel are proper. The Gloria is sung, the Creed is sung and the preface and communicantes are of the Epiphany.

At Vespers the antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The Office hymn is, again, Hostis Herodes impie. After the collect of the Octave Day commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Hilary of Poitiers and of St. Felix.


Icon: Russian, 15th century, Wikipedia

January 6th - The Epiphany of the LORD

The feast of the Epiphany is of double rank with an Octave. The liturgical colour of the feast and its Octave is white.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc were sung, doubled, with the psalms from the First Vespers of the Common of Apostles (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116). The chapter, Surge, illuminare, Jerusalem was from Isaiah, the Office hymn was Hostis Herodes impie. For the feast and its octave a Doxology in honour of the LORD's manifestation is sung at all hymns of Iambic metre: Gloria tibi Domine, Qui apparuisti hodie, Cum Patre, et Sancto Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula. The rest of the Office is proper. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology and tone of the feast.

Mattins begins, without the usual Domine labia me, invitatory and hymn, directly with the first antiphon of the first nocturn, Afferte Domino. In the first nocturn Psalms 28, 45 & 46 are sung and the lessons are from Isaiah. These are the same as in the post-Clementine editions of the Breviary. In the second nocturn the antiphons Omnis terra adoret te etc are sung with psalms 65, 71 & 85 and the lessons are from a sermon on the Epiphany by St. Leo. The fifth and sixth lessons are longer than those found in the post-Clementine editions. In the third nocturn the antiphon Venite adoremus eum etc is sung with Ps. 94, Venite , the usual invitatory psalm, in a responsorial manner. Psalms 95 and 96 are also sung in the third nocturn. The homily on St. Matthew's Gospel if from St. Gregory. These are considerably longer than those found in the later editions. The text of the last sentence of the eighth lesson and the entire ninth lesson are absent from the post-Clementine books. The Te Deum is sung.

After the last lesson of Mattins (or after Compline) the celebrant vested in amice, alb, stole and cope and assisted by deacon and subdeacon celebrates the solemn Blessing of the Waters. The rite (which can be found in the Marquess of Bute's excellent study 'The Blessing of Waters on the Eve of the Epiphany') contains antiphons, a Litany, an OT reading, a Gospel, numerous lengthy prayers, a preface, Sanctus, Pater noster etc., and culminates in a Cross being plunged by the celebrant into the waters whilst the choir sings Baptizatur Christus, et sanctificatur omnis mundus: et tribuit nobis remissionem peccatorum: aqua et Spiritu omnes purificamur. (Christ is baptized, and all the world is hallowed, and He granteth unto us the remission of sins. We are purified by water and the Spirit). There are clearly strong parallels with other solemn blessings such as that used for the Palms and the font on Holy Saturday.

At Lauds the antiphons Ante luciferum genitusetc are sung, doubled, with the psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The chapter is Surge, illuminare from Isaiah and the Office hymn is O sola magnarum urbium.

At the Little Hours the antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual order. At Prime, Pss. 53, 118(i) & 118(ii), in the short responsory, the versicle Qui apparuisti hodie is sung today and during the Octave, and the short lesson is Omnes de Saba. The Doxology Gloria tibi Domine, Qui apparuisti gentibus etc is sung at the hymns of the Little Hours.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass, Ecce advenit, is proper. The Gloria and Creed are sung. The preface and communicantes in the Canon are proper to the feast. After the Gospel of the Mass the Moveable Feasts for the year are traditionally announced.

At Vespers the antiphons Ante luciferum genitus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 11, 112 & 113. The Office hymn is Hostis Herodes impie. The antiphon on the Magnificat is Tribus miraculis. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

November 25th - St. Catharine of Alexandria

The feast of St. Catharine of Alexandria is of double rite and its liturgical colour is red. The twenty-fourth and last Sunday after Pentecost, and this year the fifth Sunday of November, is commemorated in the Office and at Mass. According to tradition St. Catharine was the daughter of the Roman governor of Alexandria. She became a Christian and professed her faith under the Emperor Maxentius and as a consequence suffered scourging and imprisonment. Whilst imprisoned she was responsible for bringing many other souls to Christ. She was to be executed by being tied to a wheel which splintered as she touched it. She was beheaded and her body reposes at the monastery that bears her name at Mount Sinai. Her emblem of martyrdom is the Catharine Wheel.

