December 17th - O Sapientia

It seems appropriate to launch this new 'sister' blog of The Saint Lawrence Press on the day that would be 'O Wisdom' in the Tridentine use. The 'Tridentine' Missal of 1570 and Breviary of 1568 both followed the Julian Calendar. Sadly 'Blogger' will display the Gregorian date but that may be useful in some ways. Today is Ember Wednesday in Advent and of simple rite.

At Mattins the invitatory is that used from the previous Sunday, Gaudete, until the Vigil of the Nativity, Prope est. The Office hymn is Rerum creator optime. Mattins has one nocturn of twelve psalms (Pss. 52, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, 65 & 67). The lessons are taken from a homily of St. Ambrose on St. Luke's Gospel. At Lauds the first of several sets of proper antiphons that are used until the Vigil of the Nativity are sung Prophetae praedicaverunt etc. The psalmody is ferial consisting of Pss 50, 64, 62-66, the Canticle of Anna, and 148-149-150. After the antiphon on the Benedictus is repeated the ferial preces are sung with the choir kneeling. The preces include the psalm De profundis.

At Prime the first antiphon Prophetae praedicaverunt is sung and the psalms are Pss. 53, 25, 118(i) and 118(ii). The longer set of ferial preces are sung, kneeling at Prime and the shorter set at the other Little Hours. At the Little Hours Psalm 118 is sung invariably.

The Mass of Ember Wednesday is sung after None. The ministers wear folded chasubles. The second collect is Deus, qui de beatae the third Ecclesiae for the Church. The dismissal is Benedicamus Domino.

At Vespers psalms 126, 127, 128, 129 & 130 are sung. The Office hymn is Conditor alme siderum. At the Magnificat the first Great 'O' antiphon is sung: O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem, fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae. Uniquely for ferial days, the Great 'O' antiphons are sung in their entirety both before and after the canticle and the choir stands. The ferial preces are sung with the choir kneeling and include the psalm Miserere mei Deus. The collect of the preceding Sunday is sung. Preces are said, kneeling, at Compline.