Changes in the arrnangement of the Responsories in the Tridentine Breviary - A guest article by Thomas O'Sullivan - Part 1

The aim of this article is to describe the development in the arrangement of the Mattins responsories in the Roman Breviary between the reforms of St Pius V and Clement VIII and to occasionally offer some suggestions that may explain those changes. In highlighting these differences and providing explanations for some of them, I am not trying to make an argument for the superiority of one of these breviaries over the other (and certainly not supporting any further reforms).

First it is important to note that, although the focus of this article is on the changes made to the responsories, there is a very high degree of consistency in their arrangement across various editions. Of the 626 responsories for the Office in the 1570 breviary (there is one further responsory, Subvenite included in the Ordo Commendationis Animæ at the back of the breviary), all save two were preserved through the reforms of Clement VIII and Urban VIII, albeit with a few, usually minor, textual variations. (For this count, responsories that differ only in minor ways were counted as one: so, for example, the responsories for the Nativity, Conception and Visitation of Our Lady are counted as the same because the texts are identical except for changing the name of the feast, for example, Nativitas to Visitatio; and three appointed for St Mary Magdalen are counted as the same as three from Paschaltide, because they are identical except for the omission of the alleluias.) One of these responsories is not found in the 1568 breviary, namely Si enim non abiero, the eighth for the Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension (also used on the Friday after the Octave and the Vigil of Pentecost). It is the only addition to the 1568 corpus of responsories that I have found until Clement VIII.

The reason I used the 1570 breviary to calculate the number of responsories in the Tridentine Breviary is because of some surprising variations in the two editions from 1568 that I examined. One of these, a facsimile reprint from the Vatican press, lacks eleven of the responsories found in all other editions: these are ferial responsories used during Septuagesima or Lent and two for the feasts of St Peter’s Chair. Another edition, digilatized by Google Books, includes these missing texts and in fact contains all the responsories found in the 1570 edition, except for Si enim non abiero. Another significant difference is that the Vatican reprint has three responsories that are not in any of the other editions I examined, including the other from 1568. These are Misericordiam, Domine exaudi and Velociter, assigned for Saturdays in the time after Epiphany. The other breviaries examined, up until 1610, give no alternatives. Obviously, usually a Saturday without a feast would use responsories for Our Lady, but if one of the Sundays after Epiphany is anticipated, they would be needed (except for the anticipated Second Sunday, when one would use the responsories of the first nocturn of the Sunday, which would not otherwise be used that year). A breviary from 1646 gives the responsories from Wednesday in this case, as do later editions from 1888 and 1906. Thus Saturday is the only day in that season without proper responsories. The 1909 Dominican Breviary gives three texts very similar to those of the 1568 for these Saturdays, but they didn’t find their way back into the Roman Breviary until the reform under St Pius X (albeit with some textual variations).

The two responsories that were lost from the 1570 corpus under Clement VIII are both from the Common of Saints. In the Common of a Confessor not a Bishop, the fourth responsory was originally:

 Iste est, qui ante Deum magnas virtutes operatus est, et omnis terra doctrina eius repleta est. Ipse intercedat pro peccatis omnium populorum. V. Iste est qui contempsit vitam mundi, et pervenit ad cælestia regna. Ipse intercedat pro peccatis omnium populorum.

This was changed to:

Honestum fecit illum Dominus, et custodivit eum ab inimicis, et a seductoribus tutavit illum: Et dedit illi claritatem æternam. V. Justum deduxit Dominus per vias rectas, et ostendit illi regnum Dei. Et dedit illi claritatem æternam.

The original seventh read:

Iste homo ab adolescentia sua meruit infirmos curare, Dedit illi Dominus claritatem magnam, cæcos illuminare, et dæmones effugare. V. Ecce homo sine querela, verus Dei cultor, abstinens se ab omni opere malo, et permanens in innocentia sua. Dedit illi Dominus claritatem magnam, cæcos illuminare, et dæmones effugare.

This was altered to: Iste est qui ante Deum magnas virtutes operatus est, et de omni corde suo laudavit Dominum: Ipse intercedat pro peccatis omnium populorum. V. Ecce homo sine querela, verus, Dei cultor, abstinens se ab omni opere malo, et permanens in innocentia sua. Ipse intercedat pro peccatis omnium populorum.

The former of these was not completely lost to the breviary though, since it was, and remained, the sixth responsory for Confessor Bishops. Also, the first part of Honestum is not a new composition, but is taken from the Common of One Martyr (the fourth in that Common), and the first part the new Iste est is very similar to the original fourth, while the verse is the same as in the responsory it replaced.

The second lost responsory is from the Common of Non Virgins. The former seventh responsory was:

Pulchra facie, sed pulchrior fide beata es N. respuens mundum lætaberis cum angelis, Intercede pro omnibus nobis. V. Specie tua, et pulchritudine tua, intende prospere, procede, et regna. Intercede pro omnibus nobis.