An interesting and unusual depiction of a Catharine Wheel on a radiator - Church of St. Catharine, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire (Author's collection)

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Haec est Virgo etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn was Jesu, corona Virginum. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Super muros tuos etc for the Saturday before the fifth Sunday of November). The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Virginum Dominum * Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Virgines Proles. In the first nocturn the antiphons O quam pulchra etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 8,18, & 23. The lessons are those appointed for the first nocturn of the Sunday, the Incipit of Micheas the Prophet. The first lesson is longer than that found in the modern editions of the Breviary. After ... et super excelsa terra the lesson continues Et consumenter montes, from the second lesson in the modern Breviary, until ... in peccatis domus Israel. The second lesson begins Quod scelus Jacob?... and continues until usque ad Hierusalem, i.e the end of the modern third lesson. The third lesson begins In Geth nolite annciare and continues until ...in deceptionem regibus Israel (vv. 10 - 14). These verses are absent from the later editions. In the second nocturn the antiphons Specie tua etc are sung with Pss. 44, 45 & 47. The lessons are proper to the feast and are almost identical to those found in the post-Clementine editions. In the third nocturn the antiphons Nigra sum etc are sung with Pss. 95, 96 & 97. The homily for the feast is from St. Gregory the Great on St. Matthew’s Gospel. The lessons are considerably longer than those found in the later books, roughly double the length. Today the eighth and ninth lessons for the feast are joined together to make an extended eighth lesson and the ninth lesson is formed of the three lessons appointed for the last Sunday after Pentecost. These are from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. The seventh lesson (of the Sunday) continues with the first sentence of the modern eighth lesson Potest autem... in praesentem diem stetit. The eighth lesson (of the Sunday) begins Abominatio quoque secundum... and continues until Apostoli habere prohibentur, the end of the modern ninth lesson. The text of the ninth lesson, absent from the modern books, begins Vae autem praegnantibus... and continues until ne temporum mora fides concutiatur credentium. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Haec est Virgo etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Jesu corona Virginum. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. The Suffrages are omitted.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns the antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual order. At Prime Pss. 53, 118(i) & 118(ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted as the Office is festal.

Mass is sung after Terce. The second collect is of the Sunday. The Creed and the common preface are sung and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers the antiphons Haec est Virgo etc are again sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn is Jesu, corona Virginum. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of the following feast of St. Peter of Alexandria. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Icon: Wikipedia from St. Catharine's Monastery showing the Saint's martyrdom.

November 18th - The Dedication of the Basilicas of SS Peter & Paul

The feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul is of double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The feast takes precedence over the twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost (this year the IV Sunday of November). November 18th is shared by these two patriarchal basilicas as their Dedication feasts. Sadly, in both cases, the structures that were extant when the Tridentine Missal and Breviary were published are no more. St. Paul Outside the Walls suffered a disastrous fire in the nineteenth century and Old St. Peter's was destroyed by the whims of vulgar fashion.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Domum tuam Dominus etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 and 147. The Office hymn was Urbs beata Jerusalem. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Sunday (the antiphon being Qui caelorum etc for Saturday before the fourth Sunday of November). The Suffrages were omitted, as were the Dominical preces at Compline because of the double feast.

At Mattins the invitatory is Domum Dei decet sanctitudo etc and the Office hymn is again Urbs beata Jerusalem. In the first nocturn the antiphons Tollite portas etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 23, 45 & 57. The lessons are from the Apocalypse of St. John with the responsories taken from the Common of Dedications. The lessons are the same as those found in the modern editions of the Breviary. In the second nocturn the antiphons Non est hic aliud etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 83, 86 & 87. The lessons are proper to the feast. The fourth lesson is the same as those in the later editions, the fifth lesson is shorter terminating at ne deinceps altaria nisi ex lapide fierent. The sixth lesson is entirely different, Basilicam item Pauli ... ac diaconus quinque. In the third nocturn the antiphons Qui habitat etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 90, 95 & 98. The lessons in the third nocturn are from a homily of St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel (taken the Common). These are the same as those found in the later editions. The eighth and ninth lessons of the feast are read together to form the eighth lesson and the ninth lesson is the homily of the Sunday from St. Hiliary on St. Matthew's Gospel. The seventh lesson (of the Sunday) contains the text of both the modern seventh and eighth lessons. The eighth lesson consists of all of the text found in the modern ninth lesson and additional text absent from the modern books. The text of the ninth lesson is entirely absent from the post-Clementine editions.  The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Domum tuam, Domine etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Angularis fundamentum. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. The Suffrages are omitted.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons of Lauds Domum tuam, Domine  etc are sung in the usual order. At Prime, Pss 53, 118(i) & 118(ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted as the Office is festal rather than Dominical. The lectio brevis is is Et absterget Deus etc.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. The Creed and the common preface are sung and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers all the antiphons, psalms, chapter and hymn are as were sung at first Vespers. The V&R and antiphon on the Magnificat are proper to second Vespers of the Common. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Pontianus. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Image: Wikipedia

