September 14th - The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

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

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

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

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

At the Hours the hymns have the melody and Doxology of the Incarnation and the antiphons O magnum pietatis opus etc 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 proper, Humiliavit semetipsum.

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

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

Icon from the Greek Catholic Church.

September 7th - XVI Sunday after Pentecost

The sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, until Vespers this year, is green. It is also the second Sunday of September. The Gospel pericopes from St. Luke are of the LORD healing the man with dropsy on the Sabbath.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday, Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147, were sung. The chapter was O Altitudo and the Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. The antiphon on the Magnificat was In omnibus his for the Saturday before the second Sunday of September. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc were sung. 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 continue to be read from the Book of Job. The first lesson consists of text of both the first and second lessons in the post-Clementine editions of the Breviary. The second lesson begins Si venerit ad me and is a sentence longer than the third lesson found in the modern editions continuing until the end of verse 18 of the ninth chapter. The third lesson is entirely absent from the modern books and begins Si fortitudo quaeritur (v.19) and continues until the end of verse 28. In the second nocturn, Pss. 15, 16 & 17, the lessons are from the Book of Morals of St. Gregory. These are the same as those found in the modern books. In the third nocturn, Pss. 18, 19 & 20, the homily is from St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel. The eighth and nine lessons are slightly longer than those found in modern editions. The Te Deum is sung.

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

At Prime. Pss. 53, 117, 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 of the place. The Creed and the common preface are sung.

After None there is a colour change to white and first Vespers of the Nativity of the BVM are sung. The antiphons Nativitas gloriosae etc are sung, doubled, with the psalms from the Common of the BVM.Pss. 109, 112, 121, 126 & 147. The Office hymn is Ave, maris stella. The Suffrages are omitted. At Compline Te lucis is sung with the Doxology and melody of the Incarnation, Gloria tibi Domine etc. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

Art: Jerome Nadal.

August 31st - XV Sunday after Pentecost

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

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday, Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147, were sung. The chapter was O Altitudo and the Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Cum audisset Job for the Saturday before the first Sunday of September. After the collect of the Sunday the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine were sung. At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn 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 Book of Job. The first lesson is longer than that found in the post-Clementine editions and continues until ...et biberunt cum eis in what is now the modern second lesson. The second lesson begins Cumque in orbem... and continues until Circuivi terram et perambulavi eam. The third lesson begins Dixitque Dominus ad eum... and continues until ...Satan a facie Domini(v.12). In the second nocturn, Pss. 15, 16 & 17, the lessons are from the Book of Morals of St. Gregory the Great. These are the same as those in the later editions. In the third nocturn, Pss. 18, 19 & 20, the homily is from St. Augustine on St. Luke's Gospel. The entire seventh lesson is absent from modern editions: Miracula Domini nostri ... quam suscitare iterum moriturum. The eighth lesson is significantly longer than that found in modern editions. The ninth lesson is the same as that found in the modern books. The Te Deum is sung.

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

At Prime, Pss. 53, 117, 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 of the place. 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 commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Giles and of The Twelve Holy Brothers followed by the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Image: Missale Romanum, Paris, 1572

August 24th - St. Bartholomew the Apostle - XIV Sunday after Pentecost

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

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

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

At the Hours the antiphons from Lauds are sung in the usual order. At Prime, Pss. 53, 118(i)(, 118ii) and 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 of the Apostles and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

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

Icon: Melkite Eparchy in Australia

August 17th - Octave Day of St. Lawrence - XIII Sunday after Pentecost

The Octave Day of St. Lawrence is of double rite and its liturgical colour is red. The XIII Sunday after Pentecost and the third Sunday of August is commemorated in the Office and Mass. Today is also the Sunday within the Octave of the Assumption.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Laurentius ingressus est martyr etc were sung, doubled, with the psalms from the Common of Apostles, Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Deus, tuorum militum sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation, Gloria tibi Domine etc. The chapter, antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were proper, the rest of the Office from the Common of Martyrs. After the collect of the feast (which is proper to the Octave Day) commemorations were sung of the Sunday (the antiphon being Omnis sapientia for the Saturday before the third Sunday of August) and of the Octave of the Assumption. The Suffrages were omitted. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Doxology Gloria tibi Domine etc and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is Beatus Laurentius, Christi Martyr, triumphat coronatus in caelis: Venite, adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn is, again, Deus, tuorum militum, sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation. In the first nocturn the antiphons Quo progredis etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 1, 2 & 3. The lessons, for the Sunday, are the Incipit of the Book of Wisdom. The first lesson is longer than that found in the post-Clementine editions. It continues Spiritus enim ... superveniente iniquitate. The second lesson begins Benignus est enim and continues until quod mentitur occidit animam - what is now the end of third lesson. The text of the third lesson is not found in the post-Clementine Nolite zelare ...qui sunt ex parte illius, vv. 12-16. The responsories are from the feast. In the second nocturn the antiphons Beatus Laurentius etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 4, 5 & 8. The lessons are from the writings of St. Augustine on St. John. These are the same as those found in the later edtions. In the third nocturn the antiphons Strinxerunt etc are sung, doubled, with 14, 16 & 20. The lessons in the third nocturn are from a sermon of St. Chrysostom on St. John's Gospel. These are marginally longer than those found in the later books. Today the eighth and ninth lessons of the Octave Day are read together to form an extended eighth lesson of the day and the ninth lesson is formed of the three lessons of the Sunday's homily. These are from St. Augustine on St. Luke's Gospel. They are longer than those found in modern editions with lessons seven and eight (of the Sunday) comprising of the text of the modern three third nocturn lessons. The ninth lesson (of the Sunday) is absent from the post-Clementine editions. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Laurentius ingressus est martyr etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Martyr dei sung with the Doxology of the Incarnaton. After the collect of the Octave Day commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of the Octave of the Assumption. The Suffrages are omitted.