It was replaced with:

Os suum aperuit sapientiæ, et lex clementiæ in lingua eius: consideravit semitas domus suæ, Et panem otiosa non comedit. V. Gustavit et vidit quia bona est negotiatio eius: non extinguetur in nocte lucerna eius. Et panem otiosa non comedit.

As Honestum is taken from the Book of Wisdom (x, 12, 14, 10) and Os suum from Proverbs (xxxi, 26–27, 18), perhaps this indicates a preference for Scriptural texts, although Iste est is not purely Scriptural (part of it is taken from Ecclesiasticus xlvii, 10).

One further change was made to the Commons: that of Doctors gained a proper responsory. Whereas previously, all the responsories from the Common of a Confessor (Bishop or not depending on the Doctor) were used, the eighth responsory was now to be In medio ecclesiæ, echoing the Introit of the Mass. Since, however, this text was already in use on the feast of St John the Apostle, this change made no alteration to the overall number of responsories in the breviary.

The reign of Clement VIII also saw new responsories appointed for the Feast of the Visitation of Our Lady. Previously, those of the Nativity were used, changing the word Nativitas to Visitatio. The last two remained, but four new ones were introduced and placed alongside two existing Marian Responsories, Quæ est ista and Congratulamini (both used on the Feast of Our Lady of the Snows, the former also being used on the Assumption, the latter on the Annunciation, as well as the Circumcision).

In spite of these changes though, the overwhelming majority of the 1570 responsories can still be found in the 1906 edition. Not only that, but the majority are on the same days and in the same order in which they appear in the breviary of St Pius V. The few variations to be found in this arrangement will be examined below.

[To be continued]

July 27th - X Sunday after Pentecost

The tenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday, Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147, were sung, the chapter was O Altitudo and the Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Pantaleon was sung 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 were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn is Nocte surgentes. In the first nocturn, Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14, the lessons are taken from the fourth Book of the Kings. These are the same as those found in the post-Clementine editions. In the second nocturn, Pss. 15, 16 & 17, the lessons are from a sermon on Romans by St. Chrysostom. These are longer than those found in the modern books. In the third nocturn, Pss. 18, 19 & 20, the homily 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 is now entirely absent the modern editions. Today the eighth and ninth lesson are read together to form an extended eighth lesson of Mattins. The ninth lesson is of St. Pantaleon. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds, Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-49-150, the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Pantaleon is sung followed by the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Gloriosi principes etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine.

At Prime, Pss. 53, 117, 118(i) & 118(ii), both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Pantaleon, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed and the common preface are sung.

At Vespers, Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113, the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following feast of SS Nazarius, Celsus, Victor & Innocent 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.

Art: Jerome Nadal

July 20th - IX Sunday after Pentecost

The ninth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke's Gospel contain the account of the LORD casting out the money lenders in the temple.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday, Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147, were sung, the chapter was O Altitudo and the Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Margaret was sung 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 were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn is Nocte surgentes. In the first nocturn, Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14, the lessons are the Incipit of the Fourth Book of the Kings. The first lesson includes what, in later editions, is the text of the second lesson in post-Clementine editions and ends Idcirco de lectulo ... sed morte morieris. The second lesson begins Qui dixit eis (the modern third lesson) but continues until the end of verse 12 of the first chapter. The third lesson, not present in modern editions begins Iterum misit principes and continues until verse 17. In the second nocturn, Pss. 15, 16 & 17, the lessons are from the writings of St. Augustine. These are substantially longer than than those found in modern recensions. In the third nocturn, Pss. 18, 19 & 20, the homily is from St. Gregory on St. Luke's Gospel. Again. the version in the Tridentine Breviary is considerably longer than that found in the post-Clementine editions. Today the eighth and ninth lessons are read together to form an extended eighth lesson of the Sunday and the ninth lesson is of St. Margaret. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds, Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-49-150, the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Margaret is sung followed by 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.

At Prime, Pss. 53, 117, 118(i) & 118(ii), both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Margaret, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed and the common preface are sung.

At Vespers, Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113, the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following Office of St. Praxedes followed by the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, of the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and, lastly, for peace Da pacem Domine etc. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

July 13th - VIII Sunday after Pentecost

The eighth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. The semi-double feast of St. Anacletus (aka St. Cletus) is transferred to Tuesday.

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. 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, the lessons are a continuation from the third book of Kings. These are the same as those found in the post-Clementine editions of the Breviary. In the second nocturn, Pss. 15, 16 & 17, the lessons are from the writings of St. Augustine on the City of God. These are substantially longer than than those found in the post-Clementne books. In the third nocturn, Pss. 18, 19 & 20. the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Luke's Gospel. Again the text in the Tridentine Breviary is longer than that found in later editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds, Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-49-150, the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. 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 are sung.