November 11th - St. Martin of Tours

The feast of St. Martin of Tours is of double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost, and this year the third Sunday of November (the second Sunday and its week are omitted this year) is commemorated at Vespers, Mattins, Lauds and Mass. St. Martin was born in Hungary and later served in the Roman army and resigning from it as it conflicted with his faith. He is famous for cutting his cloak in two and giving half of it to a beggar. Renown for his works of charity he died, as Bishop of Tours, in 397.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the, proper, antiphons Dixerunt discipuli ad beatum Martinum etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Iste confessor. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Muro tuo for the Saturday before the third Sunday of November and of St. Menna. The Suffrages were omitted due to the double feast as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is proper Laudate Deum nostrum, * In confessione beati Martini and the Office hymn is Iste confessor. In the first nocturn the antiphons Martinus etc, doubled, are sung with psalms 1, 2 & 3. The lessons are taken from the Common. The first lesson is from the First Letter of St. Paul to Timothy. This is the same as in the later editions. The second and third lessons are from the Epistle to Titus. These, again, are the same as those found in the modern editions. The responsories are proper to the feast. In the second nocturn the antiphons Confido in Domino etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 4, 5 and 8. The historical lessons of the second nocturn are almost the same as those found in the post-Clementine editions except that the sixth lesson is a sentence or so longer. In the third nocturn the antiphons Dominus Jesus Christus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 10, 14 and 20. The homily on St. Luke's Gospel is from St. Ambrose. The lessons are slightly longer than those found in the post-Clementine editions. Today the eighth and ninth lessons are read together to form the eighth lesson  and the ninth lesson is formed of the three lessons of the homily for the twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost. These are taken from a homily of St. Hiliary on St. Matthew's Gospel. There lessons are the same as in the modern editions of the Breviary. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Dixerunt discipuli ad beatum Martinum etc are sung, doubled, with the Dominical psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite 148-49-150. The Office hymn is Jesu Redemptor omnium. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Menna. The Suffrages are omitted due to the double feast.

At Prime, Pss. 53, 118(i) & 118(ii),  both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted. The lectio brevis is Fungi sacerdotio.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the third collect is of St. Menna. The Creed and the common preface are sung and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers the antiphons Dixerunt discipuli ad beatum Martinum are again sung, doubled, now with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 131. The Office hymn is Iste confessor. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Martin Pope and Martyr. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Icon: (& interesting biography) Wikipedia.

October 28th - SS Simon & Jude

The feast of SS Simon & Jude is of double rite and its liturgical colour is red. The feast of these two apostles is kept on the anniversary of the transfer of their relics to Old St. Peter's in Rome in the seventh century. St. Simon is traditionally believed to have been martyred by a curved sword and St. Jude, also known as Thaddaeus, was martryed by a club. The twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (and this year the fifth Sunday of October) is commemorated at Vespers, Mattins, Lauds and Mass. Yesterday the feast was preceded by a Vigil.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Exultet caelum laudibus. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Sunday, the antiphon on the Magnificat being Tua est potentia etc for the Saturday before the fifth Sunday of October. The Suffrages were omitted due to the double feast as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Apostolorum Dominum, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn Aeterna Christi munera. In the first nocturn the antiphons In omnem terram etc are sung with psalms 18, 33 & 44. The lessons are taken from the Incipit of St. Jude's Epistle. The second lesson is longer than that found in the post-Clementine editions and continues with text from the modern third lesson: Cum Michael Archangelus... until in his corrumpuntur, i.e. vv. 9-10. The third lesson begins Vae illis, v. 11 and continues beyond the text contained in the modern third lesson to include vv. 14-16, Prophetavit autem... to mirantes personas quaestus causa. In the second nocturn the antiphons Principes populorum etc are sung with psalms 46, 60 & 63. The fourth lesson is an historical one and is the same as that found in post-Clementine editions. The fifth and sixth are from a sermon of St. Gregory and are marginally longer than those found in the modern editions. In the third nocturn the antiphons Exaltabuntur etc are sung with psalms 74, 96 & 98. The homily on St. John's Gospel is from the writings of St. Augustine. Again, these are marginally longer than those found in the post-Clementine editions. The eighth and ninth lesson are read together to form the eighth lesson and the three lessons of the homily for the Sunday are read as the ninth lesson. These texts, from a homily of St. Gregory on St. John's Gospel, are significantly longer than in the modern editions. By the eighth lesson (of the Sunday) all three modern lessons have been read and there is additional material from the homily to complete the Tridentine eighth lesson. The ninth lesson is entirely absent from the modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.

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

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc are sung. At Prime, Pss. 53, 118(i), 118(ii), the lectio brevis is Ibant Apostoli. Both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

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

At second Vespers of the feast the antiphons Juravit Dominus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 & 139. The Office hymn is Exultet caelum laudibus. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

September 30th - St. Jerome

The feast of St. Jerome is of double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost, and this year the first Sunday of October, is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.

Yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of the Dedication of St. Michael the Archangel were sung. The antiphons Stetit angelus etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 137. The Office hymn was Tibi Christe splendor Patris. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of St. Jerome and of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Adaperiat Dominus etc for the Saturday before the first Sunday of October). The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Confessorum Dominum * Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Iste confessor. In the first nocturn the antiphons Beatus vir etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 1, 2 & 3. The lessons are from 39th chapter of Ecclesiasticus, Sapientiam etc. The lessons are longer than those found in the later editions. The first lesson includes v.6 Cor suum... that begins the second lesson in the later books. The second lesson begins at v.7 Aperiet os suum... and continues with most of the text of the modern third lesson ending with v.13. The third lesson begins with v.14 Sapientiam ejus... and continues to v.19. The responsories are from the common. In the second nocturn the antiphons Invocantem exaudivit etc are sung with Pss. 4, 5 & 8. The lessons are proper to the feast and are the same as in the post-Clementine editions. In the third nocturn the antiphons Domine etc are sung with Pss. 14, 20 & 23. The lessons are a homily of St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. These are longer than those found in the post-Clementine books. Today the eighth and ninth lessons of the feast are read as one to form an extended eighth lesson of the day and the ninth lesson is formed of the three lessons appointed for the Sunday. These are from St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel and the eighth and nine lessons (of the Sunday) are slightly longer than those found in modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Domine, quinque talenta etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Jesu corona celsior. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. The Suffrages are omitted.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns the antiphons from Lauds are sung at the Hours in the usual order. At Prime Pss. 53, 118(i) & 118(ii) the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The second collect is of the Sunday. The Creed and the common preface are sung and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers the antiphons Domine quinque talenta etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn is Iste Confessor. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of the following feast of St. Remegius. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Image: St. Jerome in his study, Antonio da Fabriano II.

August 5th - Dedication of St. Mary of the Snows

This feast of the Dedication of St. Mary of the Snows is of double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The eighth Sunday after Pentecost, and the second Sunday of August, is commemorated in the Office and at Mass. The feast commemorates the dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major or Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. Popular tradition records that a miraculous fall of snow delineated the original ground plan of the church that was dedicated during the pontificate of Liberius. The feast appears in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum. In the late Middle Ages it appears in Radolfo di Rivo's Liber de officis Ecclesiasticis as a feast particular to the Diocese of Rome. S Pius V made it a double feast in the 1568 Breviary and Clement VIII raised it to a greater double thirty or so years later.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Dum esset Rex etc were sung, doubled, with the psalms of first Vespers from the Common of feasts of the BVM, Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn was Ave, maris stella. Following the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Dominic and of the Sunday (the antiphon on the Magnificat being Ego in altissimis for the Saturday before the second Sunday of August). The Suffrages were omitted. At Compline Te lucis was sung to the melody of hymns in honour of the Incarnation with the Doxology Gloria tibi Domine etc. The Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Sancta Maria Dei Genitrix Virgo * Intercede pro nobis and the Office hymn is Quem terra. In the first nocturn the antiphons Benedicta tu etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 8, 18 & 23. The lessons Ego sapientia are from the Proverbs of Solomon. These are the same as in the post-Clementine editions. In the second nocturn the antiphons Specie tua etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 44, 45 & 86. The lessons, proper to the feast, have a minor re-arrangement in comparison to those found in the post-Clementine editions. In the third nocturn the antiphons Gaude Maria Virgo etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 95, 96 & 97. The homily is from the Venerable Bede on St. Luke's Gospel. These are longer than those found in the later editions. Today the eighth and ninth lessons are read as one, to form an extended eighth lesson of the feast, and the ninth lesson is formed from the three lessons of the homily of the Sunday which is from St. Jerome on St. Luke's Gospel. Again, the texts are longer than that found in later editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Dum esset Rex etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The Office hymn is O Gloriosa Domina. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. The Suffrages are omitted.

At the Hours the hymns have the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation. At Prime Pss. 53, 118(i) & 118(ii), the versicle in the short responsory is Qui natus es and the short lesson In plateis. Both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass formularly is Salve, sancta Parens. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the Creed is sung and in the preface of the BVM Et te in Festivitate is inserted. The last Gospel is of the Sunday.

After None first Vespers of the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord are sung. The antiphons Assumpsit Jesus Petrum et Jacobum etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn is Quicumque Christum quaeritis. The antiphon on the Magnificat is Christus Jesus, splendor Patris etc and the collect is proper to the feast. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the preceding Office of the Dedication of Sancta Maria ad Nives, of the Sunday, and of SS Xystus, Felicissimus and Agapitus. The Suffrages are omitted. At Compline, Te lucis has the Doxology Gloria tibi Domine, Qui apparusti hodie, Cum Patre et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula and its melody. The Dominical preces are omitted.

Art: Masolino di Panicale: Fondazione della basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

July 22nd - St Mary Magdalene

The feast of St. Mary Magdalene is of double rite and its liturgical colour is white. The seventh Sunday after Pentecost is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Dum esset Rex etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn was Lauda mater Ecclesia. This hymn was replaced with Pater superni luminis in the 1602BR. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the Sunday. The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline due to the double feast.

At Mattins the invitatory is proper, Laudemus Deum nostrum * In conversione Mariae Magdalenae. The Office hymn is Nardi Maria pystici, replaced in 1602BR by Maria castis osculis. In the first nocturn the antiphons (from the Common of non-Virgins, non Martyrs) are O quam pulchra etc sung with Pss. 8, 18, 23. The lessons are from the Canticle of Canticles. The lessons are considerably longer than those found in the post-Clementine editions. In the second nocturn the antiphons Specie tua etc are sung with Pss. 44, 45, & 47. The lessons are from a sermon of St. Gregory the Great. These are the same as those found in the later editions. In the third nocturn the antiphons Nigra sum etc are sung with Pss. 95, 96 & 97. The homily on St. Luke' Gospel is from St. Augustine. These are the same as those found in the modern editions. The eighth and ninth lessons are read together to form the eighth lesson of the day and the ninth lesson is formed of the three lessons from the homily of the Sunday. These are longer than those found in the later editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Dum esset Rex etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Aeterni Patris unice. This was replaced by Summi Parentis Unice in 1602BR. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons Dum esset Rex etc are sung in the usual order. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii) Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted.

At Mass, Me expectaverunt, the Gloria is sung. The second collect is of the Sunday. The Creed is sung (as it would be even on a weekday for this most holy Lady) and the Common Preface is sung. The last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At second Vespers the antiphons Dum esset Rex etc are again sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn is Lauda mater Ecclesia. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Apollinaris.

Icon: Wikipedia.

July 1st - The Octave Day of St. John the Baptist

The Octave Day of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist is of double rite and the liturgical colour, from Mattins onwards, is white. Today is also the third Sunday after Pentecost, and Sunday within the Octave of SS Peter & Paul, which is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.