At Prime and the Hours The hymns are sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation. The antiphons from Lauds, Laurentius etc., are used. At Prime, Pss. 53, 118(i) & 118(ii), the versicle in the short responsory is Qui natus es, the Dominical preces are omitted and the lectio brevis is Potens est autem.

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

At Vespers the antiphons Laurentius etc are again sung, doubled, with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. The Office hymn is Deus, tuorum militum, sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday, of the Octave of the Assumption and of St. Agapitus. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Image: Fifteenth century painted panel featuring St. Lawrence from the Rood screen of St. Helen's Church, Ranworth, Norfolk.

Changes in the arrangement of the Responsories in the Tridentine Breviary - A guest article by Thomas O'Sullivan - Part 3

 While the proper of Saints has seen the most new compositions in subsequent editions of the breviary, there are very few other changes to be noted to the existing arrangement of responsories. The Vatican 1568 is at odds with the other editions for the feasts of the Chair of St Peter, directing one to use the responsories of 29 June, while other editions (including the alternative 1568) give two proper texts, Petre amas me and Elegit te Dominus for the sixth and eighth responsories, the others being the first three and last three of St Peter’s principal feast. The other change is for the feast of St Mary Magdalen. The first three responsories are always Maria Magdalene, Congratulamini and Tulerunt Dominum, taken from Paschaltide; the remaining ones are taken from the Common of Non Virgins. The older breviaries use the second, third, fourth, fifth and eighth, while from 1610, the fourth to eighth are used. Again, this looks like a ‘tidying up’: it seems to make sense to use the fourth in the fourth place, etc., and the same was already the case for the feast of St Clement, who has three proper responsories, followed by those of the Common of One Martyr beginning with the fourth. There are, however, other feasts where other arrangements are used and were left unchanged. For example, St Lucy has three proper responsories, while the last five are taken from the first and second nocturns, not the second and third. The Beheading of St John the Baptist has three propers, then uses those of the Common of One Martyr, beginning with the second, not the fourth, but in this case using the sixth, not the eighth, as the last. 

The most difficult changes to explain are the discrepancies between the two 1568 editions, especially as they were both printed in Rome by the same printer, but perhaps work continued on the reform after the editio princeps was published. This may also be suggested by the places where the 1570 marks a change from the 1568 (and there are other differences between these three editions, but they go beyond the scope of this article).

It can be seen that several of the changes in the arrangement of the responsories took place between 1592 and 1610. Unfortunately, I have not yet been able to examine the 1602 edition of the breviary, but given that Clement VIII issued a revision of the breviary that year, it seems reasonable to make a hypothesis that this is when those changes occurred. For those that occurred between 1580/1587 and 1592, it is tempting to think the same pontiff was responsible, but editions from the intervening years would need to be checked to confirm that. What can be stated is that, except for the addition of new propers for various feasts, the arrangement of the responsories found in 1610 remained unchanged and is found as late as a 1906 edition of the breviary. In fact, all the changes examined remained the same in the post Divino afflatu breviary.

August 10th - St. Lawrence - XII Sunday after Pentecost

The feast of St. Lawrence is of double rite with an Octave and its liturgical colour is red. St. Lawrence's body is interred in the basilica of St. Lawrence-without-the-Walls in Rome. St. Lawrence was the first of the seven Roman deacons and known for his generosity to the poor. He was martyred in 258, according to tradition, on a grid iron and asked his tormentors to turn him over as his flesh was fully roasted on the one side. St. Lawrence is listed in the Communicantes of the Canon. The feast is ancient and appears in the Leonine and other early sacramentaries. The feast was preceded yesterday by a Vigil. St. Lawrence is, amongst many other things, Patron of the Saint Lawrence Press. The XII Sunday after Pentecost, this year the second Sunday of August, is commemorated in the Office and at Mass.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons Laurentius ingressus est martyr etc were sung, doubled, with psalms from the Common of Apostles, Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The Office hymn was Deus, tuorum militum. The chapter, antiphon on the Magnificat and collect were proper, the rest of the Office from the Common of Martyrs. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung (the antiphon being Ego in altissimis for the Saturday before the second Sunday of August). The Suffrages were omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Beatus Laurentius, Christi Martyr, triumphat coronatus in caelis: Venite, adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn is, again, Deus, tuorum militum. In the first nocturn the antiphons Quo progredis etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 1, 2 & 3. The lessons in the first nocturn are from the Book of Ecclesiasticus. These are the same as in the post-Clementine editions. In the second nocturn the antiphons Beatus Laurentius etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 4, 5 & 8. The lessons are from a sermon of St. Leo on St. Lawrence and are, again, identical to those found in the post-Clementine books. In the third nocturn the antiphons Strinxerunt etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 14, 16 & 20. The lessons in the third nocturn are from a sermon of St. Augustine on St. John's Gospel, the same, yet again, as in the later books. 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 from the three appointed lessons on the homily of the XII Sunday after Pentecost. This homily is from St. Bede on St. Luke's Gospel. These lessons (of the Sunday) are longer than those found in modern editions with lessons seven and eight comprising of the text of all of the later third nocturn lessons. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the antiphons Laurentius ingressus est martyr etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite and 148-149-150. The Office hymn is Martyr dei. 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, Laurentius etc., are sung with the festal psalms. At Prime, Pss, 53, 118(i) & 118(ii), the Dominical preces are omitted and the lectio brevis is Potens est autem.

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 second Vespers the antiphons Laurentius etc are again sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 115. The V&R are proper to the feast. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of SS Tiburtius & Others. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.