April 12th - Third Sunday after Pascha

Today is the third Sunday after Pascha, it is of semidouble rite. It is sometimes referred to as Jubilate from the first words of the introit at Mass, Jubilate Deo omnis terra etc.

Vespers yesterday were second Vespers of the feast of St. Leo. The antiphons Ecce sacerdos magnus etc were sung with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 131. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday was sung. At Compline (Pss. 4, 30 vv 1-6, 90, 133) Te lucis was sung to the Paschal tone with the Doxology Gloria tibi Domine etc and the Dominical preces were omitted because of Vespers of a double feast.

At Mattins the invitatory and hymn are sung as previous Sundays of Paschaltide. Again, at the nocturns the psalms are sung under one antiphon. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) the lessons are Incipit of the Book of the Apocalypse. The lessons are the same as in 'modern' recensions. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are taken from the a sermon by St. Augustine. These too are the same as in modern recensions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Augustine, again the same as in modern recensions. At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-49-150) are sung under a single antiphon, the nine-fold Alleluia. The Office hymn is Aurora lucis rutilat. The Commemoration of the Cross is sung after the collect of the Sunday. The antiphon for the Commemoration of the Cross at Lauds is Crucifixus surrexit a mortuis, et redemit nos, alleluia, alleluia.

At the Hours the psalms are sung under an antiphon consisting of a four-fold Alleluia. At Prime the Dominical psalms are sung (Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii and Quicumque) as are the Dominical preces.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is Concede nos, the third collect Ecclesiae or for the pope. The Credo is sung, the preface is of Paschaltide.

Vespers are of the Sunday, with the psalms sung under a single antiphon. After the collect of the day the Commmemoration of the Cross is sung with the antiphon Crucem santam subiit qui infernum confregit, accinctus est potentia, surrexit die teria, Alleluia. At Compline (Pss. 4, 30 vv 1-6, 90 & 133) the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

April 5th - Second Sunday after Pascha

The Second Sunday after Pascha is of semi-double rite.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Vespers for Saturday (Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were sung under a single antiphon, Alleluia. The chapter, Carissimi: Christus passus est pro nobis etc, was proper to the Sunday, the Office hymn was Ad coenam Agni providi. The antiphon on the Magnificat : Ego sum pastor ovium. The Commemoration of the Cross was made after the collect of the Sunday. At Vespers the antiphon for the Commemoration is Crucem santam subiit qui infernum confregit, accinctus est potentia, surrexit die teria, Alleluia. The V & R, Dicite in nationibus, Alleluia and Quia Dominus regnavit a ligno, Alleluia and the collect Deus, qui pro nobis Filium tuum crucis patibulum is sung at both Vespers and Lauds when the Office if of semi-double rite or below from the Monday after Dominica in Albis. At Compline (Pss. 4, 30 vv 1-6, 90, 133) Te lucis was sung to the Paschal tone with the Doxology Gloria tibi Dominie etc and the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory and hymn are sung as last Sunday. Again, at the nocturns the psalms are sung under one antiphon. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) the lessons are from the Acts of the Apostles. The first lesson is the same as in 'modern' recensions. The second lesson begins Et exinde but continues Viri fratres...a Pilato , ut interficerent eum. The third lesson begins Cumque consummasssent omnia and continues for several additional verse ending with Quem vero Deus suscitavit a mortuis, non vidit corruptionem. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are taken from the first sermon on the Ascension of the Lord by St. Leo. They are the same as in modern recensions. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Gregory, again the same as in modern recensions. At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite & 148-49-150) are sung under a single antiphon, the nine-fold Alleluia. The Office hymn is Aurora lucis rutilat. The Commemoration of the Cross is sung after the collect of the Sunday. The antiphon for the Commemoration at Lauds is Crucifixus surrexit a mortuis, et redemit nos, alleluia, alleluia. The V & R and collect are the same as are sung at Vespers.

At the Hours the psalms are sung under an antiphon consisting of a four-fold Alleluia. At Prime the Dominical psalms are sung (Pss. 53, 118i, 118ii and Quicumque) as are the Dominical preces.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is Concede nos, the third collect Ecclesiae or for the pope. The Credo is sung, the preface is of Paschaltide.

Vespers are of the Sunday, with the psalms sung under a single antiphon. After the collect of the day the Commmemoration of the Cross is sung with the antiphon as noted above. At Compline (Pss. 4, 30 vv 1-6, 90 & 133) the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal

March 29th - Dominica in Albis

Dominica in Albis or the Octave of Easter is of double rite. The Gospel at Mattins and Mass is the account of the LORD appearing in to His disciples behind the shut doors of the room and the doubting of St. Thomas.

At Vespers yesterday the psalms of Saturday (Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were sung under the single antiphon, Alleluia. Chapters and hymns return to the Office. The Paschaltide hymn Ad cenam Agni providi was sung. Its Doxology is sung at all hymns of Iambic metre: Gloria tibi Domine, Qui surrexisti a mortuis, Cum Patre et Sancto Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula. From this Office the dismissal, Benedicamus Domino, is sung without Alleluia.

At Mattins the invitatory Surrexit Dominus vere Alleluia continues to be sung. The Office hymn is O Rex aeterne Domine. In the first nocturn psalms 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 are sung under a single antiphon Alleluia, Lapis revolutus etc. The lessons in the first nocturn are from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians; the first begins Igitur si consurrexistis otherwise they are the same as in modern editions.
In the second nocturn psalms 15, 16 & 17 are sung under the single antiphon Alleluia, quem quaeris mulier etc. The lessons are from a sermon of St. Augustine and are the same as in the modern editions. In the third nocturn psalms 18, 19 & 20 are sung under the single antiphon Alleluia, noli flere Maria etc. The homily is from the writings of St. Gregory on St. John's Gospel and are substantially the same as in modern editions. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite, 148, 149 & 150) are sung under a single antiphon, a nine-fold Alleluia - an ancient feature of the Roman rite destroyed in 1911-13. The Office hymn is Aurora lucis rutilat.

At Prime the Dominical psalms 53, 118(i), 118(ii) and Quicumque are sung under the antiphon Alleluia. At the other Little Hours Alleluia is also sung as the antiphon, the hymns have the Paschal Doxology.

Mass is sung after Terce. Before Mass the antiphon Vidi aquam is sung during the aspersion. At Mass the Gloria is sung, there is a single collect. The Creed is sung and the preface is of Paschatide.

Vespers are First Vespers of the Annunciation, transferred from Wednesday in the Easter Octave, with a commemoration of the Sunday.