Yesterday afternoon second Vespers of the feast of the Commemoration of St. Paul the Apostle were sung. The antiphons from the Common, Juravit Dominus etc, were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn was Doctor egregie. After the collect of the feast commemorations were sung of St. Peter the Apostle, of the Octave of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist and of the third Sunday after Pentecost. The Suffrages were omitted due to the double feast and Octaves as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is proper, as on the feast, Regem Praecursoris Dominum, Venite adoremus. The Office hymn is Antra deserti teneris sub annis. In the first nocturn the antiphons Priusquam te formarem etc are sung, doubled, with psalms. 1, 2 & 3. The lessons are those appointed for the Sunday from the First Book of the Kings. These are the same as in the later editions. The responsories are those sung on the feast. In the second nocturn the antiphons Misit Dominus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 4, 5 & 8. The lessons are proper to the Octave Day from a sermon of St. Maximus. These are the same as those in the post-Clementine books. In the third nocturn the antiphons Posuit os meum etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 14, 20 & 23. The lessons are from a homily of St. Ambrose, as on the feast. The eighth and ninth lessons are read together to form an extended eighth lesson of the day and the ninth lesson is formed from the three lessons appointed for the homily of the Sunday. The Sunday's homily is from St. Augustine but the lessons are longer than those found in the post-Clementine books. The seventh lesson (of the Sunday) consists of text which forms the seventh and eighth lessons in the later books. The eighth lesson is several sentences longer than the modern ninth lesson and the ninth lesson is not found in the later books. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Elisabeth Zachariae etc are sung, doubled, with the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150). The rest of Lauds is proper to the feast with the Office hymn O nimis felix. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and the Octave of SS Peter and Paul.

At the Hours the antiphons of Lauds are sung with the festal psalms. At Prime Pss. 53, 118(i) & 118(ii) the lectio brevis is Reges videbunt. The Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass is proper, De ventre, as on the feast. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the third collect is of the Octave of SS Peter and Paul. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Apostles. The last Gospel is of the Sunday.

Vespers are first Vespers of the feast of the Visitation of the BVM. The antiphons Visitatio gloriosae etc are sung, doubled, with Psalms 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn is Ave Maris stella. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Octave Day of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, of the third Sunday after Pentecost, of the Octave of SS Peter and Paul and of SS Processus and Martinian. The Suffrages are omitted (because of the double feast and concurrent Octaves) and at Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation Gloria tibi Domine etc.

Icon: Wikipedia

June 24th - The Nativity of St John the Baptist

The feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist is a double feast with an Octave. The liturgical colour for the feast and Octave is white. The celebration of the feast on June 24th is ancient and is mentioned by the Council of Agde in 506 and in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum. This year the feast falls on the Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christi.

Af first Vepsers yesterday afternoon the antiphons, Ipse praeibit etc, were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Ut queant laxis resonare fibris. The hymn famously rises through a scale in its verses: Ut (Doh), Resonare, Mira, Famuli, Solve, Labii. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christ (the second Sunday after Pentecost) and of the Octave of Corpus Christi. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation, Gloria tibi Domine, Qui natus es de Virgine etc.

At Mattins the invitatory is proper Regem Praecursoris Dominum, Venite adoremus. The Office hymn is Antra deserti teneris sub annis. In the first nocturn the antiphons Priusquam te formarem etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 1, 2 & 3. The lessons are taken from the Incipit of the Prophet Jeremiah. These are identical to those found in the modern editions. In the second nocturn the antiphons Misit Dominus etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 4, 5 & 8. The lessons are taken from a sermon by St. Augustine on the saints. The first lesson is slightly shorter than that found in the modern books with the omitted text beginning the second lesson. In the third nocturn the antiphons Posuit os meum etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 14, 20 & 23. The homily is from the writings of St. Ambrose on the first chapter of St. Luke's Gospel. These are the same as in modern editions. The ninth lesson today is of the Sunday. The eighth and ninth lessons of the feast are read together to form the extended eighth lesson of the day and the ninth lesson is formed of the three lessons of the homily of the Sunday. This homily in is from St. Gregory on St. Luke's Gospel. The lessons are longer than in the modern editions so that the third lesson of the homily Sed superna...quod praesto est, perat is not found in the later books. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Elisabeth Zachariae etc are sung, doubled, with the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150). The Office hymn is O nimis felix. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday within the Octave and of the Octave of Corpus Christi.

At the Hours the hymns are sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation. The antiphons of Lauds are sung with the Dominical psalms. At Prime (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii) the lectio brevis is Reges videbunt.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass is proper, De ventre. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the third collect is of the Octave of Corpus Christi. The Creed is sung - as the feast falls on a Sunday and the preface is of the Nativity. The last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Second Vespers the antiphons sung at Lauds are sung again with the psalms from Vespers for the Common of Apostles. The hymn Ut queant laxis is again sung, the rest of the Office is proper to the feast. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of the Octave of Corpus Christi. At Compline Te lucis has the Doxology of the Incarnation.

June 17th - Trinity Sunday

The feast of the Most Holy Trinity is a double feast and its liturgical colour is white. Today is also the first Sunday after Pentecost and the Sunday is commemorated at Mass and in the Office. The Octave of Pentecost ended with the celebration of the Ember Saturday Mass after None yesterday.

At first Vespers yesterday afternoon the Office was proper with the antiphons Gloria tibi Trinitas etc sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The chapter, O altitudo, and hymn, O lux beata Trinitas, will both be used at Vespers on Saturdays for all the Sundays after Pentecost when the following Office is of the Sunday. The antiphon on the Magnificat, Gratias tibi, Deus etc, and the collect, Omnipotens, were proper to the feast. After the collect of the feast a commemoration was sung of the first Sunday after Pentecost. After Vespers the antiphon Salve Regina was sung for the first time this year.

At Mattins there are three nocturns. The invitatory is proper, Deum verum, unum in Trinitate, et Trinitatm in Unitate, Venite adoremus. The Office hymn is Summae Deus clementiae. In the first nocturn the antiphons Adesto unus Deus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 8, 18 & 23. The lessons are taken from the sixth chapter of the Prophet Isaiah. These are identical to those found in the 'modern' books. In the second nocturn the antiphons Te invocamus etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 46, 47 & 51. The lessons are taken from the Book of Bishop Fulgentius on faith. The fourth lesson continues with Si enim, sicut et Patris...veraciter Trinitas diceretur. The fifth lesson begins Rursus quidem Trinitas...and continues Per hanc unitatem...totus quoque Spiritus Sanctus in Patre et Filio. The sixth lesson begins Nullus horum and continues past the ending found in the 'modern' editions with three more sentences Sicut ergo...est trium personarum divinitas. In the third nocturn the antiphons Caritas Pater est etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 95, 96 & 97. The lessons are from a homily of St. Gregory Nazianzen. These are again slightly longer than those found in the later editions. The seventh lesson continues Nec extensionem...atque potentiae credimus. The eighth lesson begins Et ideo unum... and continues Sic est Apostolus...per quem omnia et nos per ipsum. The ninth lesson is of the first Sunday after Pentecost, it ends slightly before the version in 'modern' editions with Ego sum panis vivus, qui de caelo descendi? The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Gloria tibi Trinitas are sung, doubled, with the Dominical psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Tu, Trinitatis Unitas. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the first Sunday after Pentecost is sung.

At Prime the festal psalms are sung (53, 118i & 118ii). Quicumque is sung after the last stanza of Ps. 118. The Athanasian Creed is sung on all Sundays when the Office is of the Sunday unlike in the later, reformed, versions of the rite. The Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. Before Mass at the sprinkling of lustral water the antiphon Asperges me returns. The Mass is proper, Benedicta sit. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. The Creed is sung, the common preface is sung and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At second Vespers the antiphons Gloria tibi Trinitas etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113. The chapter is O altitudo and the Office hymn O lux beata Trinitas. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the transferred feast of St. Barnabas, of the first Sunday after Pentecost and of SS Mark & Marecllianus. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

June 10th - Dominica in Pentecostes - Pentecost Sunday -

The feast of Pentecost is a double feast with an Octave preceded by a Vigil similar to that of Pascha but although the Vigil is celebrated after None, and has six prophecies, followed by the blessing of the font, Litany and Mass of the Vigil the service of Vespers is not integrated into the morning ceremonies. The liturgical colour of the feast and its Octave is red.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Dum complerentur dies Pentecostes etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The chapter was Dum complerentur dies Pentecostes etc and the Office hymn was Veni, Creator Spiritus. All hymns of Iambic metre have the Doxology Gloria Patri Domino, Natoque, qui a mortuis, Surrexit ac Paraclito, In saeculorum saecula during the Octave.

Mattins for the feast, and Octave, is like Pascha in only having a single nocturn of three psalms and three lessons. The invitatory is Alleluia, Spiritus Domini replevit orbem terrarum, Venite adoremus Alleluia. The Office hymn is Jam Christus aster ascenderat. The antiphons Factus est etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 47, 67 & 103. The lessons are from a homily of St. Gregory the Great on St. John's Gospel. The lessons are the same as those appearing in the later editions of the Breviary. At Lauds the antiphons, Dum complerentur dies Pentecostes etc, are the same as those at Vespers and are sung, doubled, with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Beata nobis gaudia. The Suffrages are not sung throughout the Octave.

At Prime the festal psalms 53, 118(i) & 118(ii) are sung under the antiphon Dum complerentur dies Pentecostes. In the short responsory the versicle Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, alleluia, alleluia is sung. The short lesson is Judaei quoque. At Terce instead of the usual hymn Nunc Sancte nobis the hymn Veni Creator is sung as it was at the third hour the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles.

At Mass the Gloria is sung and there is a single collect. After the Alleluia the sequence Veni, Sancte Spiritus is sung. The Creed is sung. The preface, Communicantes and Hanc igitur are proper to the feast and used throughout the Octave.

At second Vespers the antiphons Dum complerentur dies Pentecostes etc are sung, doubled, with the Dominical psalms (109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). The versicle and response and antiphon on the Magnificat are proper to second Vespers. There are no commemorations. The feast of St. Barnabas the Apostle is transferred this year to the Monday after Trinity Sunday.

Art: Jerome Nadal.

May 6th - St. John before the Latin Gate

The feast of St. John before the Latin Gate is of double rite and its liturgical colour is red. The feast appears in the Gregorian Sacramentaries on May 6th and and is the dedication festival of the fifth century church in Rome named after the feast. The second Sunday after Pascha is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.

The church, in Rome, above, of San Giovanni a Porta Latina was dedicated in honour of this feast and used to be a liturgical station on Saturday in Passion Week.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Sancti tui etc were sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Tristes erant Apostoli. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung. The Suffrage was omitted. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology of Paschaltide and the Dominical preces were omitted due to the double feast.

At Mattins the invitatory is Regem Apostolorum Dominum, Venite adoremus. The Office hymn is again Tristes erant Apostoli and in the first nocturn the antiphon Stabunt justi is sung with psalms 18, 33 & 44 from the Common of Apostles. The lessons for the first nocturn are the Incipit of the first Epistle of St. John, Quod fuit, found on Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension, which are sung with the responsories from the Common. The lessons are the same as those found in post-Clementine editions of the Breviary. In the second nocturn the antiphon Ecce quomodo etc is sung with psalms 46, 60 & 63. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from the writings of St. Jerome against Jovinian, in the fifth lesson St. Jerome relates Tertullian's account of St. John's 'martyrdom'. Again, these lessons are the same as those found in the post-Clementine editions. In the third nocturn the antiphon Lux perpetua etc is sung with psalms 74, 96 & 98. The homily on St. Matthew's Gospel is again from St. Jerome. The lessons are identical to those found in the later editions. The eighth and ninth lessons are read together to form the eighth lesson and the ninth lesson is formed of the three lessons of the homily from St. Gregor for the commemorated second Sunday after Pascha. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Sancti tui etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Claro Paschale gaudio. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday. The Suffrage is omitted.

At the Hours the Paschaltide Doxology is sung at the conclusion of the Office hymns. The antiphons Sancti tui etc are sung at the Hours. At Prime the festal psalms are sung (Pss. 53, 118i & 118ii), the short lesson is Scimus quoniam. The Dominical preces are omitted.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Mass Protexisti is sung. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday. The Creed is sung, the preface is that of the Apostles and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers the antiphons Sancti tui etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 & 138. The Office hymn is again Tristes erant Apostoli. After the collect of the feast a commemoration is sung of the Sunday.

Art: The Torture of St. John the Evangelist, Filippino Lippi.