At Prime, Pss. 53, 117, 118(i) & 118(ii), both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are sung.

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. The Creed and the common preface are sung.

At Vespers, Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113, the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following feast of St. Bonaventure 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.

Art: Jerome Nadal

July 6th - Octave Day of SS Peter & Paul

The Octave Day of SS Peter and Paul is of double rite and its liturgical colour is red. The seventh Sunday after Pentecost is commemorated at Vespers, Mattins, Lauds and Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc, from the Common of Apostles, were sung, doubled, with Pss 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Exsultet caelum laudibus. The versicle and its response, the antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were proper to the Octave Day. After the collect of the Octave Day a commemoration was sung of the Sunday. 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, doubled, with Pss. 18, 33 & 44. The lessons are from the Sunday and are the the lessons are a continuation of the Second Book of the Kings. The lessons are the same as in modern editions of the Breviary. The responsories in all three nocturns are from the Common of Apostles. In the second nocturn the antiphons Principes populorum etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 46, 60 and 63 and the lessons are from a sermon of St. Chrysostom. These are the same as those found in the later editions. In the third nocturn the antiphons Exaltabuntur etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 74, 96 & 98. The homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. Again these are the same as those found in the post-Clementine editions. Today the eighth and ninth lessons are read together to form an extended eighth lesson and the ninth lesson is formed from the three lessons given for the homily of the seventh Sunday after Pentecost. These are from St. Hiliary on St. Matthew's Gospel. These lessons are the same as in the post-Clementine editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 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. The Suffrages are omitted.

At Prime and the Hours the antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual order. At Prime, Pss. 53, 188(i) & 118(ii), the lectio brevis is Ibant Apostoli etc.

Mass is sung after Terce. 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 second Vespers the antiphons Juravit Dominus etc, from the Common are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 112, 115, 125 and 138. The Office hymn is Aeterna Christ munera. After the collect of the Octave Day a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Icon: Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

June 29th - SS Peter & Paul Apostles

The feast of the Apostles SS Peter and Paul is a double feast with an Octave. The liturgical colour of the feast, and Octave, is red. The sixth Sunday after Pentecost is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Petrus et Joannes etc were sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The Office hymn was Aurea luce. 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 Apostolorum Dominum, Venite adoremus and the Office hymn is Aeterna Christe munera. In the first nocturn the antiphons In omnem terram etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 18, 33 and 44. The lessons are taken from the Acts of the Apostles. These are identical to those found in the post-Clementine editions. In the second nocturn the antiphons Principes populorum etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 46, 60 & 63 and the lessons are from a sermon of St. Leo. These lessons are considerably longer than those found in the later editions. In the third nocturn the antiphons Exaltabuntur etc are sung, again doubled, with Pss. 74, 96 & 98. The homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. Again the text of these lessons is considerably longer than that found in the later books and the text of the ninth lesson is entirely absent from them. Today the eighth and ninth lessons of the feast are read together to form the eighth lesson of the day and the ninth lesson is formed of the three lessons appointed for the third nocturn of the Sunday. The lessons for the Sunday are from a homily from St. Ambrose on St. Mark's Gospel. The seventh lesson (of the Sunday) includes the first sentence (Consequens igitur... a jejunio liberaret) from the modern eighth lesson. In the Tridentine Breviary the eighth lesson thus begins Itaque nemo and continues with most of the modern ninth lesson until ...sed nec adhuc quidem potestis. The ninth lesson begins In modum lactis but most of its text is not found in the modern books. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Petrus et Joannes etc are sung, doubled, with Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite, 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Jam bone pastor Petre. 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), and the Hours the antiphons of the feast are sung in the usual order. At Prime the lectio brevis is proper to the feast, Et Petrus etc.

Mass is sung after Terce. 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 second Vespers the antiphons Juravit Dominus etc, from the Common, are sung with Pss. 109, 112, 115, 125 and 138. The Office hymn is Aurea luce. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

June 22nd - V Sunday after Pentecost

The fifth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday, Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147, were sung. The chapter was O Altitudo and the Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St Paulinus was sung 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 etc. 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) the lessons are the Incipit of the Second Book of the Kings. These are identical to the lessons found in the post-Clementine editions. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are taken from St. Gregory's Book on Morals. The fifth lesson is slightly longer and the sixth lesson considerably longer than those found in the later editions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is 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. Today the eighth and ninth lessons are read as to to form the eighth lesson of the day and the ninth lesson is formed of the two lessons given in the Sanctorale for St. Paulinus. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the Dominical psalms, Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-49-150, are sung. The Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Paulinus 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 Prime, Pss. 53, 117, 118(i) & 118(ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloriais sung, the second collect is of St. Paulinus, the third collect is A cunctis nos. The Creed and the common preface are sung.

Vespers are of the Sunday, Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113, and the Office hymn is Lucis creator optime. 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 are sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal